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Student Resources

Contents

Do you get math-news?

Math-news is an email list for Calvin students and faculty interested in receiving posts about Mathematics Department events and activities; job, research and educational opportunities; and other items of mathematical interest. To join math-news, send email to majordomo@calvin.edu from the email account where you wish to read math-news. The message should contain one line:

subscribe math-news

That's all there is to it.

Where can I get more information about the program in mathematics and statistics?

Stop by any faculty members office, explore the department web page, or check out the Student Handbook (pdf file)

Where can I get mathematics scholarship application forms?

In addition to the many college-wide scholarships available at Calvin, there are six scholarships intended for returning students of mathematics and one for incoming students of mathematics.

Baker Mathematics Scholarship for Incoming Students

Application form: online

To apply, fill out the online application form. The deadline is the third Monday in February.

Scholarships for returning students

Application form: pdf (also available in the Department Office)

There is one application form for all of the scholarships. Application forms are available in the department office or can be downloaded here. Descriptions of the scholarships are included with the application materials and are also listed below.

The Kenneth E. and Jean Baker Mathematics and Music Scholarship

Dr. Kenneth and Mrs. Jean Baker always had a strong interest in Christian education at all levels and modeled for their children a lifelong involvement in musical activities in addition to their primary jobs. In honor of one of their children who is a mathematician and a musician, this scholarship was established to encourage Calvin students who are majoring in mathematics/statistics and are formally involved in making music at Calvin College.

Students who wish to be considered for renewal must file a new application each year and will be given equal consideration with other candidates. It is expected the first scholarship will be awarded for the 2008-2009 academic year in the amount of $1,500.

Criteria for candidates:

  1. Be a current Calvin College student planning to enroll full time the following year.
  2. Be entering their sophomore, junior or senior year.
  3. Have a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
  4. Be a Mathematics major.
  5. Be enrolled in a for-credit music activity (ensemble or lessons).
  6. Financial need is not required.
If you apply for the Baker Mathematics and Music Scholarship, it is important for you to include in your essay a description of your music interests.

The Kenneth E. and Jean Baker Sophomore Mathematics Scholarship

Dr. Kenneth and Mrs. Jean Baker always had a strong interest in Christian education at all levels. This scholarship was established to encourage and honor Calvin students studying mathematics, a field that one of their daughters pursued. It is expected the first scholarship will be awarded for the 2008-2009 academic year in the amount of $1,500.

Criteria for candidates:

  1. Be a current full time Calvin College student planning to enroll full time the following year.
  2. Be entering their second year.
  3. Have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  4. Be pursuing a degree in Mathematics.
  5. Financial need is not required.

The Dr. Harold H. Johnson Scholarship

The Theodore R. and Vivian M. Johnson Scholarship Foundation has provided funds for art and math scholarships in honor of Dr. Harold H. Johnson on the occasion of his retirement. The foundation seeks to enable qualified individuals who might not be able to do so otherwise to acquire skills and develop strength which enable them to realize their potential.

Students who wish to be considered for renewal must file a new application each year and will be given equal consideration with other candidates. Two scholarships, in the amount of $2,500, were awarded to mathematics majors for the 2007-2008 academic year.

Criteria for candidates:

  1. Be a current Calvin College student planning to enroll full time the following year.
  2. Be entering their junior or senior year.
  3. Be pursuing a degree in Mathematics.
  4. Financial need as defined by government programs is required.

The Sanford and Marjory Leestma Family Scholarship in Mathematics

This scholarship has been established by the family of Professor Sanford Leestma who retired from the Department of Mathematics and Statistics in 2003. The scholarship is intended to honor Professor Leestma's 35 years of service to Calvin College, the Mathematics Department and its students by encouraging and supporting outstanding students pursuing a career in mathematics. Students who wish to be considered for renewal must file a new application each year and will be given equal consideration with other candidates. One scholarship, in the amount of $1,800, was awarded for the 2007-2008 academic year.

Criteria for candidates:

  1. Be a current Calvin College student planning to enroll full time the following year.
  2. Be entering their junior or senior year.
  3. Be a declared mathematics major.
  4. Financial need as defined by government programs is not required, but there should be some evidence that the scholarship is needed to help meet educational expenses.
  5. Candidates must be strong mathematically and must have shown strong evidence of involvement with the mathematical life of the department (attending colloquium, participating in mathematics competitions, grading, etc.)
  6. Candidates must be planning a career that is mathematics based.

