William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition
Each year, Centenary students participate in the annual Putnam Competition, generally regarded as the most challenging undergraduate mathematics exam. Twelve questions are drawn from the full spectrum of mathematics, with six questions each in a morning and afternoon session. The Putnam is held on the first Saturday in December. If you are interested in participating, please email thomas@centenary.edu.
MCM: The Mathematical Contest in Modeling
The International Mathematical Contest in Modeling takes place over the course of a weekend in February, where students work in teams of three to model, implement and analyze solutions for a real-world problem. Past problems range from finding the optimal number of tollbooths necessary on an interstate to planning Gamma Knife cancer treatments. In 2010, one of our teams earned the ranking of Meritorious, placing them in the top 20% of all participants, and in 2014, one team earned honorable mention.
ACM Programming Contests
The ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) is a multitier, team-based, programming competition. The contest fosters creativity, teamwork, and innovation in building new software programs, and enables students to test their ability to perform under pressure. Quite simply, it is the oldest, largest, and most prestigious programming contest in the world. Centenary participates in two such contests, the regional ACM contest and a similar CCSC regional contest.
LA/MS Integration Bee
Each spring, the Louisiana/Mississippi section of the Mathematical Association of America holds a meeting. There are many activities for undergraduates, including a student paper competition, a mathematics team competition, and an integration bee (same format as a spelling bee except you integrate instead of spell words). The department regularly takes teams to these competitions.
Undergraduate Research
Centenary students have regular opportunities to participate in undergraduate research. For example, some good programs for research are the National Science Foundation REUs (or Research Experiences for Undergraduates). Our students have a good record of being accepted into REU programs and doing original mathematical research. Students can also do summer research with Centenary faculty.
Math and Computer Science Club (MCSC)
This student-run club is for anyone interested in math and computer science. Throughout the semester, MCSC promotes mathematics on campus by sponsoring lectures from outside institutions, discussing challenging problems, and organizing game and movie nights. If you are interested in joining, please email kbrandl@centenary.edu.
Tutoring and Grading
We also employ many qualified students to work either as at-large tutors in evening sessions, or as graders for introductory-level courses. Tutoring is offered Sunday through Wednesday from 6:00 - 8:00 PM in Wright Lab 105.