Public Service Awards 2006

University of Massachusetts > Faculty > Public Service Awards 2006 - Whitaker

Nathaniel Whitaker, UMass Amherst

For initiating an enrichment program for African-American students in the town of Amherst in grades three to 10 that enables those students to build their math skills through regular, on-campus tutoring, creating a strong link between the local community and the campus.

Mathematics Professor Nathaniel Whitaker has been a longtime advocate for recruiting minority students into the mathematics department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In addition, Professor Whitaker worked with a group of local parents to write a successful grant proposal to create a program for African-American students in Amherst in grades three to ten, designed to build their math skills.

The Academic and other Initiatives for Maximum Success (AIMS) program, established in 2005, enables young students to meet on the UMass Amherst campus weekly for two hours to be tutored by mathematics department faculty members. The program helps to bridge the gap between the campus and the Town of Amherst, while engaging the young participants in the study of math.

Professor Whitaker's tireless efforts have created an outstanding program that helps minority students and creates a strong link between the campus and the community.