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.
“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.
“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.
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.