Dr. Bridget Coleman, professor of education at the University of South Carolina Aiken, has been awarded the 2023 Outstanding Contributions to Mathematics Education Award by the South Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics ("SCCTM").
The award was presented during the SCCTM conference in Greenville, SC on Nov. 1 and honors Coleman's distinguished work in mathematics education at the local, state, and national levels. "Faculty and students in the School of Education have been showing up and standing out across our state and nation," Colman said.
Coleman remains an advocate for effective mathematics instruction in all grade levels and provides professional learning experiences for teachers. She teams up with educators from the local school district to help develop positive relationships with USC Aiken's School of Education. "I am deeply grateful for our state mathematics educator organization's recognition of the work I have been engaged in for 30 years," Coleman said. "For my small part in the big scheme of education, I feel like I am standing on the shoulders of giants with the impactful mentors I have worked with along the journey."
Coleman's love for math started when she would play hours of Monopoly and Yahtzee at the family kitchen table while in elementary school. She said even though being a female in a STEM (Science, Technology, Education, and Mathematics) can be challenging, USC Aiken provides support for sharing scholarly work around the world, even internationally. "Without USC Aiken, I would not have the outreach that the institution supports and encourages."
Of Coleman's professional accomplishments, she said she is most proud of her students, USC Aiken's Educator Leadership Program, serving as chair of Faculty Assembly, and becoming the Bridgestone Firestone South Carolina Professorship in Education Endowed Chair (2022-2025).
Coleman says her journey from classroom teacher to professional development leader and new teacher mentor have taught her important lessons. "I wish everyone could see the beauty of mathematics; through exploring and discovering."
USC Aiken was well-represented at the conference, with two students receiving $1,500 SCCTM scholarships, three students selected as conference speakers, and four students serving as volunteer student pages. "Faculty and students in the School of Education have been showing up and standing out across our state and nation," Colman said.
For more information, contact Angela Saxon, Angela.saxon@usca.edu