Pythagorean Prize

April 15, 2026 by Schoolcraft College

Three students have received the annual prize celebrating achievement in mathematics.

No one can argue these Pythagorean Prize winners are irrational.

Sophia Mark, Tobi Lile and Faisal Alnakhala received the top honors for the 31st Annual Pythagorean Prize, the annual award given by the Mathematics Department honoring its top students.

“These three students add up to a truly winning formula,” said Larry Chorazewski, a Mathematics instructor who oversees the award. “Their drive and study habits have led all three of them to this incredible honor and I’m looking forward to recognizing them for their hard work.”

To quality for the award, students must meet the following criteria:

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 3.5 in mathematics courses.
Not have been a first-place winner of this award previously.
Have submitted a completed application and essay by the deadline date.

Math has been a part of Mark’s life since she was little. She remembers brushing her teeth when she was five and talking to her father about multiplication, a conversation that began her love of math. While she lost that passion for a bit, she rediscovered it after enrolling at Schoolcraft and taking pre-calculus and statistics.

Sophia Mark

“Every math class I have enrolled in has been my motivation for getting out of bed every day: they ended as my favorite classes, and I was excited to learn more each day,” Mark said. “There was no doubt in my mind that I should pursue an education founded in math.”

In addition to earning a 4.0 in her mathematics classes, Mark has also served as the co-president of the Math and Physics Club, served as a math tutor, was a lead for the Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) program, is a member of Phi Theta Kappa and more. Mark is the 1st place winner of this year’s Pythagorean Prize.

Lile knows he’ll be using math for many years to come given his plans after he graduates from Schoolcraft College. In addition to being accepted to the Mechanical Engineering program at the University of Michigan, Lile will also intern later this year with Boeing as an Operations and Manufacturing Engineer.

Tobi Lile

“In both, I will rely on mathematical reasoning to develop and optimize aerospace systems. From the atmosphere to space, and from aerodynamics to propulsion systems, math will guide every decision I make as an engineer,” Lile said. “It allows me to bridge theory and practice and transform complex problems into solutions that are both innovative and reliable.”

Lile has found plenty of ways to apply his skills, including through A³ Engineering, a student group he founded that created a five-foot wingspan electric plane. His dedication to math is evident by his 3.9 GPA in math. Lile is the second-place winner of the Prize.

Faisal Alnakhala

Alnakhala has found a love of math throughout college, especially as he helps tutor his fellow students at the Learning Center. Having to learn how to tutor changed his viewpoint on mathematics, something he plans on using in engineering.

“While helping others, I noticed that fear often grows when numbers feel intimidating or out of reach,” he said. “Good instruction needs clarity, support and a connection to everyday life, not speed or endless repetition.”

In addition to his work as a tutor, Alnakhala also serves as an officer in Phi Theta Kappa and is a member of the Honors Program. Alnakhala is the third place winner of the Prize.

“The winners will be recognized at the inaugural Ozcars All-Academic Banquet, a new awards ceremony taking place April 17 that will recognize academic excellence at Schoolcraft College in the Liberal Arts and Sciences.

April 10, 2025 by Schoolcraft College

Three students found just the right angle to convince Schoolcraft College’s Mathematics Department to grant them winners of its most prestigious award.

Sinclair Hansen (1st), Mohammed Armaan (2nd) and Rowyn Han (3rd) are the three students receiving the 30th Annual Pythagorean Prize this year. An annual award given by the Mathematics Department honoring the top students, these three students will be recognized during the annual ceremony, which will be held beginning at 2:30 p.m. April 14 in Waterman A-C in the Vistatech Center.

“These three students are on another plane when it comes to their mathematical talents,” said Larry Choraszewski. “Through their work and dedication, they all have done extremely well in their studies and we’re looking forward to honoring them later this spring.”

To quality for the award, students must meet the following criteria:

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 submitted a completed application and essay by the deadline date.

Hansen said her passion for math came after attending a meeting of the Math & Physics Club on campus. After getting involved and becoming the vice president of the club, Hansen began organizing practice sessions for the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC) Math League Competition, as well as got involved with the Schoolcraft Scholars Honors Program and the Learning Center as a tutor. She also was involved in the STEAM@Schoolcraft conference, taking first place for her project during the event earlier this spring.

