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“I picked math because I wanted to do something with people where I could make a difference in people's lives, individually. So why not be a teacher in America's most hated subject,” Said Stephen Devereaux, associate professor of mathematics.
The University of Olivet welcomes new staff every year. But a newcomer has brought fun and laughter into the classroom. Stephen Devereaux is in his first year as a professor of the Nature of Math and Calculus 2 courses on campus.
“He has a weird way of making the class fun and easy to learn about. He likes to make it fun to understand with his actions and his funny names for his section where he adds his last name to pick a bank or something and calls it the bank of Devereaux,” said freshman Jelani Harbor.
Devereaux was born in Jackson, Michigan. In high school, Devereaux ran cross country, performed in stage productions for drama class, and even created Stephenball, a game developed by himself that got several people to play a regular season and playoffs with seven teams. The game is kind of like baseball but with different rules.
Devereaux went to Cedarville University in Ohio for his undergraduate where he majored in math, participated in the jazz band, announced football games, and hosted a dating show.
Afterwards, Devereaux went to graduate school at Western Michigan University where he went into the mathematical field of graph theory.
During college Devereaux did two shows of stand-up comedy and would like to do more shows, but it's difficult to find a venue to do it in Michigan.
Devereaux, although in his first year at Olivet, has brought a funny side with him in teaching and making it part of everyday classes by saying funny side comments like "ride together, die together" and"bad boys for life."
When students take pictures of formulas or of notes written on the board, Devereaux likes to be in the picture, which always gets a good laugh out of the class.
“I’m not usually big on math, but when I take the nature of math with him, it’s a different view on math; he makes it enjoyable to learn it.” said freshman Morgan Whitten.
Devereaux came to Olivet after building up another university math program, but after a new admissions officer took over, they had a different mission, and for Devereaux, it was time to move on.
Coming to Olivet means starting from the bottom again, but with the people in the community and the students of Olivet, it means everything to him to be here and to start making the program great.
“There's an atmosphere of love here that values truth, justice, and caring for people. I get a new start here. And with every new start comes a new chance to make things the best they can be.” Said Devereaux
Written Brayden Craig