Top three mathematics students honored for their work
The Schoolcraft College Mathematics Department has announced the winners of the Pythagorean Prize, which is an annual award that recognizes the top three mathematics students of the academic year.
Founded by professor emeritus Larry Williams, it’s the department’s biggest prize and is now in its 27th year. To be considered, an applicant must:
- Be enrolled and have taken classes at Schoolcraft College during Fall or Winter semester of the academic year of presentation.
- Be completing or have completed at least three mathematics courses at Schoolcraft College, with at least one course at the Math 200 level or above.
- Have an overall grade point average of at least 3.25.
- Have a grade point average of at least 3.50 in mathematics courses.
- Not have been a first-place winner of this award previously.
- Have completed and submitted an application and essay by the deadline date.
This year’s winners are:
- First place: Olivia Hudson, $3,000
- Second place: Joseph Rosato, $1,500
- Third place: Russell Clark, $1,000
“The Pythagorean Prize recognizes the top three mathematics students of the academic year, their scholarship, and encourages them to consider careers in mathematics, or a mathematics-related field,” said Larry Choraszewski, Professor of Mathematics.
“The Prize receives a tremendous amount of support from administrators, faculty, students, local businesses, and others, and we are so grateful and blessed for that. Time and time again, we see just how much of a positive impact this award has, not only on our students, but on the community as well.
“This is a major reason why I think the Prize has the level of support it continues to have. The students who apply are some of Schoolcraft’s finest. As such, we feel a deep sense of desire to recognize them for their achievements in a special way; hence, the Prize.”
Each of this year’s winners started on an engineering track, and two of them intend to continue that pursuit.
Olivia Hudson, the first-place winner, has a very personal reason for switching to nursing.
“One of the reasons I switched from Engineering to Nursing is because I had a rollover car accident at the beginning of last year,” the native of Novi said. “After the experience in the hospital, being surrounded by all the helpful health care workers and talking to a few family members who are nurses, I decided to pursue nursing.”
Photo 2: Joseph Rosato (left) is the second-place winner of the Pythagorean Prize. Russell Clark is the third-place winner.
Hudson started at Schoolcraft in the fall of 2019 and anticipates transferring to a four-year school this fall to finish her bachelor’s degree.
Joesph Rosato, the second-place winner, started at Schoolcraft in the fall of 2020. He’s taking pre-requisite classes for electrical engineering.
“My future plans are to study electrical engineering at UM-Dearborn this fall and I intend to get my bachelor’s and my master’s degree either immediately after or several years later depending on circumstances at that time,” he said.
Russell Clark, the third-place winner, started at Schoolcraft in the fall of 2019. He’s working toward an Associate Degree in Engineering and has some big goals in mind.
“My future plans are to first earn my masters in aerospace engineering and proceed forward to SpaceX,” he said, referencing the space technology company founded by Elon Musk.
The prize amounts are made possible, in part, from a bequest from the family of Floyd and Marian Kehrl to the Schoolcraft College Foundation. Additional funds are provided by Academic Services, the Science Division, and by mathematics and other instructors.
All first-place prizewinners are noted on an engraved nameplate on permanent display in the Mathematics Department’s case in the Biomedical Technology Center.
For more information about the Pythagorean Prize and Ceremony, please contact Professor Larry Choraszewski at [email protected].