Indiana University East’s online mathematics program offers more than just classes. The program aims to provide support to its students so that they can achieve their career goals.
The program’s latest support initiative is a partnership with the Math Alliance, a community of faculty and students in the mathematical sciences. The Alliance’s aim is to increase the number of doctoral degree recipients among groups who have been traditionally underrepresented and to diversify the workforce in the mathematical sciences.
Felix Pabon-Rodriguez, a faculty member in Biostatistics and Health Data Science at the IU School of Medicine in Indianapolis, acts as the liaison to the mathematics program at Indiana University East.
“The Math Alliance matches eligible students with mentors throughout the nation. These mentors guide their protégés in completing the undergraduate program, assist them in preparing for admission to selective graduate programs, and help them persist through the many trials and tribulations of graduate school – from qualifying and comprehensive exams, through the research phase, defense of the dissertation and eventually to secure a faculty position. The Math Alliance currently has over 1000 scholars who have participated in an Alliance activity in the last two years.”
Pabon-Rodriguez described the success of the alliance’s mentoring: “Every year since 2013, more than 80% of the scholars that apply to graduate school via the Alliance’s Facilitated Graduate Admissions Procedure have successfully entered a graduate program in the mathematical and statistical sciences.”
Since the inception of the partnership between Indiana University East’s online program in mathematics and the Math Alliance, five students in the program have been matched with mentors. The five students, Jordan Norwood (Groveland, Florida), Charles Callender (Seattle, Washington), Kyle McCarty (Port Orchard, Washington), Ryan Dau (Washington Township, Michigan), and Derek Streidl (Strongsville, Ohio) come from different walks of life.
Streidl already holds an undergraduate degree in literature and an MBA, while Norwood recently graduated from high school with 65 credit hours of college credits completed and now wants to earn her Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics within two years after high school graduation.
All five were attracted to the program because it offers great flexibility in selecting classes, is taught by nationally acclaimed faculty, and offers opportunities for undergraduate research.
“I chose the IU East online mathematics program because of its reputation”, Streidl said. He settled on the program after a months-long search. “IU East has tailored the math program to work in an online environment, not the other way around and I think that makes it unique.”
All five students eventually want to pursue graduate school in mathematics. The mentorship and support offered by the Math Alliance is a welcome help.
“The Math Alliance provides an environment which allows me, as a student on the autism spectrum, to flourish as I pursue an academic career in mathematics,” Dau explained. “The mentoring opportunities provided by the Math Alliance have given me added confidence as I explore avenues for graduate work in mathematics which otherwise would not be available to me.”
This sentiment was echoed by the other students in the inaugural group of Math Alliance protégés.
“The Math Alliance offers a structured support system that will assist me in navigating the complexities of the PhD application process,” Callender added.
Jordan Norwood is equally excited about her mentor’s support.
“My mentor is a great listener and is very knowledgeable about various math careers and graduate studies,” Norwood said.
Based on the mentor’s recommendation, Norwood is examining career opportunities that involve mathematical modeling.
“I instantly knew that this was a career path worth pursuing. I am so grateful to be selected for participation in the Math Alliance and I look forward to becoming one of the many student success stories,” Norwood continued.
As participants in the mentoring program offered by the Math Alliance, the students will have the opportunity to attend the Field of Dreams Conference in Atlanta, Georgia in November.
“The Field of Dreams conference presents networking opportunities. These interactions not only enhance my academic credentials but also broaden my professional network, which is essential for my future career in financial mathematics,” Callender said.
Markus Pomper, the dean of the School of Natural Science and Mathematics at Indiana University East, is proud of the students’ ambition and excited about the partnership with the Math Alliance.
“Our goal is to provide a high-quality curriculum in mathematics and supplement this with an engaging co-curriculum,” Pomper explained. “And we want to do this all in the online format and serve students who would otherwise not be able to attend a university.”
Besides participating in the Math Alliance, all five students are involved in co-curricular activities in the department: Dau serves as president of the undergraduate student club, Streidl, McCarty, and Norwood are engaged in various undergraduate research projects under the direction of faculty, and Callender is providing technical assistance to the department in updating course materials.
“We are a community of teachers and scholars, and this community extends beyond the online classroom,” Pomper explained. “Our program aims to provide the same opportunities to students as traditional mathematics programs do.”
