Quinsigamond Community College has achieved a remarkable mathematical feat, securing not one but two first-place victories in regional mathematics competitions. The QCC math team has been awarded the Lois A. Martin Student Math League Award for placing first among all New England Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (NEMATYC) Student Math League teams, while simultaneously claiming first place in the entire Northeast Region of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC) Student Math League competition.
Under the guidance of Professor of Mathematics Ibar Delacruz, who served as the team's moderator, QCC students tackled complex mathematical challenges throughout the competition. The team's success reflects not only the students' mathematical abilities but also the supportive learning environment of QCC.
"It's fun. I enjoy solving math problems," said Ben Carpenter, one of the top-scoring students.
With a background in IT, Ben found that math courses at QCC provide good practice for how computers operate and hopes to pursue a career in cybersecurity. He shared how his mathematical talents were recognized by Professor of Mathematics Steve Zona, who invited him to help outside of class, eventually leading Ben to become a peer tutor.
"Now people I have tutored are becoming tutors as well," he noted proudly.
Isabel Thies, another top performer, shared a different journey. She didn't enjoy math in high school and came to QCC as an undecided major. But encouraging professors noticed her abilities and encouraged her to explore mathematics. She ended up joining the Liberal Arts-Mathematics program and sees a future in scientific research and innovation.
For Isabel, the competition provided unexpected opportunities.
"It was really exciting to represent QCC and our math program, especially because we were going up against some big competitors," adding, "I've found a math community here, which I was not expecting."
Team member Quoc Le, who "really loves math and talking to people about math," expressed a similar sentiment of belonging between math-focused students. He plans to pursue mechanical or electrical engineering but expressed interest in keeping in touch with other QCC students.
Fellow team member Vijay Kesavan noted the alignment between their QCC coursework and what's offered at prestigious institutions: "MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) has open tests available. Looking at them, I saw a lot of overlap with Professor De La Cruz's class."
All of these award-winning students have been accepted to Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) for the fall semester, demonstrating how QCC's mathematics program serves as an excellent foundation for continued academic success. Congratulations to Professor Delacruz and his outstanding team of student mathematicians!