The John and Antoinette Ubels Family Scholarship

Mr. John Ubels is a 1948 graduate of Calvin College who taught high school mathematics for 39 years in the Christian High Schools in Lynden, Washington, Ripon, California and Kalamazoo, Michigan. He is a lifelong supporter of the mission of Calvin College. Both of his children, their spouses and all of his five grandchildren attended Calvin College. He establishes this scholarship because of his love for Calvin College, his dedication to the teaching of high school mathematics and his gratitude to God for the many blessings he has received. It is expected the first scholarship will be awarded for the fall semester of the 2008-09 academic year in the amount of $1,500.

Criteria for candidates:

  1. Be a current Calvin College student planning to enroll full time the following year.
  2. Be entering their senior year or be a post-baccalaureate student who is completing the requirements for teaching certification in secondary mathematics.
  3. Be a Secondary Education Mathematics major who is committed to a career as a high school teacher.
  4. Demonstrate academic achievement, strength of character and promise for success as a high school mathematics teacher.
  5. Financial need as defined by government programs is not required, but there should be some evidence that the scholarship is needed to help meet educational expenses.

The Paul J. and Eleanor I. Zwier Family Scholarships

These scholarships, which are funded by the Zwier family, by colleagues, and by alumni, are intended to celebrate the many delightful opportunities that Professor Zwier had in teaching mathematics to Calvin students during his long career at Calvin College. Dr. and Mrs. Zwier have appreciated being part of the Calvin community. In addition, all of their children have attended Calvin College. A scholarship awarded to a junior is automatically renewable if the student continues to meet the lat three criteria specified below. One new scholarship and one renewed scholarship, in the amount of $3,100, were awarded for the 2007- 2008 academic year.

Criteria for candidates:

  1. Be a current Calvin College student entering their junior year.
  2. Be pursuing a mathematics major with the intention of teaching mathematics at the high school or college level. If multiple candidates are eligible, preference will be given to those planning to teach at the college level.
  3. Have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  4. Financial need as defined by government programs is not required, but there should be some evidence that the scholarship is needed to help meet educational expenses.

What Can I do with a Math Major?

The variety of applications of mathematics is staggering. The AMS (American Mathematical Society) has put together a number of Mathematical Moments describing some of these applications. Examples include Describing the Oceans, Designing Aircraft, Creating Crystals, Deciphering DNA, Forecasting Weather, Seeing the World Through Fractals, Storing Fingerprints, Experimenting with the Heart, Securing Internet Communication, Making Movies Come Alive, Investing in Markets, Listening to Music, Routing Traffic Through the Internet, Tracking Products, Manufacturing Better Lenses, and Mapping the Brain. Visit the Mathematical Moments home page to find out more about any of these.

The wide applicability of mathematics also means that there is a wide range of career possibilies for students of mathematics and that the study of mathematics combines well with many other fields of study.

Life After College: Employment, Graduate School, Careers

In order to take advantage of these opportunities, you need to chart your way through your education and a job interview process. Here are some resources.

Some articles about job opportunities

MAA Career Resources has lots of information on things like
  • what you can do with a math major
  • what steps one should take as an undergraduate to get there
  • non-academic jobs
  • traditional and not-so-traditional graduate study
  • combining mathematics with other interests
  • general information about things like interviewing for a job and preparing a resume
One example of the types of things available from the MAA is the article Examining How Mathematics is Used in the Workplace (part of a series of Research Sampler articles)

Professional Organizations

There are several organizations that serve, promote and represent the mathematical professions and professionals. These organizations orgainize meetings, lobby congress, publish books and journals, disseminate information. Their web pages are great sources of information.

The Big Three plus One

Three of the largest and most general of these organizations combine each January for the "Joint Meetings". There is a great deal of overlap between these organizations, but the comments below give a caricature of each organization's special area of interest.
  • AMS: The American Mathematical Society is concerned primarily with "professional" mathematics and mathematicians. The AMS is a good source of information about "professional" uses of mathematics in all sorts of careers.
  • MAA: The Mathematical Association of America is especially interested in educational issues, especially undergraduate mathematics education.
  • SIAM: The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics focuses on (you guessed it) industrial and applied mathematics.

In addition to these three organizations, there is an organization devoted to statistics:

  • ASA: American Statistical Association

Other Organizations

There are many other smaller organizations as well. A list of more than 50 such organizations and their web pages is maintained at Penn State University. Here are a few that might be of special interest:
  • ACMS: Association for Christians in the Mathematical Sciences
  • AWM: Association for Women in Mathematics
  • NCTM: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics