Anthony Spinelli

What made you decide to attend the University of Maryland?
I decided to enroll at the University of Maryland for a few reasons: it's a large, state university, I have family that went to the school, I used to attend basketball games here as a kid, my grandparents used to live in College Park, I was placed into the honors program, and the math department is very prestigious. Most importantly to me, when I was at a ceremony for the UMD high school math competition it was revealed that the institution placed 4th in the 2023 Putnam Exam, which I now plan to take.

What major/career path do you plan on pursuing and how did you select that path?
I plan to be a mathematics major, and I want to earn a doctorate degree to become a math professor. My main goal in that endeavor is to prove the Riemann Hypothesis and hopefully obtain a Fields Medal for it, while also being an excellent teacher and instructor to my students. Ever since I was about 14, I've loved to write math proofs. Logic and reasoning are very beautiful to me, so I began wanting to have a career where I could professionally write proofs and be a mathematician.

What clubs, community service, campus activities, or hobbies are you currently involved in or plan to take part in?
I have joined a few clubs that I plan to participate in: including Chess Club, Math Club, Competitive Programming Club, Philosophy Club, and Kids at Heart. I am most excited about the latter club because I look forward to helping children by tutoring them. I prioritize education and think it is essential to a thriving life, making it very important for children.

How has receiving this scholarship positively impacted your life?
This scholarship has positively affected me because it has relieved the stress of paying for college for me and my family. This opportunity, therefore, allows me to focus more on my education and have the most successful time I can at Maryland, while allowing my family to relax with regards to helping to pay off school. Hence, the scholarship allows me to prioritize my education and to best optimize my learning.

What are your future goals after graduation?
My main goal after graduation is to go to graduate school to earn a master’s in mathematics so I can continue my path toward a Ph.D. in the discipline. After all of that education, I would like to begin a career as a professor and write proofs and theorems. I would want to become a remembered mathematician who will be forever engraved in the history of mathematics. My biggest goal in life is to prove the Riemann Hypothesis, which is a famous, unsolved problem in mathematics that extends from Cryptography to Complex Numbers.

What is your favorite part of the Maryland Promise Program?
One of my favorite parts, thus far, of the Maryland Promise Program is the sense of belonging I have in being a part of a group of like-minded and hard-working people. I also appreciate the growth that it enables for me as it forces me to push my own boundaries, become more of a leader, and strive for the betterment of the community. I really look forward to the program because I want to become the best version of myself that I can, and I feel that this program will push me in the right direction.