Career Options in Mathematics

Here is what some of our recent graduates chose to do:

Graduate School

Andrew Clickard graduated with a B.S. in mathematics in 2022. After graduation, he decided 
to pursue his Ph.D. in mathematics at Temple University.
“The work I did at Bloomsburg University prepared me for graduate school, with the program being flexible enough to let me take independent studies and do research projects. The faculty members are generous with their time and knowledge, and are willing to go out of their way to help a curious student!” 

Michelle Bidding graduated with a B.S. in mathematics/statistics in 2022. After graduation, she 
decided to pursue a graduate certificate in applied statistics at Penn State University.
“The faculty in the Math Department are super-friendly and helpful! I was a transfer student who had already completed most of my general education classes but started below Calculus 1 in math, and they worked with me to help me finish my math requirements in 2.5 years. Completing this many math and statistics courses in such a short time required a lot of work on my part, but the faculty were there to help me every step of the way.”

Robert Bennett graduated with a B.S. in mathematics/statistics in 2022. After graduation, he 
decided to pursue his master’s degree in analytics at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
“I enjoyed the small class sizes and that professors were always available to assist when needed. In courses that were more abstract and/or “proof heavy” I was especially appreciative that the feedback I received on assignments was always fair and actionable: coming directly from a professor with substantial mathematical maturity.”

Dario D'Amato graduated with a B.A. in mathematics and a B.S. in physics in 2021. After 
graduation, he decided to pursue his Ph.D. in physics at the University of Maryland. He is 
working with Dr. Ian Spielman and is a member of his Potassium Machine Learning (KML) Lab 
at NIST (the National Institute of Standards and Technology).
“As a graduate student in physics, I have found that my mathematics background is essential to master the problem-solving techniques needed to thrive in a physics graduate program. It is no secret that the language of science, and especially physics, is mathematics. As such, majoring in both physics and mathematics builds the intuition and toolset one needs to tackle the most challenging physics problems. In my opinion, having a dual major in both mathematics and physics is key to success in any physics discipline.”

Juliette Gudknecht graduated with a B.A. in mathematics and a B.S. in physics in 2021. After 
graduation, she decided to pursue her master’s degree in data science at Columbia University. In 
addition to graduate school, she accepted a position as a data science research intern with the 
U.S. Department of Education.
“I’ve learned mathematical and computational skills that are very transferrable and in high demand on the job market. I recommend any STEM major who likes to solve problems to look into the data science program at Bloomsburg. Job prospects look great for data science and the professors are amazing.”

Kirstin Crawford graduated with a B.A. in mathematics in 2021. After graduation, she decided 
to pursue her master’s degree in data science at Slippery Rock University.
“I do think Bloomsburg prepared me well, in a couple ways. Primarily, I had some wonderful instructors who guided and encouraged my learning in mathematics and philosophy. I am undoubtedly grateful towards Bloomsburg, for giving me the opportunity of learning under such wonderful people. Additionally, Bloomsburg provided an environment where I had to learn how to prioritize and apply myself. When I fell short on my studies or class participation, I was met with very fitting responses - understanding and encouragement to push myself. When I stepped up and applied myself, I was met with the same understanding and encouragement. The environment at Bloomsburg kept me accountable, without being discouraging.”

Zachary Norfolk graduated with a B.S. in mathematics in 2020. After graduation, he decided to 
pursue his Ph.D. in mathematics at Penn State University.
“The math department at Bloomsburg University is phenomenal; I really cannot say enough good things about the faculty there. When I expressed interesting in attending grad school, a number of professors helped me prepare by doing reading courses and working with me on my applications. You can tell they really care about the success of their students.”

Ian Birdwell graduated with a B.S. in mathematics and a B.S. in Physics in 2020. After 
graduation, he decided to pursue his Ph.D. in astrophysics at the University of New Mexico.
“The courses were supportive and pushed me to expand how I thought about math. Whether it was diving into higher-dimensional calculus, forays in proof-based number theory, or the application of mathematical modeling to solve real-world problems, my time at Bloomsburg's math department prepared me to study the cosmos. The professors are passionate about the topics they study and the students they work with, and it shows in the day-to-day class environment. The balance of mathematical theory and applied computational methods prepared me for the higher-level thinking I employ in my current work, whether it's understanding the response of a single detector or piecing together results from a massive amount of data.”

