A Tireless Faculty

Dywayne Nicely loves to ask questions. "The faculty never, I hope, gets tired of answering them," he says. A fifth-year doctoral student in the mathematics department. He has been studying math and asking questions for a long time, first completing his undergraduate and master's degrees in math at Marshall University in West Virginia.

Accessible and Respected Faculty

He appreciates the faculty for other reasons, in addition to their appreciation of his insatiable curiosity. "As a graduate student, the faculty treats you as a colleague," Dywayne says. "They are always approachable and helpful and it doesn't hurt that they are highly respected in their respective fields."

He has especially been moved by Dr. Johnny Henderson, distinguished professor of mathematics, and Dr. Lance Littlejohn, the chair of the department, whom Dywayne credits with the increasing interaction and collaboration between graduate students and professors. "They make this place great," he says.

Graduate Studies in Math

Baylor offers a master's and doctoral programs engaging in all of the major disciplines of math. Dywayne's research interest is in numerical linear algebra in the applied mathematics track. "The research opportunities are great because we have a faculty with varying research interests, and the more choices the better," he says.

In addition to the depth of research and range of academic coursework, doctoral students also become instructors of record, which means that each student is responsible for the course they teach. "You get valuable teaching experience here," Dywayne says. "I can be confident as I'm interviewing for assistant professorships right now."

Life Outside of Numbers

Studying at Baylor for the last five years hasn't been all work, though. "I like going to Baylor athletic events and there are plenty to enjoy," he says. "And we grad students usually hang out as a group a few times a month."