WSU Cross Country Runner Earns $10,000 Scholarship

Sept. 8, 2005

Dayton, Ohio -Alex Gutman, a Wright State University junior received a $10,000 Texas Instruments Demana-Waits Scholarship for his academic excellence while competing on the university's cross country team.

Gutman, who wants to teach high school math, received one of only two nationwide scholarships awarded by the Mathematics Education Trust (MET) of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

"Every student deserves a sound understanding in the basics of arithmetic and algebra," Gutman said, "and I want to do my part to ensure that students have these skills before they enter college or the workforce."

MET officials said he was selected for the honor on the basis of his excellent academic achievement, extracurricular activities and community volunteer projects.

Gutman is on the dean's list with a 4.0 grade point average in the WSU College of Science and Mathematics and member of both the National Scholars Honor Society and National Society of Collegiate Scholars. He also is a student member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and Ohio Council of Teachers of Mathematics and serves as a research assistant for WSU Professor of Mathematics and Statistics K.T. Arasu, Ph.D.

His community service includes tutoring college and high school math students, teaching children enrichment activities in a WSU summer program and playing the saxophone and percussion instruments at St. Lawrence Church during the holidays in his home town of Botkins, Ohio. His extracurricular accomplishments include competing for his second season this fall on the WSU cross country team.

The scholarship involves $5,000 for each of the next two years from MET, which has supported math teaching for nearly 30 years. The national council, with 100,000 members, is the world's largest organization dedicated to improving math education from pre-kindergarten through the 12th grade.

Story Provided by Matt Zircher WSU Sports Information