Actuary

Aaron Butters graduated with a B.S. in mathematics in 2021. After graduation, he accepted a 
position as an actuary at the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America.
“The coursework I completed at Mansfield gave me a solid foundation in calculus, statistics, and business. I would highly recommend other students pursue a similar path majoring in mathematics and using exam specific study guides.”

Eric Zalewski graduated with a B.S. in mathematics in 2020. After graduation, he accepted a 
position as an actuary at Cincinnati Insurance. 
“I can’t say enough good things about our math department. The classes are rigorous and have taught me all of the math-based skills I need to succeed. I’m very happy I’m a mathematics and statistics major rather than an actuarial science major. I noticed that it’s much easier, both in the work environment and on the actuarial exams, to teach yourself the business and insurance definitions than it is to teach yourself the math theory.”

Analyst

Jacob Snyder graduated with a B.A. in mathematics in 2020. After graduation, he accepted a 
position as an Actuarial Analyst Associate at the Geisinger Health Plan.
“When I decided I didn’t want to pursue a career as a high school math teacher, the faculty in the Mathematics Department at Bloomsburg University assured me that my career in Mathematics did not have to end there. They showed me there were so many more opportunities, which led to my decision to pursue a career in Actuarial and Data Science. From learning programming languages to advanced math theory, the education I received in this program has allowed me to excel in my field.”

Anna Dempsey graduated with a B.A. in mathematics in 2020. After graduation, she accepted a 
position as a solutions analyst at Deloitte.
“The professors in the math department strive for greatness in their teaching and set high standards for their students. This department will open many doors of opportunity and allow you to flourish in any career you choose.”

Data Science

Jacob Nocentino graduated with a B.S. in mathematics and a B.S. in computer science in 2021. 
After graduation, he accepted a position as a fraud detector for Amazon Web Services.
“My math degree has allowed me to tackle complex problems throughout my everyday role as a software engineer. It has allowed me to think deeper into any problem at hand and has instilled a true sense of curiosity that has propelled me throughout my professional career.”

Math Teacher

Sarah Stofanak graduated with a B.A. in mathematics and a B.S.Ed. in secondary education in
2022. After graduation, she accepted a position as a high school math teacher at Easton Area 
High School.
“My experiences at Bloomsburg have shaped me into the educator that I am today. My professors took the time to not just teach me mathematical skills, but showed me how to be an impactful teacher. I am grateful for my professors that helped me grow as an individual, as I can now inspire my own students to shoot for the stars and have a deeper love for math.”

Kirstin Crawford graduated with a B.A. in mathematics in 2021. After graduation, she 
accepted a position at Triangle Technology as an applied math instructor.
“I think Bloomsburg prepared me well, in a couple ways. Primarily, I had some wonderful instructors who guided and encouraged my learning in mathematics and philosophy. I am undoubtedly grateful towards Bloomsburg, for giving me the opportunity of learning under such wonderful people. Additionally, Bloomsburg provided an environment where I had to learn how to prioritize and apply myself. When I fell short on my studies or class participation, I was met with very fitting responses - understanding and encouragement to push myself. When I stepped up and applied myself, I was met with the same understanding and encouragement. The environment at Bloomsburg kept me accountable, without being discouraging.”

Alayna Stroup graduated with a B.A. in mathematics and a B.S.Ed. in secondary education in 2020. After graduation, she accepted a position at Mifflin County High School teaching AP Calculus BC, Geometry, and Career Math.
“I really appreciate the time and help that my professors gave me to help me be successful in all of my courses at Bloomsburg. I left Bloomsburg feeling confident that I would be able to share my knowledge with my future students and have valuable resources that I could look back at for reference.”

Software Engineer

Caleb Beard graduated with a B.S. in mathematics and a B.S. in computer science in 2021. 
After graduation, he accepted a position as a software engineer at VMware.
“The mathematics department allows you to explore areas of math that you want. The introductory classes laid a great foundation for what was ahead, and there are plenty of interesting electives to choose from as you advance. As a CS and Math dual major turned professional software engineer, it has allowed me to use the core fundamentals of many areas of math on my way to research conferences and other career milestones.”

Financial Professional

Kaleb Lansberry graduated with a B.A. in mathematics in 2020. After graduation, he accepted 
a position as a financial professional at New York Life Insurance Company.