Meet our Director of
Corporate and Alumni Affairs

Grady Jones was appointed Director of Corporate and Alumni Affairs for the Departments of Mathematics and Statistics in October 1999. He was previously a media relations specialist with the Purdue News Service and for many years owned and managed a medical transportation company headquartered in Lafayette. His professional experience also includes working as a college admissions officer, coordinating a U.S. Congressional campaign, and serving as an administrator for the Tippecanoe County Commissioners.

Purdue Mathematics graduates are everywhere!

When students ask me what kind of occupations they can enter with a math degree, I tell them the possibilities are infinite. In fact, for many students, a math degree is just the beginning of a career path.

During the past few months I have visited math graduates at variety of businesses and corporations across the United States. The National Security Agency is the largest single employer of mathematicians in the country. Additionally, we have graduates at auto makers, consulting companies, finance companies, and computer firms. Of course, the list goes on and on.

A couple of the more interesting placements include a graduate who is vice president of a high adventure travel agency in Chicago and another who does process analysis for an Indiana company that specializes in mail order delivery.

I recently asked a major employer why a company would choose mathematics graduates. The answer: "Math graduates can think. They have the ability to sort through a ton of information and determine which factors are significant to our mission."

In my position as Director of Corporate and Alumni Relations I am documenting my visits to our graduates to determine three things: where are they; what types of jobs are they doing; and, how can we best prepare our students for the future.

I look forward to meeting many of you as I travel on behalf of the Purdue Department of Mathematics. The department needs your experience and support. I would love the chance to sit down and talk with you. I hope to see you soon.

Grady Jones
jonesgb@purdue.edu