Sara Stinchcomb

Name: Sara Stinchcomb

Hometown: Lancaster, PA

Anticipated graduation: Spring 2022

Major: Mathematics

Internships/Research/Projects:

REU at James Madison University researching the Power Series Method in highly nonlinear ordinary differential equations, currently working on my undergraduate thesis

Inspirations (for major, research, internship):

I have really bad dyslexia so mathematics was the only subject I wasn’t constantly struggling with in school because it involved pattern recognition as opposed to more language-based interpretation. Math made me excited to learn as it was the only subject I really understood. In the future I would really love to use my skills in mathematics to give back to the learning disability community.

Highlights (from courses/internship/research):

From both my courses and my research I have had the opportunity to learn to code and found myself really interested in the overlap between mathematics and computer science. Learning to code allowed me to understand concepts better and also pushed me to recognize and evaluate patterns more in depth. Coding is something I really enjoy and hope to continue learning as I go on to higher education.

Takeaway (from courses/internship/research):

Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if they seem really dumb. The only way you learn and grow in academics is to understand and isolate the content that you struggle with, then to ask for help. Breaking things down and trying to focus on those weak spots Will allow you to become a much stronger student/ learner.

Advice (for incoming freshman in your shoes):

There are a lot of different ways to get to a certain career path, so if you find yourself unhappy and you major, don't be afraid to switch. Your future isn’t defined by your major, and college is so much more enjoyable when you find a subject that you really love!