GVSU mathematics alumni are engaged in an amazing array of careers while working for such diverse companies and organizations as Amazon, Disney, the National Institutes of Health, the United States Army Ground Systems Vehicle Center, and the City of Walker.  They are researchers, data scientists, managers, actuaries, teachers, CEOs, developers, and more.  As Professor Lora Bailey likes to say, if you’re a math major, you can be anything you want to be!

In the past year, the Department of Mathematics reached out to a large group of our alumni to ask them to share with us their current position, employer, and how they use their mathematical education in their work.  Each response has led to an individual alumni profile in a slideshow we share at department events with current and prospective students, as well as a new collection of alumni spotlight features on our web page.  

One of the questions we asked our alumni is, “what advice do you have for current students?”  We received dozens of wise responses with such counsel as:

• You don't have to have a set plan. Every decision presents new opportunities, many you may never have expected. I never planned on running a company, but when I look back now I can see how it was just a series of opportunities that I took one at time. 
• Embrace productive struggle!
• The most fulfilling work comes from situations where you are challenged. 
• Take any opportunities you have to learn about yourself, your passions, and the opportunities available to you.
• Learn a programming language instead of taking that extra math class - R, SQL, Python are good choices. 
• What you learn from earning a mathematics degree can be applied to almost anything.
• Don't underestimate the career opportunities that you have with a degree in Math!
• Never would I ever have guessed that my career would take the path it did, and that I would fall into the data analysis route.
• Your mathematics degree will provide you with more opportunities than you realize.
• Trust that you are smart enough to persevere through adversity. 
• Be intentional with your time, which to me means finding some balance between enjoying today while also taking steps toward your goals.
• Job shadow as many people as you can find.
• A 4.0 GPA is less interesting than a 3.4 and an internship.
• Develop your professional relationship skills. Conflict management, negotiation and emotional intelligence are learnable tools that you will lean on at least as often as your academic skills.
• Remain curious, ask questions, and keep learning.

We also asked alumni what part of their GVSU Math undergrad experience was most valuable to them.  One person spoke for many when they said, “the single most important skill that I learned in my mathematics education is the ability to approach an open-ended problem in new and creative ways”.  Another theme was the value of communication, about which one person wrote, “My position requires I communicate effectively with various municipalities, public safety officers, civil engineers, elected officials, and numerous other people with different backgrounds. While I use conventional math every day, studying mathematics gave me an early foundation in clear communication of technical concepts, a necessary skill in my current role.”  The value of relationships was also frequently raised, with one alum stating, “The further into my career I get, though, the more I value the relationships I built during my time in the math department at GVSU.”

Also, don’t miss that the GVSU Mathematics Department is now on LinkedIn! Please join our group using this link: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14229318/. We hope to use this group to stay in touch with alumni, to spread the word about opportunities in math, and to make further connections among GVSU math students, alumni, and faculty. 

If you would like to share your own story with us and have your profile included among our growing list, we’d love to hear from you.  Simply complete the online form at http://gvsu.edu/s/28d.  If you have any questions, concerns, or special requests, you can write to Professor Matt Boelkins directly at [email protected].