Ñý¼§Ö±²¥

Often employers desire their employees to have prior work experience. An excellent way to get work experience is through internships. Internships also give Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ the opportunity to learn more about a particular field, job, or area.  Have a look at UM's Internship page.  UM's Office for Experiential Learning and Career Success (located on the 2nd Level of Aber Hall, phone 406-243-2022) can help you find an internship, whether the internship is for the summer or school year. It is often possible to find internships both locally and out of the area.

Look also at the list of maintained by the American Mathematical Society (under Filter by Audience, select undergraduate Ñý¼§Ö±²¥).

N.J. Lennes Exam

The N.J. Lennes Exam is a competitive examination given annually by the Department of Mathematical Sciences. The exam is named in honor of Professor Nels Johann Lennes, who chaired the department from 1913 to 1944. N. J. Lennes wrote numerous mathematics textbooks.  He built the house that is currently the home of the President of the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥.  Zero, one, two, three or more prizes may be awarded at the discretion of the judges. Awards are typically in the $100-$200 range. The exam may be taken by any UM undergraduate student, mathematics major or not. Students who have taken one year of calculus are encouraged to take the exam. (The initial endowment for these awards was donated by members of the extended Lennes family.)

Putnam Competition

The is a competitive examination in collegiate mathematics sponsored by the Mathematical Association of America. This examination is held the first Saturday of December. The competition is open only to regularly enrolled undergraduates in colleges and universities of the United States and Canada who have not yet received a college degree.

If you have any questions about the Putnam Exam or would like to participate, please contact Professor Fred Peck. Also, you are encouraged to participate in the Problems and Contests Seminar (M 394) offered each term. Old Putnam Exam problems are considered in this seminar and used to practice for the next exam.

Other Contests

There are a few other contests, for example, and (a cryptanalysis competition).  Others are listed at .  For some of these you need to find a team of fellow Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ to participate.

is a non-secret honor society whose purpose is the promotion and recognition of scholarly activity in the mathematical sciences among Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ at the academic institutions that have been chartered as Chapters of the Society.

The Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon (Montana Alpha) was established in 1925 and was the 9th chapter ever to be established. Montana Alpha was the first chapter in Montana and also the first chapter established in the West! Members of Pi Mu Epsilon are entitled to wear the purple and gold honor cords at graduation.

A person meeting any one of the following four sets of qualifications may be elected to membership by a chapter. This election shall be irrespective of sex, religion, race, or national origin:

1. Undergraduate Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ who have completed at least the equivalent of two semesters of calculus and two additional courses in mathematics, at or above the calculus level, all of which lead to the fulfillment of the requirements for a major in the mathematical sciences. In addition, such Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ must have maintained a grade point average equivalent to that of at least 3.0 on a 4 point scale, both for all courses that lead to fulfillment of requirements for a major in the mathematical sciences, and also for all courses that lead to fulfillment of requirements for an undergraduate degree.
2. Graduate Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ whose mathematical work is at least equivalent to that required of qualified undergraduates, and who have maintained at least a B average in mathematics during their last school year prior to their election.
3. Members of the faculty in mathematics or related subjects.
4. Any persons who have achieved distinction in a mathematical science.

Qualified Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ of the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ are sent an invitation to join in spring semester of every year and are inducted during the Department’s Awards Ceremony in April. For more information, contact the Associate Chair for the Undergraduate Program.

NSF funds a large number of research opportunities for undergraduate Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ through its REU Sites program. An REU Site consists of a group of ten or so undergraduates who work in the research programs of the host institution. Each student is associated with a specific research project, where he/she works closely with the faculty and other researchers. Students are granted stipends and, in many cases, assistance with housing and travel. Undergraduate Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ supported with NSF funds must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions. An REU Site may be at either a US or foreign location.

By using the web page , you can find a list of the NSF-funded REU sites in the Mathematical Sciences.  Here are two other lists: and

If you are interested in participating in an REU, discuss this as soon as possible with a faculty member.

(Part of this information was taken from the in December 2022.)

There are many ways to volunteer if you want to help out and get involved.  Below are a couple math-related ones, but there are many other ways to volunteer – visit the Volunteer UM page of UM's Office for Experiential Learning and Career Success to get started.

• Consider volunteering as a Learning Assistant helping a professor teach a class you already took.  For example, you might attend one class meeting a week to help Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ with group work.  You'll enjoy helping other Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ while getting to understand the material on a much deeper level.  Talk with your favorite math professor, or contact one of the following:
  • Math for K-8 Teachers: Contact Fred Peck.
  • College Algebra, Trigonometry and Precalculus: Contact Michael Sulock.
  • Other general education math courses: Contact Rick Darnell.
  • Calculus I and II: Contact Kelly McKinnie.
• If you are interested in volunteering with K-12 Ñý¼§Ö±²¥:
  • If you'd like to help coach middle-school Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ preparing for the Mathcounts competition, talk with Jon Graham.
  • You can also talk with one of our math-ed faculty about other opportunities to work with K-12 Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ in mathematics.