We aren’t the only ones back to school here at Bucknell. We heard back from some recent Bucknell math and stat alums about their Masters and PhD programs. Stay tuned next week to hear from some recent alums about their new jobs.
Nikki Punt (Mathematical Economics Major, ’26)
I recently started my Masters in Business Analytics at Columbia University. The program is a partnership between Columbia Engineering and Columbia Business School. Even though it immediately was a very intense program, I LOVE IT.
Columbia, especially graduate school, is known to have a lot of international students. I made friends from all over the world. Some of my best friends come from France, Germany, and Asia. Besides that, the curriculum and faculty are amazing. The curriculum is built around the development in technology, and specifically artificial intelligence. It is a privilege to learn about the latest developments and how we can apply those skills. Besides that, they allow us to do a capstone with actual companies and real-life problems. Bucknell gave me a wonderful background in mathematics and statistics, which I will now be able to apply to the real world.
Additionally, the campus is wonderful. Located in the heart of NYC, there are many great restaurants, parks, and activities. Last week, I went to the US Open and got to see my favorite tennis players, which was very exciting as a big tennis fan. What makes the Columbia campus so special is that you have the real college campus feeling when you step through the gates. You are in a calm, beautiful campus in the midst of New York City chaos! This is definitely very different from Lewisburg, but I am glad I get to experience both.
I will always be grateful for my experiences at Bucknell and how they prepared me for graduate school and beyond that. Sometimes I do miss Lewisburg, but I will be back for alumni weekend to reconnect with friends and reminisce on four great years!
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Austin Carroll (Statistics Major, ’26)
Hi, my name is Austin ’26. I graduated Bucknell with a BS in Statistics. This fall, I began my first semester at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry (URSMD) as a PhD student in statistics. A small program with an emphasis on the health sciences, URSMD’s stats program aligned precisely with my post-grad aspirations. I couldn’t be more indebted to Bucknell’s math department for opening up this opportunity. Sans the mathematical and computational training I received in Lewisburg, I’m 95% confident (haha) that I wouldn’t be at URSMD. Regardless of your postgrad plans, I encourage you to be critical of your ambitions, and never let them detract from what matters.
Cole Kratz (Mathematics Major, ’26)
Hi everyone! My name is Cole, and I am a first-year PhD student in Mathematics at Penn State University after graduating from Bucknell in the spring. I really like all my classes so far, and they have certainly been challenging (but not impossible). Penn State also gives its graduate students lots of opportunities to be instructors for undergraduate courses, and I am excited to teach as soon as next semester!
Outside of math, State College is in a beautiful area with plenty of things to do. In addition to the amazing scenery, Penn State is known for its football and ice cream, both of which are things I enjoy. I’m excited to keep learning math and to start learning about potential research areas as I progress towards my PhD!
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