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Math Majors on the Move

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"Hidden Figures" Star Meets STEM Majors on the Leading Edge of Change

In celebration of the movie, "Hidden Figures," Spelman College hosted a lively question and answer discussion with actor and musical artist Janelle Monáe, who plays Mary Jackson, and Pharrell Williams who scored the music and produced the film. 

Hidden Figures Convocation Photo Gallery

 

Most Americans have no idea that from the 1940s through the 1960s, a cadre of African-American women formed part of the country's space work force," Hidden Figures author Margot Lee Shetterly writes, adding that it's often unknown that this same group " helped provide NASA with the raw computing power it needed to dominate the heavens.

 

We Didn't Choose Mathematics. Mathematics Chose Us.

They come from across the nation and around the globe. They're bold. They're smart. They're fierce; and they will likely help solve some of the world's most difficult problems. Spelman math majors share why they choose to study mathematics, their plans for the future and what influenced their love affair with numbers. Also featured are brief bios of Dorothy Vaughn, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson, the African-American women mathematicians who helped win the space race and put the first American on the moon. "They crossed all gender, race, and professional lines while their brilliance and firmly cemented them into U.S. history as true American heroes."

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Mathematics

350 Spelman Lane, S.W.
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404-270-5833
angelajohnson@spelman.edu

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Our Math Powerhouses

 

Class of 2024 Valedictorian: Mika Campbell
Spelman College 2024 Valedictorian Mika Campbell
Mathematics major and computer information sciences minor Mika Campbell is Spelman College's class of 2024 valedictorian along with Nadia Scott. An esteemed member of the Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program, Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society, and Pi Mu Epsilon Mathematics Honors Society, Campbell exemplifies academic excellence.

Commencement Video 2024: ​Aliyah Webster
Spelman Student Aliyah Webster
Biochemistry major and math minor Aliyah Webster said innovation is the driving force for her career aspirations. While studying as a student at Spelman College, the Atlanta native discovered her passion for research that analyzes the intersection between environmental science and social justice.

Four Spelman Students Chosen to Participate in Public Policy Internship
Public Policy and International Affairs Program
Four Spelman students -- Love L. Lundy, C’2024, Na’Zyia S. Dowdy-Arnold, C'2025, Lauren A. Proby, C’2025, and Cydnee C. Harris, C’2025 -- have earned acceptance into the Public Policy and International Affairs Program and will all participate in the PPIA Junior Summer Institute.

The Original "Human Computers"

 

Hidden Figure: Mary Jackson
Hidden Figures Mary Jackson
Mary Winston Jackson, who is played by Janelle Monae in the film "Hidden Figures" earned her Bachelor of Science degrees in Mathematics and Physical Science at Hampton Institute and taught in Maryland before joining the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. She retired from the NASA Langley Research Center in 1985 as an aeronautical engineer after 34 years.

Hidden Figure: Katherine Johnson
Hidden Figures Katherine Johnson
Katherine Johnson, the main character in the movie "Hidden Figures," verified the mathematics behind John Glenn’s orbit around the Earth in 1962 and calculated the flight trajectory for Apollo 11’s flight to the moon in 1969. She retired from NASA in 1986.

Hidden Figure: Dorothy Vaughan
Hidden Figures Dorothy Vaughan
Dorothy Vaughan obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in 1929 from Wilberforce University In Xenia, Ohio. She worked as a teacher and then moved to Newport News where she obtained a position as a mathematician, one of the first African Americans to do so, at Langley Field for National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the forerunner of today’s NASA space program.

Give To Spelman Mathematics

 The Department of Mathematics relies on the support from alumnae and friends who share in our commitment to excellence. Individual and corporate gifts enable the department to enhance its programs and attract and retain STEM student scholars. To make a secure gift to the Dr. Etta Z. Falconer Scholarship for Mathematics at Spelman College, use the button below, click the OTHER box and type "Falconer Scholarship" in the gift designation box.

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College representatives are available to assist you in exploring the many giving options and structuring a gift that is right for you. Please contact our fundraising team with additional questions.

Cassandra Joseph
Director, Corporate Relations and Partnershipscassandra.joseph@spelman.eduWork: 404-270-5067 | Cell: 404-798-6296

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