Georgetown College. Georgetown University.

Junior Cynthia Anyanwu has taken three courses from Dr. Chang. (Photo: Roland Dimaya)

By LiAnna Davis

Junior Cynthia Anyanwu fell in love with Georgetown the moment she stepped on campus. She’s had a passion for mathematics as long as she can remember, and Dr. Der-Chen Chang has been instrumental in shaping her experience of mathematics at Georgetown.

“When I enrolled and declared my major, I heard a lot about Dr. Chang through other math majors,” she says. “Whenever I spoke to someone about math courses, Dr. Chang’s name would come up, and everyone seemed to have great things to say about him. That is why I registered for a course he taught in the spring of my freshman year. I remember telling my dean after a week of classes that Dr. Chang’s class was already my favorite.”

Anyanwu has taken Foundations of Mathematics and Multivariate Calculus from Dr. Chang, and she is currently enrolled in his Analysis course. She has enjoyed every mathematics class that she has taken.

“My favorite thing about mathematics is its objective nature,” explains Anyanwu. “I’ve always been attracted to the idea of concrete facts and the processes through which such facts are determined. My favorite thing about mathematics at Georgetown is the faculty. While the department is not the biggest or most technologically advanced on campus, the professors are incredibly intelligent and so willing to help. I remember struggling with a problem set and being able to get help from a professor who wasn’t even teaching the course.”

Anyanwu is majoring in Mathematics with a Theology minor, and she is currently completing pre-medicine requirements. She has already been granted early admission to the Georgetown School of Medicine for next year. Although she admits that her desired specialization changes frequently, she is currently interested in dermatology.

“I enjoy mathematics and have considered pursuing a career that would involve my skills in the area, but I think that my fascination with the human body and medicine is going to be my focus after my bachelor’s degree,” says Anyanwu. “One important lesson that I learned from Dr. Chang is to differentiate between memorizing and learning. He taught me to learn for learning’s sake instead of aiming for a specific grade. I hope that this lesson stays with me forever, because it has definitely helped me do well in and get the most out of the first half of my college career.”

Anyanwu has indeed done well academically, receiving first and second honors. To supplement her coursework, she volunteers at Georgetown University Hospital and serves as a tutor in the Math Assistance Center. Anyanwu also enjoys watching and playing basketball and spending time with her family.

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