Greetings, my name is Sean Leavy, and I am a sophomore at the University of Maryland: Baltimore County.  Since early in my life, I knew that I wanted to teach. Back then, with a briefcase in hand, I constantly forced my sister to play school. My sophomore year of high school, I took my first mathematics course that I truly enjoyed. From that moment, I discovered that I enjoyed mathematics and that it was the path I wanted to take. If it were not for my math teacher that year, Ms. Eggert, I would never have discovered the fun and engaging side of math.

I am majoring in mathematics and on the track to obtain secondary education certification.  As of now, I plan to take the joy I hold for mathematics and share it with the students I teach. However, I also enjoy the applications of mathematics and I am open to a career in mathematical research in addition to teaching math. The University of Maryland, Baltimore County has provided me great opportunities, to do both. I entered the school as a Sherman Stem Teacher Scholar and (as of 2010) I have become an member of the Meyerhoff National Security Agency Affiliate Program, a division of the Meyerhoff Scholarship Program that is nationally recognized. Through these programs I have gained experience as an instructor as well as learning insight into becoming a researcher. I have been privileged to gain the experience of working in classrooms in Baltimore County schools, as well as attending workshops and seminars on mathematics and statistics. Without these opportunities I would not have been as motivated to teach and research mathematics.

For the summer of 2011, I was accepted into the Undergraduate Research Experience in Ocean, Marine and Polar Sciences under the mentorship of Dr. Darnell Johnson at Elizabeth City State University. Our research involved teaching 20 grade-6 students, and incorporating Math Sprint into the curriculum to determine if the program boasts test scores in their End-of-Grade (EOG) exams. Through this experience I have learned how to design and execute lesson plans, develop a better knowledge of the NC mathematical standards, and I have had the opportunity to be an instructor in the classroom. Additionally, I have also gained experience in computer programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Dreamweaver, as well as earning certification in boating safety and CPR.

After earning my Bachelor’s of Science in Mathematics and my secondary education certification, I plan on teaching and continuing my education and research in mathematics. Mathematics is simply one subject I cannot stop learning, it is just beautiful.