Panelists from left: Robert Goldstein, M.B.A. ’60, ’06, Lucy Sardella-Lawrence ’82, Elba Roque Metrione ’83, ’94, Gerard Protomastro, Ph.D., Hernan Medina ’85 and Andrew Thompson ’11
Recently, the mathematics department and Pi Mu Epsilon, the mathematics honor society, hosted a career panel of distinguished mathematics alumni. The event was one in a series throughout the academic year celebrating the Golden Anniversary of Pi Mu Epsilon at Saint Peter’s University. The panelists discussed their careers and how their Saint Peter’s education was valuable to them. Presentations were given by Trustee Robert Goldstein, M.B.A. ’60, ’06, president of R J Goldstein & Associates; Lucy Sardella-Lawrence ’82, senior system engineer at AT&T; Elba Roque Metrione ’83, ’94, mathematics teacher at Kearny High School; Hernan Medina ’85, senior principal data scientist for Verisk Analytics; and Andrew Thompson ’11, senior actuarial associate at Prudential Financial. Gerard Protomastro, Ph.D., professor of mathematics, moderated the event.
The panelists were eager to share their career advice as well as reflect on the impact a Jesuit education had on their lives.
“Ethics and logic served me well,” said Goldstein. “Of course logic is connected to math, but ethics also comes into play at every aspect of your life; that’s the value of a Jesuit education.”
Recent Inductees to Pi Mu Epsilon
Sardella-Lawrence started working at AT&T after graduating from Saint Peter’s. The benefit of working at a large company for so long was that she was able to try many different career options.
“Math was like mental gymnastics,” she said. “My Jesuit education served me well because I was able to maintain my ability to be curious and to learn in order to make myself relevant.”
Medina shared insider job resources and interview tips.
“When we look to hire, we look for concrete examples and experiences,” he shared.
The most recent graduate, Thompson, who was perhaps the most relevant to those in the audience who will soon be looking for jobs, gave an overview of what it means to be a successful actuary. He discussed his daily tasks at Prudential Financial. Tips included taking some exams before applying for jobs, build a strong network and take the right courses at Saint Peter’s.
“Why chose this profession?” he asked, “Because you’re part fortune teller but you’re also a highly valued employee.”
Pi Mu Epsilon Alumni Reunited at a Gala
As part of the year long celebration of 50 years at Saint Peter’s, Pi Mu Epsilon also hosted a talk with Farzan Nadim, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Brain and Neuroscience Research at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. His presentation, “Membrane Potential Resonance in Neurons and Its Functional Consequences,” illustrated an example of resonant properties in nerve cells (neurons). The talk dealt with mathematics embedded within a biological context.
An induction ceremony and gala was also held to celebrate the honor society’s 50th anniversary. The following students were inducted: Kushal Dalal ’18, Daniel Gosthall ’20, Phong Hua ’19, Edgar Juarez ’19, Niara Smith ’19, Rebecca Conley, Ph.D., assistant mathematics professor, Robert Goldstein ’60, ’06 and Mahmoud Hassan. Angela Luzardo ’18 was awarded the graduate Kruse Award.