Each year, the Ithaca College chapter of honor society Phi Kappa Phi invites outstanding seniors to apply for selection as the chapter’s candidate for one of the prestigious Phi Kappa Phi fellowships. Katie Ahrens, a senior mathematics and English major, was recently selected to represent the college. While at Ithaca College, Katie has taken the opportunity to build her resume and expand her knowledge on subjects she is passionate about. She has authored articles featured in Zoetic & Gilbert, as well as co-authored an article published in the International Journal of Mathematics Educaton Science and Technology. Congratulations on all of your success Katie and we wish you the best after graduation!
Major(s): Mathematics, English
Minor: Music
Hometown: Eerie, Pennsylvania
Favorite Restaurants: Mahogany Grill, Kilpatrick’s
Dream Job: Something where she can do math and write about it
When and how did you know you wanted to double major in English and mathematics?:
“I actually came in as a piano performance major to Ithaca. I always knew I wanted to double major in music and English, and then I kind of discovered that playing six hours a day wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do. I’d always been good at math in high school, but I’d never really considered it something that I’d want to do forever. Then I took a couple of classes here and learned a lot. I ended up switching in second semester.”
Has it been difficult to complete a double major?:
“A little bit, but mostly it’s just been really fun. Since they’re so different in a lot of ways, when I get tired of one, I can just switch to the other. So I can work on school work but kind of get a rest from it at the same time. I’ve also discovered some surprising connections between the two that I’m kind of writing my senior thesis project on.”
What activities do you do on campus?:
“I do a lot of stuff in the music school. I’m a piano accompanist for a lot of the vocal majors. I also take voice lessons with one of the professors and I’m co-director of the student music ministry for the Catholic community.”
How has music impacted you?:
“In a lot of ways. Just learning that the arts take discipline and dedication and that the beautiful sounds that you’re hearing are the product of more work than you could ever imagine. That was a very valuable lesson. Two, just to learn that there are no right answers and the freedom to explore your art and be expressive is good. That’s a nice balance too on that side.”
What has your experience been like with Phi Kappa Phi?:
“I was only inducted in late March. They sent an email saying that I was invited to be in it and then I had to submit a little bit of information. The application for the fellowship was a lot more involved. It was a lot of letters of recommendation, a personal essay, transcripts, classes, a work sample. I’ll hear about that in late May or early June.”
What are you looking forward to after graduation?:
“I’m going for my math Ph.D. in North Carolina. I’m looking forward to spending the next five years in Raleigh.”
What will you miss about Ithaca when you graduate?:
“The people definitely. And looking out and seeing Cayuga Lake every morning. And the nature and hiking.”
What advice do you have for undergraduates?:
“Work hard, but don’t be afraid to take breaks. It’s okay to realize that it’s a lovely day and that all you really want to do is go for a walk and to actually go for that walk. If there’s literally absolutely no time in your day for you to go for a walk, then you might be a little overscheduled. That’s something it took me second semester junior year to learn, and I wish I had learned it a whole lot earlier.”