F&M Stories
Math Paths: Young Alumni Share Career Advice
An accomplished mathematics scholar, Mitchell Young 鈥21 never planned to be the one leading lessons after graduating from 顶级国产视频 & Marshall.
He initially entered the government sector and worked as a fiscal analyst, assisting with tax revenue projections.
鈥淎fter 15 months, I decided to make a career change to being a high school math teacher,鈥 said Young, who teaches at Central Dauphin High School in Harrisburg, Pa.
Young was part of a recent panel on campus that featured four F&M math majors who took distinctly different career paths: an actuary, a data scientist, a mechanical engineer and a teacher.
鈥淵ou have this liberal arts education that provides so many experiences and perspectives. It really allows you to stay grounded and on a stable foundation as you navigate your career path,鈥 Young said.
See what these alumni have to say about their student experience.
Why did you choose F&M?
Mitchell Young 鈥21
- Occupation: High school mathematics teacher
- Location: Harrisburg, Pa.
- Major: Mathematics
- Minor: Music
I came into F&M as [an intended] cultural anthropology major. I wanted to go somewhere where I could get a little bit of everything, because I found so many subjects fascinating. It was a liberal arts school that gave me the opportunity to really engage in everything.
I really valued the opportunity to actually know my professors and my peers. I knew
if I went to a large state school, that might not be the case. I wanted to have that
collaboration and F&M absolutely provided that.
"I wanted to go somewhere where I could get a little bit of everything, because I
found so many subjects fascinating."
Mitchell Young 鈥21
Eve Anderson 鈥15
- Occupation: Assistant director, actuarial sciences at Johns Hopkins Health Plans
- Location: Baltimore
- Major: Mathematics
- Minor: Music
Taking creative writing classes, conducting the orchestra鈥 All of these things have given me a different approach than someone who just went to a bigger school for math with an actuarial program.
I love seeing data and then turning it into a story and presenting it. That's a different
approach I take and I attribute that to F&M and getting a well-rounded education.
"Taking creative writing classes, conducting the orchestra鈥 All of these things have
given me a different approach than someone who just went to a bigger school for math
with an actuarial program."
Eve Anderson 鈥15
What advice do you have for students interested in studying mathematics at F&M?
Shaina Bliss 鈥17
- Occupation: Data scientist, Teladoc Health
- Location: San Francisco
- Majors: Mathematics and business, organizations & society
- Minor: Economics
Talking to your professors is huge. Get to know them, why they are teaching math and
what kind of research they're doing. Relationships with professors and fellow math
majors are pretty key.
"Talking to your professors is huge. Get to know them, why they are teaching math
and what kind of research they're doing."
Shaina Bliss 鈥17
Eric Nehrbas 鈥15
- Occupation: Mechanical engineer, Phillips 66
- Location: San Francisco
- Major: Mathematics
F&M is unique. Be it math, chemistry or engineering classes: You get to take a lot of cool stuff outside of [your major]. Stop and enjoy both that classroom setting and your time at F&M. Recognize what you鈥檝e got, because it鈥檚 a special four years of your life.
Looking back on it, the well-rounded way I'm able to approach things is due to my time at F&M. I think some engineers definitely struggle with that. They can get too technical.
"Looking back on it, the well-rounded way I'm able to approach things is due to my
time at F&M."
Eric Nehrbas 鈥15
Professor of Mathematics Christina Weaver, Tech Oh 鈥25 and Menelaos Raptis 鈥26 facilitated this alumni panel.
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