Indiana University East’s Department of Mathematics was awarded $13,266 in funding from the Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council (WPLC).

The IU Foundation Affinity Giving group announced funding of over $490,857 in this year’s grant cycles on June 27. The funding includes the grants from the WPLC.

Each academic year, the WPLC awards more than $150,000 to programs and initiatives across all Indiana University campuses to fund critical needs, new ventures and innovative solutions to social problems. The WPLC reviewed 40 applications for funding this year and invited 16 leaders to present their projects to the council, according to the announcement. There were 19 projects awarded across seven IU campuses from the WPLC, totaling $230,857.

The funds for the Department of Mathematics, part of the IU East School of Natural Science and Mathematics, will be used to increase program completion in the all-online mathematics program. They will help students who are entering the program succeed in their first calculus course and will provide scholarships for advanced students who wish to work with faculty members on undergraduate research projects.

Faculty members Nayeong Kong, assistant professor of mathematics, and Kim Schwartzel, lecturer of mathematics, are excited that their hard work in writing the grant has paid off.

“This grant will make the transition to the mathematics program so much easier for entering students,” Schwartzel said, who teaches the entry-level course Calculus I. “We have many students who fail to engage with the course material in the first weeks of the semester and then struggle to catch up.”

The grant will provide funding for peer mentors to connect with incoming students in the week before the start of the semester. The peer mentors will guide the students through some critical steps, such as starting early on the first homework assignment, attending the instructor’s online office hours, participating in the Supplemental Instruction sessions or seeking help from the online math tutoring service.

Kong is equally enthusiastic about the possibility of what the grant could do for students, including providing stipends for students who wish to engage in undergraduate research.

“Participation in research with a faculty member provides a major advantage for students who want to apply to competitive graduate programs after they complete their undergraduate degree,” Kong said. “The grant-supported undergraduate research meets a critical need of our online mathematics program.”

IU East’s program in mathematics serves approximately 300 students from around the country. Many of the students come to IU East with some completed college credits, but no degree.

“Many of our students started college when they were 18 years old, but never finished their degree. Life somehow got in the way,” said Markus Pomper, dean of the School of Natural Science and Mathematics.

As a result, students enrolled in the program are a diverse group, in terms of geographic location, income, race and age.

“We are glad to offer these additional opportunities to our students. Even though we are a 100% online program, we want to be able to provide the same academic opportunities to our students as traditional campus-based mathematics programs do,” Pomper said.

About the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Online Program
The Bachelor of Science in Mathematics online degree completion program is a 120 credit-hour program. The undergraduate program prepares students for graduate programs and for a variety of careers in actuary; mathematics teaching at the K-12 level or community college level; mathematical technician; data analyst; data scientist; investment analyst; mathematical modeler; software engineer; or statistician.

IU East’s online degree programs offer the high quality of an Indiana University degree to students throughout Indiana, nationally and internationally. IU East offers 47 options for students to complete a bachelor’s degree or certificate online in English with an emphasis in Technical and Professional Writing, Mathematics, Natural Science and Mathematics with a Mathematics Concentration, Communication Studies, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Political Science, Psychology, General Studies, an R.N. to B.S.N. Mobility Option, and more. IU East also offers a Graduate Certificate in Composition Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Mathematics.

About the IU Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council
Grants are awarded on an annual cycle from the WPLC Fund, which is administered by the Indiana University Foundation. Council members, alumni and friends of IU are invited to support the fund with annual contributions.

The IU Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council was convened by the Indiana University Foundation Board of Directors in 2010. The council’s mission is to lead fundraising and engagement efforts that inspire women to give of their time, talent, and resources to Indiana University and to develop women leaders in philanthropy.

Founded in 1936, the Indiana University Foundation maximizes private support for Indiana University by fostering lifelong relationships with key stakeholders and providing advancement leadership and fundraising services for campuses and units across the university.