Math degrees lead to great career opportunities

Math degrees lead to great career opportunities

Lecturers help students choose right major

Michael Jacobs

Staff Writer

Math, a difficult subject for some college students, can lead to great career opportunities.

The Mathematics Department held a lecture Friday afternoon to discuss career opportunities for math majors.

Three speakers with mathematical backgrounds spoke about how their field of study gave them advantages in the professional world.

The speakers all stressed how mathematics covers all science and technology. Without it, there would be no computers, Internet or medicine.

Gwen Underwood, a 2003 ECU alumna, used her math degree and the Internet to find a job working for the Department of Navy Warfare office in Panama City, Fla.

"If you are looking for math jobs, the Internet is a great tool," said Underwood.

Underwood said she wanted a job that showed how math is applicable to real life. She said her math degree helped push her résumé to the top of the employers' lists.

The mystery guest at the lecture was Everett Cameron, Ph.D., ECU alumnus and former math major.

After a short time as a math teacher, Cameron decided to go back and get his bachelor's degree in mathematics.

He returned to teaching middle school math but decided it was not the career for him. Cameron went back to school to become a dentist, which was allowed by his undergraduate degree.

"A degree in math, and you are wide open to go where you want," said Cameron.

He now practices dentistry in Atlantic Beach.

"Take your knowledge, get your degree, and jobs will be there," Cameron said.

There are many jobs out there for individuals with math degrees - every job uses math.

The single highest employer of people with math degrees is the U.S. government. Internal Revenue Services and the general accounting office are examples of governmental institutions that need people with mathematical backgrounds.

This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.