Statement of Purpose

         A mathematics education major must be driven, motivated, and enthusiastic about all tasks that are presented. One must learn to excel when faced with obstacles. Having determining and a willingness to strive for excellence are some of the characteristic that a future educator must possess. An educator must also be patient and a good listener. One must be able to communicate well with others. Teaching allows one to contribute to the growth of society.

         I currently attend South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics Education and I know that I possess all the characteristic mention above. Having a passion for mathematics, was a strong influence on my decision to choose my major. Also early on I acknowledge my love for educating others.

        To better prepare for my future, I have participated in an assortment of activities to assist in the training process. For example, for the last two years, I have been tutoring for Project Family Linked Against Violent Activities at South Carolina State University. While tutoring I learned many things about myself and others. I learned that I have patience to deal with other, and I also learned that every child learns different. I have also taught several classes at the local middle school to expand my teaching abilities. In 2004, I attended an education leadership conference held by the South Carolina Education Association and the National Education Association. This leadership conference was an opportunity to expand on my leadership techniques both inside and outside of the classroom.

       To diversify my experience beyond the classroom, I decided to participate in the Undergraduate Research Experience in Ocean Marine and Space Science, at Elizabeth City State University. Throughout the research experience, I had the opportunity to work with UNIX, HTML, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Macromedia Fireworks, ArcGis, Remote Sensing, and TeraScan. During this research experience I was a member of the AVHRR Sea Turtle Team. Our objective was to determine the correlation between sea surface temperature, chlorophyll concentration, and the presence of the loggerhead turtle and the green sea turtle. During the research project I learned new and different things. I learned how to archive and process data sent from the NOAA and OrbView-2 satellites.

       After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics education, I plan on attending graduated school in pursuit of a Mater’s degree in Counseling Education. Also while I attend graduate school, I plan on teaching at the secondary level. Once I have received a Master’s degree, I plan on obtaining a Ph.D. in Administration Education. With an administration degree I plan on becoming the superintendent of my old school district. My enthusiasm for math and my love for educating others will enable me to succeed in any graduate program and in my professional career.