Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. President | St. John's University website

Nearly 100 students from William H. Maxwell Career and Technical Education High School in Brooklyn, New York, attended Sonia Kovalevsky Day at St. John’s University. The event is aimed at encouraging young women and underrepresented students to pursue careers in mathematics.

The daylong program was organized by the St. John’s Division of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Science. It included mathematical exploration activities designed to inspire academic ambition and offer insights into university life.

David Rosenthal, Ph.D., Chair and Professor of Mathematics, expressed satisfaction with the event's impact: “It was so nice to see our current and former students give presentations and lead the problem-solving session,” he said. “I think the high school participants connected with them and hopefully were inspired to one day be in their position.”

Named after Sonia Kovalevsky, a pioneering 19th-century Russian mathematician, the event seeks to honor her legacy by encouraging future generations of problem solvers.

Danielle Solomon ’21C, a St. John’s alumna and full-time math teacher, delivered the keynote address. She shared her experiences following her graduation with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics.

Participants engaged in workshops covering various topics such as graph theory, Euler's polyhedron formula, computational neuroscience methods, and logic puzzles like The Four Cubes Problem.

Joan E. DeBello, Ed.D., Professor and Chair of the Division of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Science at St. John's University, highlighted the support from sponsors: “The University is grateful to the Henry Luce Foundation for sponsoring this event and for the many Clare Boothe Luce Scholars and students from the math department who helped to make the day a success by serving as presenters, mentors, and leaders.” She noted that high school students actively participated during lunch sessions where they worked on problem sets alongside university students.