Immersive Summer Program Offers Opportunities for Girls to Explore Mathematics

Yevgeniya Rivers, M.S., M.A., is a passionate math educator, and she enjoys sharing her enthusiasm for studying math with her students. She is particularly looking forward to an experience this summer, when she will be part of a unique math education program for middle and high school students.

Now in its seventh year, the University’s All Girls Math Academy (AGMA)has offered opportunities for nearly 100 female-identifying participants who enjoy problem solving to further build their enthusiasm for exploring and studying math.

“I love seeing the participants express their creativity in project design and how they tackle challenging problems with an open mind,” said Prof. Rivers, a lecturer and director of the University’s Math Zone. “I also enjoy seeing them form friendships within a matter of days.”

‘One of the best weeks of the year for me’

This summer’s program, which will be held at the University from July 25-29, will enable participants entering grades 7-10 to explore cryptography, build a growth mindset, and develop their skills. Participants attend seminars led by University faculty on special topics in math and computer science and interact with Chargers who serve as teaching assistants – and as female role models.

The program has sparked enthusiasm and support from participants and parents. Several of them reunited at the University before the onset of the pandemic in 2020 to share their passion for math and the program, and one program participant is now a student at the University.

That passion is something that Yasanthi Kottegoda, Ph.D., an associate professor and coordinator of the University’s mathematics program, shares.

"The program has come a long way, serving around 90 young female minds who are passionate and equally thirsty to explore new avenues in math and coding,” she said. “I am proud to be one of the cofounders and presenters. AGMA week is one of the best weeks of the year for me that I always look forward to. Besides the high satisfaction I gain by supporting the young ladies who enjoy math, I have found that spending time with them always brought out the inner child in me."

‘We have to do it together’

Dr. Kottegoda and Prof. Rivers are excited to welcome the 2022 cohort of participants this summer. Prof. Rivers hopes to also teach participants about stereotypes, allyship, and self-advocacy. She says these tools are critical to helping women become the professionals and leaders of the future.

“We read about gender pay gaps – that women earned 84 percent of what white men earned in 2020 – and the gap is worse yet for women of color,” explains Prof. Rivers. “The pay gap is less drastic when controlling for career fields, and in the mathematical sciences, salaries, job security, and satisfaction tend to be high. If we are going to fix the leaky STEM pipeline, we have to do it together.”

For more information about the All Girls Math Academy, please visit the program’s webpage.