“As I look back on my journey at Schoolcraft—all the friends I’ve made, the honors programs, tutoring sessions, and summer opportunities I’ve embraced—I realize that it all leads back to that one Math & Physics Club flier,” Hansen wrote in her essay. “I am incredibly grateful for the supportive math community at Schoolcraft, whose encouragement and opportunities have not only shaped my college experience but also laid a strong foundation for my future endeavors.”

Armaan knows math is crucial as we prepares to enter the world of computer science engineering. Wanting to learn about both hardware and software, he knows math skills are imperative in his future career, which has led him to develop introductory skillsets in Calculus, statistics, differential equations and linear algebra.

“Math, I believe, is a fundamental tool behind a multitude of disciplines. Social scientists use statistics to conduct and interpret polls and surveys, engineers use multiple branches of math in various applications, medical professionals use math to determine dosages, carpenters use geometry to build structures– just to name a few,” he wrote. “I am fortunate to have developed some of these skills and look forward to expanding my mathematical toolkit as I continue my journey.”

Han was completely frustrated by math in high school. But after taking a gap year and wanting to major in business, she realized she would need to take Calculus I, which terrified her. But instead of shying away, Han rose to the challenge and spent a summer relearning every mathematical concept she could. When it came time to begin Calc I, she found she had a passion for math. After succeeding and acing the course, Han decided to change majors, opting to go for aerospace engineering with her newfound love of numbers.

“Perhaps the most unexpected outcome of my journey is that math taught me more than numbers and concepts, it taught me the importance of facing challenges head on with confidence and a growth mindset,” Han wrote in her essay. “My journey with mathematics has shown me that perseverance and adaptability can turn the impossible into reality, and with this mindset, I am ready to take on whatever challenges lie ahead.”

April 16, 2024 by Schoolcraft College

The three students being recognized have excelled in the field of Mathematics at Schoolcraft College.

Pythagoras would be proud of these Schoolcraft College students.

The ancient Greek philosopher, whose name adorns Schoolcraft College’s most prestigious mathematics prize, would be impressed with the three, all of whom have won scholarships.

The Pythagorean Prize is the Mathematics Department’s most prestigious award. Now in its 29^th year, it honors the top three mathematics students of the academic year.

This year, the winners are:

First place: Nicholas Yamine, $3,000
Second place: Luis Xhemollari, $1,500
Third place: Madison Grieb, $1,000

“I’m proud of our students for their achievements this year,” said Lawrence Choraszewski, a full-time Math instructor. “These students have all shown excellence in academic achievement, and we’re looking forward to honoring them this month.”

To quality for the award, students must meet the following criteria:

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 submitted a completed application and essay by the deadline date.

Here are the backgrounds on this year’s winners:

Nicholas Yamine has loved math ever since elementary school. He views math “like a movie where new characters and plotlines are constantly being introduced, but there are never any inconsistencies.” Here at Schoolcraft, Nick has worked extremely hard and enjoyed tremendous success working his way through the calculus sequence, earning a 4.0 in every single math class along the way. He plans to pursue computer engineering, as it combines two areas he loves: the logic of computer science with the mathematics of electrical engineering.

Luis Xhemollari enjoyed a lot of success in mathematics in high school. However, his progress stalled in his first semester of college. He took a year off before deciding to enroll at Schoolcraft. Since then, his love of math and learning has been rekindled. Luis has been extremely successful at Schoolcraft, earning an overall GPA of 4.0. He is also an active member of the Math & Physics Club and PTK honors society. Luis plans to double major in Computer Science and Mathematics at the University of Michigan. He would love to do research in the rapidly expanding field of machine learning.

Madison Grieb came to Schoolcraft after earning a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry from Albion College. Following a short stint as a nurse assistant, she decided to switch gears and pursue a degree in Biostatistics. Madison chose to enroll at Schoolcraft to take the necessary math courses for this new career path. Since enrolling, not only has Madison has earned 4.0’s in all of her math courses, she has also worked as a tutor and PAL for math courses in the Learning Center. In her short time at Schoolcraft, Madison has made a big impact on campus both in the classroom and in the Learning Center.

May 16, 2022 by mlemon

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.

Larry Choraszewski, Mathematics Professor

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.”

Joseph Rosato and Russell Clark — Photo 1

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].