This year, five WOU seniors from the Mathematics department were accepted into fully-funded graduate programs–a historic number. One of these 2021 grads is Lily Lamont from Albany, Oregon. She is a Mathematics major with a minor in Spanish.

 

Why did you choose mathematics at WOU?

Smaller classes and the campus itself!

 

What was your favorite course in your major?

Statistics! It allowed me to see a side of mathematics I had not seen before, and provided me with what I considered to be a tangible application of the material I was learning.

 

Were you involved in any extracurriculars?

Math Club, and [I] tutored at the Math Center.

 

What do you appreciate most about our math department?

The awesome professors!

 

Is there anything you wish all students knew before taking their required math classes?

How important it is to work with your peers! I was pretty shy at first, but making friends within the department was so important, I found. We worked together all of the time, and that peer collaboration was something I overlooked in mathematics originally. 

 

What advice do you have for incoming students who are considering declaring a mathematics major or minor at WOU?

Talk to the professors; they are there to help and are so knowledgeable. They gave me the best advice and really helped inform all of my decisions. 

 

What higher education are you pursuing, and what are your plans for the future thereafter?

I will be attending CU Denver to work towards a PhD in applied math and statistics, and eventually [I] want to teach at a college or university or work as a statistician.