For Prospective Students

Why attend St. Bonaventure to study mathematics?

The mindset and abilities I have acquired from my mathematical  studies at St. Bonaventure are strengths that I will carry with  me for the rest of my life... ● Lindsey Besch '05, Financial Strategist, Luttner Financial Group. More of Lindsey's success story		Although I teach at a much larger school than SBU, I try to provide my students the personal attention that I received as a student at SBU. ... I learned how to teach from the exemplary professors who took the time to care about me and my career. ● John Holcomb '89, Professor of Statistics, Cleveland State University. More of John's success story

The remarkable effectiveness of mathematics to reveal and quantify patterns in every human discipline makes a degree in mathematics enormously valuable and versatile. The Department of Mathematics at St. Bonaventure University offers a major that prepares students for a myriad of careers, ranging from business to industry to government to secondary education, as well as for graduate school. Whether you're a recent graduate like Lindsey or a less-recent graduate like John, a degree in mathematics from St. Bonaventure University will serve you well.

       Careers in mathematics  A degree in mathematics from St. Bonaventure University can lead to a career in actuarial science, applied mathematics, art, business administration, college teaching, computer science, cryptography, editing, finance, health care, law, mathematical exposition, medical research, operations research, quality control, secondary teaching, or statistics, to name just a few areas. Indeed, the traits that one acquires from a degree in mathematics---attention to detail, logical thinking, precision of language---are useful in virtually any career. Graduates of our department have found challenging and lucrative careers with employers such as Bell Laboratories, Cleveland State University, Burroughs, M&T Bank, Chase Manhattan Bank, Citibank, Corning Glass Works, Eastman Kodak, General Electric, IBM, Metropolitan Life Insurance, Travelers Life Insurance, Royal Globe Insurance, and Xerox. Our Careers in Mathematics page has further information about the multitude of paths that are open to those with a degree in mathematics.

       Preparation for graduate school  A degree in mathematics from St. Bonaventure University provides the rigorous mathematical foundations required for continuing on to a master's degree and a doctorate. Recent SBU graduates who have majored in mathematics have received fellowships enabling them to work toward graduate degrees at Boston College, Brandeis, Columbia, Carnegie Mellon, Vanderbilt, Indiana, Michigan State, Syracuse, Kentucky, Purdue, SUNY at Albany, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, SUNY at Binghamton, and Notre Dame.

Laurie Ziolkowski (`05) and Beth Hartnett (`05) present the models of the
hyperbolic plane that they crocheted for Geometry (Math 312). Laurie and
Beth lent their models to the Department of Mathematics for inclusion in a
"Mathematics and Art" exhibit (which spanned a bulletin board and a nearby
display case). The quilt in the background was made by Dr. Maureen Cox. 

       Individualized advising  Each student who majors in mathematics has an advisor among the full-time mathematics faculty. The advisor guides the student during his or her years at St. Bonaventure. The small size of our university means that from the first semester on, the advisor knows the student as an individual and not merely as a name. The advisor and the student meet each semester to create a course schedule for the following semester. The advisor helps the student to choose mathematics electives and general electives to complement the student's interests and career goals. If a students desires a minor, a second major, or a degree with honors, the advisor helps the student to plan course schedules that accommodate such goals. In addition, the advisor offers information and resources about careers in mathematics and graduate school.

       Problem solving  Our department encourages students to work on problems posed in national mathematics journals through the Bona's Bonus Problems program. St. Bonaventure students looking for an exceptional challenge may participate in the national William Lowell Putnam Mathematics Competition. Students may also participate in the new University of Rochester Mathematical Olympiad. The Problem-Solving Seminar (Math 281) is offered each fall, in which problem-solving strategies are discussed and applied to a wide range of problems. The Seminar helps to prepare students to take the Putnam Exam and the University of Rochester Math Olympiad, if they wish to do so. In 1996, St. Bonaventure made its first entry in the Mathematical Contest in Modeling. One of our teams was honored by the Society for Applied and Industrial Mathematics for submitting an outstanding solution (the highest distinction) for one of the contest problems.

Jerome Brabant (`05) solved three Bona's Bonus Problems in the fall of 2004---the current record for one semester. One of his solutions was published in the April 2005 issue of Math Horizons. Jerome is wearing the tee shirt that he received from the Department of Mathematics for solving his first BBP.

       Student activities  The Mathematics Department sponsors a student chapter of the MAA (Mathematical Association of America). During the years that the student attends SBU, the Department will pay for the membership of any student who wants to be a member the MAA. A student's membership includes a subscription to the superb journal Math Horizons and a subscription to one of the other excellent journals published by the MAA. The Student Chapter meets for talks, mathematically-themed movies & pizza (like The Proof and deep-dish supreme, respectively), Pi Day, Integral Day, and other occasions of mathematical import. The Department of Mathematics also sponsors the New York Omega Chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon, the national mathematics honor society. Election into Pi Mu Epsilon is based on mathematical achievement and overall scholarship. Student volunteers help our department to host two regional mathematics contests for middle school students: The Challenge 24 Competition and MATHCOUNTS.

Nicole Wysocki (`05) enlightens her classmates about Fermat's Last 
Theorem in History and Philosophy of Mathematics (Math 461).

       Faculty  The Mathematics faculty consists of devoted teachers, committed to excellent mathematics instruction and advising. Faculty members have distinguished themselves through research, publishing in the area of mathematics education, textbook publishing, coordinating regional mathematics competitions, and writing problems for state-wide and national competitions.

       Facilities  The Department of Mathematics is located in the University's science building, De La Roche Hall. De La Roche also houses the Departments of Physics, Chemistry, and Psychology. Our facilities include the Walter J. O'Brien Mathematics Classroom, which is equipped with Gateway laptop computers featuring Maple, Derive, Geometer's Sketchpad, and other mathematics software packages.

De La Roche Hall, the cornerstone of the historic core of the St. Bonaventure campus, is undergoing the final phase of an extensive renovation as part of a major overhaul and expansion of science facilities. Construction of a 37,000-square-foot addition to De La Roche Hall finished in the spring of 2008. The addition, called the William F. Walsh Science Center, opened in the fall of 2008. A drawing of the addition with the existing structure appears below, accompanied by a recent photo of the construction with roughly the same view as the drawing. Large drawings of the addition are on display on the first floor of De La Roche Hall, near the main entrance.

The William F. Walsh Science Center. De La Roche Hall is in the background.

Construction update: July 7, 2007. (A lucky date: 07/07/07.)

       For more information  about the SBU Department of Mathematics, please contact the chair of the Department, Dr. Maureen Cox, by email at mcox@sbu.edu or by phone at (716) 375-2476. Our web site provides an overview of our department and the SBU web site offers voluminous information about St. Bonaventure University. To see De La Roche Hall and the rest of campus without leaving your chair, take a virtual tour of SBU. We would be delighted to meet you in person; these directions will lead you to our department. SBU Admissions can help you to plan your visit.