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APSU's Christine Jator thrives in Chicago summer math program

by Colby Wilson

Clarksville, TN (10/08/2024) — For Austin Peay State University senior Christine Jator, summer has always been a time for learning.

As the daughter of academics - her mother Eleanor teaches in Austin Peay's Department of Allied Health Sciences, while her father Samuel is a former APSU professor who now serves as the senior associate provost for academic affairs at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas - Jator has a built-in love for learning that has manifested itself in her already decorated college career.

"Growing up, my parents always wanted me to do something over the summer, just to stay immersed in that environment," she said. "They want me to jump on all of these different opportunities. Their experience in the world of higher ed really helps a lot as I identify programs that are right for me. Even when I came to Austin Peay, my dad directed me to the stats concentration rather than the pure math concentration because there are more industry opportunities in statistics."

Last summer, Jator plunged into an intense program at the University of Chicago called the Summer Undergraduate Mathematics and Statistics Accelerator (SUMSA). The program aims to help prepare students for the rigors of graduate school in mathematical science with lecture series and problem sessions. It primarily focuses on basic coursework, which differs from more project-oriented Research Experience for Undergrads (REU) programs.

This was more than taking some summer classes; it was a boot camp designed to prepare aspiring statisticians for the rigors of graduate studies.

"I knew I wanted to go to graduate school, but I also wanted to see what it would be like, so I thought that this was a really good program to feel it out," Jator said. "This program is designed to prepare you for graduate school in statistics specifically. And it was really rigorous."

As Jator stepped onto the Hyde Park campus, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of imposter syndrome. Coming from a smaller state university to one of America's most prestigious schools was daunting, but she quickly began to feel at home in her studies and with her peers in the program.

"We all came from different backgrounds," she said. "Most of the students there were pure math majors, so they focused a lot on proofs and proving mathematical statements. I come from a data science background, like coding, so it's more applied mathematics. We all helped each other with the things we were good at."

Jator and her classmates found their footing by forming study groups, tackling complex problems and supporting each other through the program's intense workload.

As the weeks progressed, she began to see beyond the textbooks and problem sets. She realized SUMSA was giving her a genuine taste of graduate school life. It wasn't just about the mathematics; it was about perseverance, time management, intellectual growth, and exploring a new place.

"Toward the beginning, we were all locked in on coursework," Jator said. "As we got near the end of the program, we realized, 'Wait, we're in a big city, we need to venture out and learn more.' And our professors encouraged us to go have that experience."

With her senior year underway, Jator is setting her sights on the future. She's starting the graduate school application process since many schools have deadlines in December or January, and she has a good idea of what to expect after her Windy City experience.

"It's a great opportunity for students who are thinking about graduate school," she said. "It was really good just to see it, to put into perspective how rigorous the coursework can be."

For more information on the SUMSA program, visit https://www.imsi.institute/activities/sumsa. The application process is not open at this time, but will open in mid-to-late fall; applications are typically due in mid-February.

About the Austin Peay College of STEM

The College of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) provides studies for students in the areas of agriculture, astronomy, aviation sciences, biology, chemistry, computer science, earth and environmental sciences, engineering physics, engineering technology, information technology, mathematics, medical laboratory sciences, radiologic sciences and physics. Our outstanding, discipline-based programs are student-centered and designed to prepare students for responsible positions at all levels of research, industry, education, medicine and government positions.

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Austin Peay State University senior Christine Jator, at right, with her peers at the University of Chicago’s Summer Undergraduate Mathematics and Statistics Accelerator (SUMSA) program.

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