Student Support

Academic Advising and Course Help

Your academic advisor is there to help you make the most of your experience at Iowa State from the beginning.  Academic advisors help prospective students and their families learn about the mathematics program, help new students become oriented to the department and university, and support current students throughout their time in the program if they have questions, concerns, or seek help planning for the future. Your advisor can support you by connecting you with resources on campus and in the community and by helping you to develop decision-making, problem-solving, and self-advocacy skills.

Course Help

Help is available for specific math courses throughout the semester. Please check the top of your Canvas course page for classes not listed below.

• MATH 1390 – College Algebra Supplement- Mondays -11:00am-3:00pm, Tuesdays-Fridays 10:00am-3:00 pm Room 377
• Math 1500/1510 –
                                   Monday | 10:00am – 11:00am; 1:00pm – 3:00pm – Gerdin 2114
                                   Tuesday | 9:00am – 11:00am – Gerdin 2114; 2:00pm – 4:00pm – Virtual
                                   Wednesday | 9:30pm – 11:00am; 2:00 pm – 4:00pm – Gerdin 2114
                                   Thursday | 9:00am – 11:00am – Gerdin 2114
                                    Friday | 12:00pm – 1:00pm; 2:00pm – 3:30pm – Virtual
• Math 1650 – Calculus I Monday-Friday 1:00-5:00pm in Room 0004
• Math 1660 – Calculus II Monday-Friday 1:00-5:00pm in Room 0004
• Math 2650 – Calculus III Monday-Friday 1:00-5:00pm in Room 385

You can check your syllabus for your instructor’s office hours—dedicated time for you to ask questions, clarify course material, and get support. Instructors want to help you succeed, so don’t hesitate to reach out to them.

Richard Sprague Undergraduate Math Majors Resource Room

The resource room is open 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. Undergraduate majors may arrange hours outside of this with the Math Office.

Named in honor of Professor Richard Sprague, this resource room was dedicated in May 2006. Professor Sprague received his B.S. in 1949 from Maryville (in Tennessee), then his M.S. in 1952 and his Ph.D. in 1961 both from the University of Kentucky. He came to Iowa State in 1961 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 1967. Professor Sprague had a special interest in mathematics education and a special concern for undergraduates. He was active with Pi Mu Epsilon (the mathematics honorary society) and gave much appreciated talks on such subjects as “Pigeon-Hole, Shepherd, and Ice Cream Parlor Principles” and “Applications of Modular Arithmetic”. He retired in 1995.

The room is perfect to:

• meet other math majors
• find a quiet place to sit and work between classes relax and play games (such as Chess or Go)

Office Hours

Office Hours for Fall 2025

Carver 449 Computer Lab

The Math Computer Lab is located in room 449 of the Carver Hall Building. There are 46 monitor hubs with keyboards and mice available for use with your own USB-C compatible device. In addition, there are 6 workstations available with Iowa State University software. All of the computers are MAC and have MS Office, Adobe Creative Cloud applications, Mathematicia, MatLab, Box, Teams, Handbrake, WLC, Zoom, VPN, Chrome & Firefox available.

You can log into these computers using your ISU netID.

Hours of Operation
Weekdays: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Weekends: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Closed for general student use during scheduled classes, holidays and academic breaks.

Career Planning

Be sure to check out LAS Career Services to help you develop your career skills. Whether you need help with a resume, writing a cover letter, improving your job interview skills, or negotiating a job offer, LAS Career Services has the resources to help you land that job and succeed.

Scholarships

In addition to scholarships offered through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, we recommend using the Iowa State University One App system to apply for a variety of other scholarships and grants. The deadlines for each scholarship varies with the award. Department undergraduate scholarships and graduate studies scholarships and grants are also available and can be applied through OneApp.

Connections and Experiences

The Mathematics and Statistics Learning Community works to build community among mathematics and statistics students by taking classes together, forming study partnerships, and getting to know one another via supplemental activities. First year students who have declared their primary major as statistics or mathematics will automatically be signed up in the learning community. Transfer students in mathematics and statistics and first semester freshmen in LAS open option may sign up for the learning community during orientation.

Math Club is a student run organization that enjoys mathematical puzzles, games, and engaging conversations with mathematicians. Equipping Math Teachers is a student run organization that aims to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics.

Connect with other students developing innovative and entrepreneurial skills in the Start Something LAS Academy. Or find other students with similar interests through any of Iowa State’s hundreds of student organizations.

The university provides a comprehensive network of academic support, health and safety resources, and supportive communities.