March 15, 2005

Cowley Math & Science Club raises more than $600 for Pi Day

One took it in the face with a coconut cream pie. The other was hit with a chocolate cream.

It was all in good fun, and for a good cause, Monday afternoon at 3:14 p.m. as Cowley College’s Math & Science Club commemorated Pi Day with a pie-in-the-face to the two faculty members whose jars held the most money.

Todd Shepherd, Social Science Department chair, and April Nittler, Natural Science Department instructor, ended the voting with the most money in their jars. Shepherd raised $270.90, compared to Nittler’s $155.31. Ten Cowley faculty members helped raise $615 this year for the college’s Math & Science Club. Part of the money raised will help defray expenses for club members to go to World’s of Fun in Kansas City.

Ready. Aim. Fire! Cowley President Dr. Pat McAtee hits April Nittler with a pie during the Math & Science Club's annual Pi Day activity.

Social Science Department Chair Todd Shepherd, right, braces himself for a pie in the face from Cowley President
Dr. Pat McAtee.

Dr. Pat McAtee, Cowley president, had the honor of slamming pie into the faces of Shepherd and Nittler.

National Pi Day is celebrated each March 14 (3-14) as pi serves as the symbol for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Pi is a transcendental number, meaning it will repeat indefinitely without ever appearing exactly the same. However, pi is usually calculated to three digits, 3.14. Therefore, Pi Day is celebrated on March 14, which also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday.

Greg Nichols, one of the contestants and a member of the Natural Science Department faculty, was pleased with the amount raised this year.

“The college showed great support for the Math and Science Club this year,” said Nichols, the club’s sponsor. “We raised $503 last year. I want to thank Todd and April for taking one for the team.”

Students and employees voted by placing money into jars marked with pictures of the 10 faculty members. The jars were located at the information window in Galle-Johnson Hall. Coins were positive votes. Pennies counted as one point, nickels five points, dimes 10 points, and quarters 25 points. Currency was worth its face value, but in negative points.

Other Cowley faculty who participated: Frank Arnold, Social Science Department; Marlys Cervantes, Humanities; Tom Mason, Humanities; Karolee Weller, Natural Science; Pam Smith, Natural Science; JoLynne Oleson, Business and Service Technology; and Brooke Denney, Natural Science adjunct.

The Math & Science Club also plans to expand Pi Day into an academic contest for either middle or high school students to promote mathematics and science at Cowley.