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Kim Ward - Professor, Mathematical Sciences

Ph.D., Old Dominion University

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Kim WardProfile

“Working at Eastern, with its smaller class sizes, is a great fit. Getting to know my students and watching them grow, both academically and personally, over their time at Eastern and beyond is very rewarding.”

My teaching philosophy

“As a former underachieving high school student, and a first-generation college student from a low-income family, I recognize the power that teaching and mentoring has on one’s life and their progeny. A vital key to my continual growth, as a teacher, is my remembrance of where I once was, and the paths taken to where I am now.

“The knowledge I acquired from my academic and personal journey and challenges combined with academic success factors identified through research, shapes the teacher that I am today. I teach my students how to learn through my style of instruction which includes active learning, organizational skills, time management skills, note-taking skills, study skills, test-taking skills, stress management skills, and student responsibility and accountability. I provide my students with opportunities to show academic growth and to measure their progress towards achieving course outcomes by utilizing frequent assessments in various formats.

“My style of instruction enhances classroom effectiveness by teaching life-long learning skills that can be applied to both their academic and personal lives. Stronger academic success skills yield self-directed learners, which in turn increases their persistence to graduation and success beyond. I love teaching.”

Favorite class to teach?

“My favorite classes to teach are first-year and sophomore major and non-major math courses. Having access to students during this time of their lives affords me the opportunity to help them with transitioning from high school to higher education. This includes assisting my students with building, strengthening and maintaining their academic success skills.

I hope that my research and/or creative student-centered endeavors are helping our students graduate, seek out and obtain their chosen job, and find happiness and enjoyment in their current and future lives.


Kim Ward helping a student in class

Research interests?

“My research and/or creative endeavors are student-centered. First, there’s my involvement in a National Science Foundation S-STEM grant of $649,957 to implement “Beyond the Curriculum a Learning Community for Success” scholarship program. Working with my Eastern colleagues Principal Investigator Barbara Murdoch, Co-Principal Investigators Carmen Cid, Elizabeth Cowles and Laura Rodriguez, this Eastern Success Scholarship program (ESSP) is in its fourth year. Through ESSP, students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds receive support through scholarships and purposeful faculty and peer relationships to foster academic learning and trust, ultimately leading to improved achievement, retention and graduation rates.

“I am also part of the recently funded NSF LSAMP grant, (The Nutmeg State Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation). The NSF LSAMP, with an award of $3,191,733, will impact hundreds of students in the Connecticut State University System. The primary goal of the grant is to increase the number of STEM graduates from underrepresented minorities at each institution over the five-year period of the grant.

“Finally, my quest to continue to lessen and/or remove financial barriers for students involves utilizing open educational resources (OER), such as free online course management systems, free textbooks and free software packages that combine, elements of geometry software, computer algebra systems and spreadsheets. I’m proud to have been a part of establishing the use of OER in several courses in the Mathematical Sciences Department.”

Memorable moments at Eastern?

“My most memorable moments at Eastern occurs every time I meet a former student, excelling academically and/or in life, who stills utilizes academic success skills I teach in my classes. This happened just last week.”

Career advice to students?

“There are a lot of career options for students majoring in math, ranging from teaching to industry to the corporate world. Explore the various areas and seek employment where you truly love what you do.”

Life advice to graduates?

“Be the best person that you can be, in every aspect of life, and in all that you do.”

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I appreciate the extra work you put in to helping students learn work and organizational habits and adjust to a professional setting. Most professors pass the buck and have kids figure everything out on their own, but you don't. I was never a bad student, but I've never been as organized as I am after taking a class with you. I hope I have the chance to recommend you to friends, and I hope you don't stop teaching.
Student Quote
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