GRANVILLE -- Denison University junior Michael Khoury Jr. of Rochester Hills, Mich., achieved a perfect score to place first in the U.S. National Collegiate Mathematics Championship held in August. The annual event was part of the summer meeting of the Mathematical Association of America held in Madison, Wis.

Michael Khoury Jr. '03

Representing Denison, Khoury competed against approximately 35 other students from 30 other colleges. Each year colleges across America participate in monthly problem solving competitions on their own campuses and then select their best students to attend the U.S. National Finals. The problems required significant insight and mental agility. Also, the students had to successfully complete each problem before moving onto the next. Khoury achieved a perfect score, according to his faculty adviser Don Bonar, holder of the George R. Stibitz Distinguished Professor of Mathematics Chair at Denison.

Last spring, Khoury was a member of the Denison Math Team which placed first in the Five College Mathematics Competition held at Kenyon College. Khoury also received a "Honorable Mention" in the most recent Putnam Mathematics Competition. He tied for 28th place out of 2,818 students from 434 colleges. The William Lowell Putnam Mathematics Competition has been held on an annual basis since 1938, and it is considered to be the most challenging mathematics competition in which undergraduates are able to participate.

Khoury is a 1999 graduate of Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and a mathematics and education double major and a Spanish minor at Denison. A mathematics department fellow and a teaching assistant, Khoury is a consistent dean's list student, a recipient of the Wells Science Scholarship and a two-time Anderson Scholar. As an Anderson Scholar, Khoury researched the Algebraic Number Theory during the summer of 2000 with his faculty mentor Zaven Karian, professor of mathematics and computer science and holder of the Benjamin Barney Chair at Denison. This past summer Khoury worked with Bonar researching "Real Infinite Series."

Khoury is president of Pi Mu Epsilon (the international math honorary), and a member of Sigma Delta Pi (the international Spanish honorary), the Phi Society (an academic honorary recognizing excellence in the freshman year) and the Honors Program. Khoury is also involved in the Denison Newman Association (Catholic student organization).

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575