Life in Numbers

Math is a constant.

It was a constant throughout Charlie and Karen Egedy’s careers, in engineering and education, and in their retirement, when they each began a second career, this time he in education and she in engineering. And math was a constant this year when, after Charlie passed away, mathematics freshman Nathaniel Martin became the first scholarship recipient of the Charles R. Egedy, Jr. Science Residential College Enhancement Fund, established by Karen in Charlie’s memory.

“This scholarship has already helped me to make this semester better than I could have imagined,” Martin said. “But having this scholarship will make a big impact throughout my college career.”

Martin, who graduated from his high school in Covington, La., in just three years, said mathematics has been his favorite subject throughout school.

Meeting Martin affirmed for Egedy her decision to establish this memorial scholarship. “I’m very pleased he’s a math major. He couldn’t be nicer. I’m glad he is the recipient.”

Charlie earned a PhD in mathematics from LSU, where he taught mathematics courses in the Science Residential College after retiring from a career in engineering. Karen said that Charlie always put teaching first, showing his devotion to his students by mentoring many of them.

“He liked the idea of the residential college,” Karen shared. “It’s always fun teaching a class of students who have a skill level, where you actually get to teach the material and not just teach the background material.”

The Science Residential College, housed in Evangeline Hall, opened in 2009 to help first-year students in the College of Science adjust to the rigors of college courses while making friends and getting to know faculty in a small college living-learning environment. The scholarship, funded by generous donations by family and friends, will pay for the costs of the program.

Karen explained, “The SRC is a young program. I decided this would be a way to support a program he was very pleased to be associated with.”

Martin indicated that, one day, he may have more than math in common with the late professor. “Though I am not 100 percent sure what I want to do after graduation, I feel it is inevitable that I will continue my education until I become a professor. I find teaching to be a fulfilling job.”

Published in Cornerstone Winter 2013 and Spring 2014.