Visionary Math Program Gets Coveted 3M Foundation Grant

Ithaca College is one of three private colleges out of 21 applicants to receive a 2000 Vision Grant from the 3M Foundation. The Vision Grant program provides start-up funding for academic projects that bring students and faculty together while connecting learning to the community.

The College will receive $50,000 over three years for its TEAM (technology, empowerment, and modeling) program. Its partners in the project are teachers and students from the Frederick Douglass Academy, the Ithaca City School District, and, as space permits, other upstate schools.

Directed by professor of mathematics Martin Sternstein, TEAM is designed to bridge the gap for minority students between basic and advanced high school math classes. It focuses on developing problem-solving ability and building confidence, with the hope that students will be inspired to pursue additional math classes. Three summer work- shops are the keystones for the project, with follow-up mentoring by IC math and math education students during the academic year.