The Concordia College Math Team competed in the 2016 International Contest in Mathematical Modeling, with two of their three teams scoring at the Honorable Mention level, outperforming rival Cal-Berkeley.
The nine-member team was divided into three three-person teams. The team of Captain Yameng Wang, Ruiheng Xiang, and Zhen Yang earned Successful Participant status in the competition. The team of Captain Yuling Zhang, Jeongmin Lee, and Illeyana Graham earned Honorable Mention level, as well as the team of Captain Elijah McGruder, Sojeong Lee, and Ho Jun Kim.
Concordia’s team was led by Dr. John Loase, one of the driving forces behind the expansion of the mathematical modeling community. Loase conducted weekly problem sessions in order to help the students prepare for the contest.
“Our Concordia College Math Teams consistently perform at or above the level of their Ivy League peers. This success is a reflection of how much we value undergraduate teaching,” says Loase.
Undoubtedly, these weekly sessions paid off. The Concordia College team’s that earned Honorable Mention matched the performance of Brown, Duke, Virginia Tech, and University of Colorado (one of the event’s frequent winners).
But, the students were able to learn more than merely math in preparing for this competition.
“This event has given me more confidence as a student and person,” says Concordia student Sojeong Lee. “It has helped me learn the importance of a strong effort and cooperation with my teammates.”
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