Academics
Mathematics Alumni in Other Careers Using Math
Paul Jarvis, '09
I was a biology and math major at Saint Michael's, and am using both at UVM's medical school. During this coming summer, I am going to be doing clinical research with members of the neurosurgery department, attempting to use clinical data to develop a dose-response curve for a pre-operative treatment that would allow surgeons to be able to start operations that involve treating life-threatening internal bleeding more quickly and safely. I knew I wanted to spend my summer doing some sort of research here at the medical school. I needed to find a good mentor in a medical field I was interested in (mainly either neurology or neurosurgery).
When I visited the neurosurgery department and one of the attending neurosurgeons found out that I had majored in both biologu and math in undergrad and that I was possibly interested in neurosurgery, he was all too eager to have me join one of their current research projects. He also mentioned that if I were to finish with this one early, I could possibly get involved with one that deals generally with 3 dimensional modeling of the spine and skull being done by one of the resident neurosurgeons using (at least) multi-variate calculus, which he (the attending) didn't understand much of. Along with that, I'll possibly be able to spend some time shadowing the neurosurgeons either in the clinics or even the operating room. I did not expect to be getting involved in a seven-week project that seems to integrate both of my undergrad majors into one experience this early in my post-undergrad career!
Jordan Scampoli '08
I am a summit intern at the Mount Washington Observatory. I do quite a variety of tasks up here on the summit: hourly weather observations; maintaining the instruments, whether it be in severe icing conditions or if instruments or wires break and I have to fix them; blog for their Web site; and complete research projects. Currently I am working on quantifying the total errors in our data acquisition system, specifically, the way we record wind velocities. This involves reading instrument manuals, comprehending the electronics, and figuring out each error and its effect on the data we record.
The Saint Mike's math program prepared me well; it enhanced my analytical skills and my desire to be extremely thorough in my analysis.
Lisa Wotkowicz '02
Currently I am employed as a Paralegal at a small law firm. I work on everything from real estate closings to research and brief writing for civil rights litigation. I am enrolled in the evening division of the New England School of Law and have just completed my first year of classes.
My mathematics education has helped me in an uncharacteristic way. Although I don't work with numbers or proofs, I have found that the methods for compiling and analyzing data that I learned at Saint Michael's have helped me every day at work and at school. I use these skills when reading and outlining cases for class and also when organizing and developing conclusions for writing legal briefs. I have found that knowing how to read and efficiently process large amounts of data, regardless of the subject matter, is an invaluable tool.
Adrienne Riel '00
I work with Greenleaf Forestry and Wood Products in Colorado and am subsequently pursuing graduate studies in forestry, more specifically in silviculture, the applied ecology and management of forests and woodlands. A background in mathematics has become valuable to this field, and I have been strongly encouraged by professors of forestry to apply to their graduate programs, even without the prior coursework in the natural sciences typically required. The data management and analysis skills I developed in math and computer science courses at Saint Michael's will be useful in this field as they have been in many other ways.
I completed the process of earning a Vermont teaching license through the Teacher Apprenticeship Program based in Essex Junction. Middle- and secondary-level math teachers are in high demand here and everywhere, and my education in higher math has enabled me to keep open the door of this possibility and be a strong candidate for positions. I have found this has only been accentuated by Saint Michael's reputation as an institution of rigorous academics and high ethics. In my student teaching at Middlebury Union Middle School, I assisted in coaching our MathCounts team to the state and national rounds of competition. My knowledge of high-level math and problem-solving strategies served me in working with these students as they tackled very challenging problems in all branches of mathematics.
Most important to me, though, are the understandings of mathematical truths and the reasoning skills I acquired and developed. They have universal applications and have impacted me personally as well as professionally. I'm very grateful for the quality of the education I received in the math department at Saint Michael’s.
Rob Troy '97
I recently got out of the Active Duty Air Force and joined the Air Force Reserves, where I am an F-16 Pilot. When I'm not serving in the Air Force, I fly for Continental Airlines.
My math education, I think, was one of the main reasons I was selected for Pilot Training. In a competitive field of applicants, someone with an analytic background has a leg up in a very technical field.
Lt. Colonel Michele Johnson '95
Currently, I am serving as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force. My husband Dan (Class of 1995), and I, along with our three boys, are living in San Antonio, Texas, where I am assigned as a Squadron Commander at Basic Military Training. In this position, I am responsible for training over 5,000 new Airmen for our Air Force annually.
Since graduating from SMC, I have earned a MS in Information Resource Management from the Air Force Institute of Technology in Ohio, and a MA in Counseling & Leadership from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.
The math program at SMC prepared me well for my graduate programs, as well as enhanced my analytical skills. While my current position does not include mathematics on a daily basis, the ability to solve problems and approach challenges from a strategic level has been invaluable throughout my military career.
Sister Lorraine Aucoin '91, pm
I certainly loved my time at Saint Michael's as a math major and wouldn't change it for anything. Currently I am the Vocation Director for my religious community, Sisters of the Presentation of Mary. Prior to this role I taught math for six years at the junior high level. Our Sisters do have an elementary school in Hudson, NH; we also own and operate Rivier College in Nashua, NH. After Saint Mike's I attended Boston College (not right away, but from 2003-2005) where I obtained my Master's Degree in Theology with a concentration in Ethics. I am now serving my second year as a member of the Board of Trustees for Saint Mike's and I am so happy to be giving back to the school that gave me so much!
Lisa Martin Eriksson '90, OD
I am an Optometrist at New England Vision Correction in South Burlington VT. I went to the New England College of Optometry in Boston, MA.
The Saint Michael's mathematics program was excellent preparation for my graduate program in optometry, as were my pre med classes. The mathematics provided a base for the optical portion of my profession.