Mathematics Grad Finds Career Success at Disney

Nicole Bates '11 outside the Team Disney Orlando building where she crunches numbers for "the happiest place on earth."

Where can you apply a mathematics degree? One BW math graduate couldn't be happier to be crunching numbers at the Happiest Place on Earth. Nicole Bates '11 is currently working under the umbrella of Revenue Management at Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

A self-described "huge Disney fan" who had visited the company's Orlando theme parks many times growing up, Bates didn't think her mathematics degree would lead to a job with such an iconic brand and international Fortune 100 company. But she saw an internship opening with the Management Science and Integration Team supporting Disney-owned ABC television network and landed the position in 2013.

Bates quickly moved up into a full-time role as an analyst within Planning and Forecasting which supports Disney's Domestic Parks and Resorts, and recently she was promoted to the post of measurement analyst. Her current responsibilities include measuring revenue impacts and developing economic and international growth strategies within Disney's U.S. parks and resorts.

Fondly known as the "resident math major" on her team, Bates is often tasked with projects and special opportunities that use the skills that she acquired during her time as a student in the math department here at BW, especially her critical thinking skills.

"I will never be able to fully explain how proud and thankful I am to be an alumna of BW, specifically of the math department," she tells us, "If not for the hard work and motivation from my professors and peers during my time in the program, I do not believe I would be where I am today."

Physics Major Recognized at Women of Achievement Awards

Kaylee Yuhas ’16, an impressive BW physics scholar is the winner of the Dr. Jennie S. Hwang Award presented at the YWCA Cleveland’s prestigious Annual Women of Achievement awards luncheon and conference. Yuhas, who carries a perfect 4.0 GPA within her major (and 3.964 overall), is the third BW STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) major in row from BW to win the award.

At BW, Yuhas has been recognized as “Outstanding Physics Student of the Year,” is a member of the mathematics honor society, Kappa Mu Epsilon, and presented her original scholarly work on starspots at the American Astronomical Society’s 225th Annual Meeting. While adding a math minor to her academic rigor, Yuhas also serves as President of the Baldwin Wallace Problem Solving Club, and volunteers with the Richfield Kiwanis Club.

Outside the classroom, Yuhas, who aspires to earn a Ph.D in astrophysics or software engineering, has developed rich YouTube content to share complex scientific concepts in an accessible and entertaining way. She hosts instructional videos on her own channel, Explorium, and now serves as head writer at Life Noggin, an animated educational YouTube channel for people who are “positively obsessed with learning new things.” Life Noggin has more than 50,000 subscribers.

"As a physics major, I understand the beauty and importance of math and science, and was inspired to share that knowledge with others," Yuhas says of her video outreach. "My goal is to make the STEM field more approachable to both scientists and non-scientists alike, and pique my viewers' curiosities."

Icing on the cake? The Brecksville native authored two books while still in high school. Oh, and she's juggled 5 part time jobs to help pay for her education.

The $1,500 Dr. Jennie S. Hwang Award scholarship was created through the generosity of Dr. Hwang, a scientist, engineer, corporate executive, international businesswoman, worldwide speaker, prolific author, corporate director, university trustee and community leader.

Dr. Jim McCargar, associate dean of BW's School of Mathematics, NaturalSciences & Computing
celebrates Kaylee's scholarship award at the AprilYWCA Women of Achievement luncheon.
Astronomy professor Dr. Gary Kader also attended.

Mathematics Students on the Plus Side of the Competition

BW math competitors, L to R,   Christine Austen, Alan Jankowski, Matt Switlyk, Victoria Switlyk, and Hannah Sedely

A group of BW students represented the mathematics department as they traveled to Marshall University in West Virginia this spring to participate in the spring meeting of the Ohio Section of the Mathematical Association of America. Christine Austin '15, Hannah Sedely '16,  Matthew Switlyk '15 and Victoria Switlyk '15 all presented student research at the gathering.

Two teams of students also competed in the 12th Annual Leo Schneider Problem Solving Competition. Facing off against strong competition, both BW teams performed admirably with Matt Switlyk  and Alan Jankowski '17 coming in 7th, while Austin, Sedely and Victoria Switlyk finished 10th.

Earlier in the year, two BW students also earned positive scores on the annual William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Exam, a famously challenging mathematics competition for undergraduate students in North America with Brian McLaughlin '15 scoring in the top 25%, and Matt Switlyk in the upper half of the elite competitors.

BW Physics and Math Star Inspires STEM Careers on YouTube

BW student and academic powerhouse, Kaylee Yuhas is truly a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) superstar. Kaylee has earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average majoring in physics and mathematics and has set the bar unbelievably high by earning the highest grade point average among all physics majors. Yet, what distinguishes Kaylee as entirely exceptional is her passion for motivating young women to pursue STEM careers.

Kaylee has recently created an instructional video series called Explorium, earning her YouTube channel hundreds of loyal subscribers. The intent of Explorium is to make science more approachable and fascinating as well as to inspire budding scientists, especially girls and young women. The video series teaches complex scientific and mathematical concepts in an accessible and entertaining way.

Included in Kaylee’s scholarly work, is original research on starspots, which she presented at the American Astronomical Society’s 225th annual meeting.

Outside of the classroom Kaylee serves as President of The BW Problem Solving Club, is an avid reader and volunteers with the Richfield Kiwanis Club. Kaylee has also partnered with physics faculty to help teach 12-18 year old students at a problem solving summer camp and works five part time jobs to help pay for her education. She aspires to earn a Ph. D. in either astrophysics or software engineering.

BW Alum is a "Big Hero" after the 87th Academy Awards

BW alumnus Bill Kastak '86 (middle) with Big Hero 6 directors Don Hall (left) and Chris Williams

One Baldwin Wallace alumnus contributed to a "heroic" win at the Oscars this year. William D. Kastak '86 was a part of the Walt Disney Animation Studios team that brought home the Academy Award for "Best Animated Feature Film of the Year," Big Hero 6. Kastak, who studied mathematics and computer science during his time at BW, was a Character Technical Director on the project, specializing in cloth and hair simulation for the award-winning film.

Prior to Big Hero 6, Kastak had a hand in character work on Bolt (2008), Tangled (2010) and another Oscar-winner and smash hit, Frozen (2013), for Walt Disney Animation Studios. Frozen, Kastak said, is his favorite Disney project, because it harkened back to the feeling of the old, hand-drawn animation that he knew and fell in love with growing up.

After graduating from BW, Kastak went on to study Operations Research at The University of Texas at Austin and worked for G.E Transportation before breaking into computer-generated animation. Although he took an unusual academic path into the field, he says he still leans on the critical thinking and problem solving skills his math and computer science courses helped to develop.

The Brunswick, Ohio native says said he had never touched a computer until he came to BW and although the current digital media & design major didn't exist back then, the BW program now features courses in Maya, the software Kastak uses in his work making on-screen Disney magic.