Message from the Chair

Welcome to the Department of Mathematics at Whittier College. Contrary to popular misconceptions, studying mathematics in college is not at all like the mathematics you saw in high school. It is a dynamic field that is continually evolving and from which new applications are constantly being discovered. Mathematics is found everywhere, from “serious” places like the National Security Agency and on Wall Street to more “fun” interpretations such as Sudoku, music, and art. Whatever your interest in mathematics, we hope to mentor you along your mathematical journey.

The Department of Mathematics prides itself in offering a rigorous, yet student-centered program of the highest caliber, and we aim to share with you both our knowledge of and our passion for the subject. We keep the class sizes small, and our devoted faculty is practically always available. We offer several mathematical concentrations from which to choose, including the teaching credential track. We provide a broad array of opportunities for involvement outside the classroom (student research, professional conference attendance, work-study employment, etc.) as well as the resources and technology to support these activities. Yet we also encourage you to pursue interdisciplinary studies with other departments. We want you to experience mathematics in as many forms as possible; the more mathematical connections you make in your journey, the better off you will be when you graduate.

So, if you enjoy math for its puzzles, or if you feel mathematics is a metaphor for life, or if you want to learn about the million-dollar problems, please visit us and see what the excitement is all about! You will find us on the first floor of the Stauffer Science Building— the (almost) all-hours hub of mathematical activity on campus—and you can be a part of a tight-knit community of students and faculty who love and live for mathematics!

Sharad Keny
Department Chair