“Equation for Success” originally appeared in the 2016 edition of Arising, the Research Journal of Savannah State University.
Story by Amy Pine. Photography by Hon Low.
When Kimberly Jones Knight teaches Foundations of Algebra and Coordinate Algebra to 9th graders at Druid Hills High School in Atlanta, she can easily spot students who are struggling and knows how to help them.
“I can see the common errors among the students and understand why because I have such in-depth knowledge of how complex yet simple some mathematical concepts are,” Knight says.
Knight attributes her ability to help her students to the education she received as an undergraduate mathematics major at Savannah State University.
“The mathematics program at SSU more than prepared me for teaching,” says Knight, who graduated from SSU summa cum laude in 2008 and went on to receive a master’s degree in math education from Georgia State University in 2010.
Savannah State’s mathematics program has produced graduates like Knight since the university began conferring degrees in the discipline in 1949. The program has grown in popularity over the past six decades, with 99 declared majors today.
“This number is comparable to the number of math majors in significantly larger research universities,” says Mulatu Lemma, Ph.D., professor and chair of SSU’s mathematics department. “SSU is now ranked No. 6 in the nation for producing African-American math and statistics B.S. graduates.”
One of the reasons for the department’s success is the quality of research being produced by both faculty and students. Faculty members are actively engaged in scholarly research activities throughout the year, present their findings at international and national conferences, and regularly publish their work in peer-reviewed journals.
Mathematics majors have the opportunity to engage in research through coursework and grant programs such as the Minority Access for Graduate Education and Careers in STEM program (MAGEC-STEM), which seeks to increase the number of minority students who progress to advanced degree programs.
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| Mulatu Lemma, Ph.D., with students from his topography class. |
Knight says that her experience as a MAGEC-STEM scholar helped prepare her for the rigors of graduate school.
“I was well prepared for Georgia State’s math education program. It is a research-based learning school and I did research every year at SSU through MAGEC-STEM,” Knight says.
Soon SSU students and those from other colleges and universities will have an opportunity to pursue a master’s degree in mathematics on Savannah State’s campus. The University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved a master of science degree program in mathematics, which will launch in Fall 2016.
The creation of the master’s degree program was one of several goals set forth by College of Sciences and Technology Dean Jonathan Lambright, Ph.D., who credits Lemma with paving the way for the new degree program.
“This wouldn’t have been possible without the assistance and leadership of Dr. Lemma,” Lambright says. “He’s really the driving force behind it. He’s such a wonderful faculty member, he’s extremely dedicated to his profession and he loves teaching students. He wants to see the program progress.”
Lambright says the response to the new graduate program has been strong, with many prospective students inquiring about admission. Faculty members are currently completing the development of courses, and the department is actively recruiting students. Once operational, the program will be the only advanced degree program in mathematics in the Savannah area.
