Activities and Events

Events at Dominican

Look for announcements in your mathematics classes about the following events:

Research and Internship Panel: Each fall, current students speak about their experiences with research and internships, including the search and application process and day-to-day tasks. Folks from the Career Programs & Employer Relations office share resources for finding opportunities and advice for applying to them.

Fall lecture: Each fall, the mathematics department welcomes an outside speaker who gives a presentation for students related to mathematical research or other topics of interest.

Career Panel: Each spring, alumni representing a wide variety of occupations return to Dominican to share advice about searching for jobs, interviewing, and day-to-day tasks.

Kappa Mu Epsilon Induction Ceremony: Dominican is the Illinois Zeta chapter of the Kappa Mu Epsilon (KME) honor society. Each spring, Dominican hosts the KME induction ceremony, featuring a mathematical talk accessible to a general audience and initiation of new KME members. All members of the Dominican community are welcome.

Events in the local community beyond Dominican

Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area (ACCA): Dominican is a member of ACCA, a consortium of 15 private liberal arts colleges in the Chicago area, which offers a variety of events and activities for students, including:

  • ACCA Calculus Competition: Each spring, ACCA sponsors a calculus competition organized by one of its member schools. ACCA member schools usually have a total of 25-30 teams participating in the competition, with each team consisting of three students. Students, of all majors, who are currently taking or have taken a calculus course (of any level) are welcome. The competition lasts for 90 minutes and usually consists of 10 short-answer questions and 15 multiple choice questions (there is a penalty for an incorrect guess on a multiple choice). At Dominican, you'll see calls for practice sessions early in the spring semester. The competition usually takes place in mid-April.
  • ACCA Student Symposium: Each spring, one of the ACCA colleges hosts a student symposium—an opportunity for students across all disciplines to share their research through brief presentations or posters. Students who worked on research with a faculty member or through the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates program are encouraged to share their work. If you are thinking about doing research, this is an excellent way to learn about the different types of questions that can be answered with mathematics.
  • ACCA Math Talks: Every semester, the ACCA Math Talks series hosts presentations by mathematicians and other professionals about their research. The events are free and open to students at all ACCA colleges and include two talks with a dinner in between. As with the student symposium, this is a great way to learn about mathematics outside of the classroom.

Engaging with the Mathematics Community at large

Mathematical Association of America: All students are welcome to join the Mathematical Association of America for free. As a member, you will receive free or reduced-cost access to conferences and resources for career planning and mathematical research. To join, contact Dr. Jeanette Mokry.

Kappa Mu Epsilon: Kappa Mu Epsilon is a national mathematics honor society.  Each spring semester, a call for sign-ups will be shared in mathematics courses.  For more information, contact Dr. Mihaela Blanariu.

Community-Based Learning

All students who major in mathematics take a course with a community-based learning component. In MATH 299, for instance, students complete 30 hours of mathematics-related community service for local organizations such as:

  • Providence Family Services
  • Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio
  • River Grove Public Library
  • HandsOn Suburban Chicago