Do you enjoy sharing your love of mathematics/statistics/mathematics education with others? Would you like to gain experience mentoring undergraduate students outside of the standard curriculum? 

If you answered yes to either of the above questions, then the DRP is for you! Please read on for more information.

What is it?

The DRP pairs undergraduate students at MSU with graduate student mentors in the mathematical science department for semester long independent study projects. The mentor and mentee decide on a reading project at the beginning of the term, and then spend the remaining time reading the text together. The project culminates in a special seminar in which the mentees give short presentations about their projects in a friendly environment that includes free food!

What is the goal?

The main goal of this program is to broaden participation and access to the mathematical sciences. It is not an exclusive club for the mathematically/statistically talented.

What's in it for you?

You have been spending the past however many years accumulating knowledge in a particular area of study, and the DRP provides you with an opportunity to share some of your knowledge and expertise with a less experienced individual. This is a challenging and rewarding environment in which you truly get the opportunity to inspire and be inspired! One-on-one mentoring is an extremely different experience than teaching. You will gain invaluable experience mentoring an undergraduate student, something that graduate students do not typically get the chance to do.

What is the commitment?

If you are accepted to be a mentor and are successfully paired with a mentee, you would be expected to meet one-on-one with your mentee every week until the end of the semester, for 1 hour each week. Additionally, we anticipate potentially needing to spend around 1 hour reading and/or preparing for the weekly meeting. In total, you would be expected to spend at least 2 hours a week on this. You should not be spending the meetings lecturing to your mentee. Rather, they should be presenting what they learned each week, and you should be facilitating their learning by addressing any questions/confusions, providing illuminating examples, correcting incorrect reasoning, suggesting exercises, etc.

Who can apply?

Anyone who is not in their first year at MSU is eligible to be a mentor. We encourage you to discuss this opportunity with your adviser to ensure this will not overburden you in any way, and that it will not conflict with any current/upcoming commitments. If you are interested in applying, please visit our application page for more information!

 

If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact us at drp@montana.edu!