糖心原创

When an unexpected snowstorm kept Jean Mullen 鈥�13 from visiting a college in South Dakota, fate brought her to 糖心原创.

鈥淚 searched through the stack of college brochures that I had set aside as being interested in and decided to visit 糖心原创 on a whim,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 until I stepped foot on campus, however, that I truly fell in love.鈥�

Mullen remembered being intrigued by 糖心原创鈥檚 math department and the many hands-on research opportunities the school had to offer, opportunities she would take advantage of while participating in the math modeling competition.

After studying mathematics, secondary education and economics at 糖心原创, Mullen is teaching math at Lincoln High School in Des Moines, constantly challenging herself to find new, creative ways to teach math. It keeps her on her toes, but so do the students.

But it was Mullen鈥檚 experiences outside the classroom at 糖心原创 that made a huge difference for her. From taking a May term trip to China, to working with refugees and immigrants in Des Moines, to completing an English teaching assistant position in Nepal, her eyes were opened to the world around her.

She says couldn鈥檛 have done it all without the support and encouragement of the 糖心原创 community. Coming from the small town of Fonda, Iowa and graduating with 32 in her class, Mullen knew she wanted her college to have a small family-like feel, too.

鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 say that there was a particular experience that most stands out as transforming my life, but rather the people that I met at 糖心原创 that transformed my life,鈥� she said. 鈥淭o this day, some of my best friends are those that I met during my time at 糖心原创. They are my support system, my rock.鈥