Clarence F. Stephens
Clarence Francis Stephens (July 24, 1917 – March 5, 2018) was the ninth
Early life
The fifth of six children, he was orphaned at the age of eight.[2] For his early education, he attended Harbison Agricultural and Industrial Institute, a boarding school for African-Americans in Irmo, South Carolina under Dean R. W. Bouleware and later President Rev John G. Porter.
Stephens graduated from
After serving in the
From research to teaching
As a
In 1953, he received a one-year Ford Fellowship to study at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey.[3]
Dr. Stephens remained at Morgan State until 1962, where is credited with initiating the program which led to five students achieving 91% to 99% on the graduate record exam in mathematics, three of these students (Earl R. Barnes, Arthur D. Grainger and Scott W. Williams) became the only three students of the same class at a Historically Black College to earn a PhD in mathematics.[
The MAA biography reports that during Dr. Stephens’ tenure at SUNY Potsdam "the department became nationally known as a model of teaching excellence in mathematics. For several of these years the program was among the top producers of mathematics majors in the country. The teaching techniques that Professor Stephens introduced at Potsdam, and earlier at Morgan State, have been adopted by many mathematics departments across the country. They have been described in publications by the MAA, and recently in a book, Math Education At Its Best: The Potsdam Model, by Datta (Center for Teaching/Learning of Mathematics, 1993)." He turned 100 in July 2017[4] and died in March 2018.[5]
Teaching method
![[icon]](/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2021) |
Stephens pioneered "Morgan-Potsdam Model"[6] of teaching mathematics. The model was founded on the idea that the study of pure mathematics can be learned by a large number of students if they are provided with a supportive and caring environment. The environment was meant to consist of considerate and well trained teachers, continuous encouragement, successful role models, enough success to build self-esteem and the belief that education is a worth while effort. This made Stephens teaching method one of the most effective in producing mathematics majors.
Honours, decorations, awards and distinctions
- 1942 He received a Julius Rosenwald Fellowship reward
- 1943 He received a Ford Fellowship for contributing research as a member of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey
- 1962 Honored by Governor J. Millard Tawes of Maryland for contributions to education
- 1976-77 he received the 1976-77 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching
- 1987 honored by Governor Mario Cuomo of New York for contributions to education
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2021) |
Sources
- Clarence Francis Stephens (Google cache)
- Clarence Stephens
- The Morgan-Potsdam Model and the Potsdam Miracle
References
- ^ "Clarence Stephens". Mathematically Gifted & Black. Archived from the original on 2018-02-24.
- ^ a b Rountree, K; Stanley, O. "Clarence F. Stephens". cs.appstate.edu. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
- ^ Houston, JL (1997). "Clarence Francis Stephens". NAM Newsletter (Fall): 14. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
- ^ Olympia Nicodemi (2017-07-24). "An Icon Turns 100". Walsworth Print Group. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
- ^ Clarence Stephens Obituary
- ^ "In Memoriam: Dr. Clarence F. Stephens, Sr. | SUNY Potsdam". www.potsdam.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
