Jessie Hamm never expected to be where she is today. Though she always knew she would attend college, she never saw herself going to graduate school, let alone earning her Ph.D. in mathematics. From a young age, Hamm had a passion for mathematics, but she lacked something equally important: confidence. And she wasn’t alone, many young women report less confidence in their mathematical abilities than their male peers, starting as early as middle school. She enjoyed solving fun problems, particularly as part of her middle school’s math team, but she felt out of place, believing everyone else was better at math than she was.

In high school, Hamm began helping her classmates understand topics they were struggling with and her confidence grew. She remembers her tenth-grade geometry class in which she was frequently called up to the board to help the other students understand difficult problems. During that class, she found a new type of joy: not only in learning mathematics but in helping others learn mathematics as well. With that joy came a new confidence. That’s when she knew she wanted to teach mathematics.

However, as she began her undergraduate education, new hurdles arose. “As is the case with most incoming math majors, I had no idea what real math was,” says Hamm. She had enjoyed the process of solving problems and finding answers in middle and high school, but she had no idea how expansive and creative mathematics really was. She recalls, “A mathematical curiosity and thirst for more knowledge was awakened in me!” This epiphany came with its own challenges, though, particularly in her Introduction to Proofs and Abstract Algebra classes. Instead of succumbing to the difficulties she faced, she persevered, ultimately learning that struggling and failing were crucial aspects of learning and experiencing mathematics.

When Hamm reached the end of her undergraduate career, she was at a crossroads. Her original plan had been to finish her degree, get her teaching certificate, and become a high school math teacher. But at graduation, Hamm didn’t feel ready to leave the world of pure mathematics. She had never considered the possibility of pursuing a higher degree. However, her advisor helped her realize it was within her reach. So, with his encouragement, Hamm once again took a leap to follow her passion.

Hamm went on to earn her master’s degree in mathematics from Wake Forest University and her Ph.D. in mathematics from Temple University. Both experiences posed their own challenges — the transition to graduate school being particularly difficult — but with Hamm’s strengthened confidence, those challenges became opportunities to persevere. Hamm learned to see struggles as lessons in humility and to see her classmates not as competitors, but as potential collaborators.

During her Ph.D., Hamm also became involved in mathematics outreach. Having never had the opportunity to participate in it growing up, she was eager to help young students realize how creative and beautiful mathematics really is. She specifically wanted to help young women and girls gain the confidence she had found throughout her journey. Speaking of the middle school girls she works with now, Hamm says, “They need to realize that they’re capable. They’re just as capable as anyone else. [About speaking out in class] Just go for it, and if you’re wrong, you’re wrong. It doesn’t mean anything about you.” Hamm received very similar advice as an MAA Project NExT fellow at MAA MathFest, where Joe Gallian told her cohort to “just say yes!” to challenges and opportunities that come their way, regardless of how intimidating they may be. While Hamm maintains the importance of boundaries and balance in life, this remains her favorite piece of advice, mainly for the passion and excitement it instills in her. 

They need to realize that they’re capable. They’re just as capable as anyone else.

Jessie Hamm

After finishing her Ph.D., Hamm brought this passion and excitement with her to Winthrop University as an assistant professor. When she started, there were no outreach programs happening at the university, and she was determined to change that. One of the programs she ran with two female professors at Temple was the annual Sonia Kovalevsky Day (SK Day) in honor of the first woman in modern Europe to earn a doctorate in mathematics and be appointed a professor of mathematics. Hamm was nervous to run the program on her own for the first time, but she had come too far to let doubt or uncertainty stop her. So, she applied for an MAA Tensor Women & Mathematics Grant and used the funding to start not only the university’s first SK Day, but also its first outreach summer camp for high school girls. She continues to dedicate herself to sharing her love of mathematics whenever she can, and inspiring students to have confidence in their abilities. As a final piece of advice, Hamm says, “You can do it. Plan to experience failure and embrace it. Never think you’re not good enough. Don’t compare yourself with others — just do your best and don’t give up. Then once you’ve struggled through and made it, celebrate your success and share the benefits with others!”

We at MAA are extremely grateful to have members such as Jessie Hamm running essential programs across the country to show students the beauty of mathematics and their own personal capabilities. We are also proud to help fund such programs through our various outreach initiatives. Learn more about MAA outreach initiatives here.