The North Carolina State University Mathematics Competition
In 1983 Frank F. McKee, a Raleigh businessman who was concerned about mathematics education in the Wake County school system, proposed an annual contest to recognize outstanding mathematics students. Mr. McKee offered to give cash prizes of $1000 for first place, $600 for second place and $400 for third place. The purposes of the contest were:
- Identify and reward excellence in mathematics.
- Draw community attention to this excellence.
- Draw community attention to the importance of mathematics.
- Spark some healthy academic competition within the school system.
- Provide an avenue of communication between high schools and NCSU mathematics faculty.
Ernest Burniston, the Head of the mathematics department at NCSU and Michael Evans, the Director of the Undergraduate Mathematics Program, cooperated with Mr. McKee and the Wake County School System in setting up the contest. The contest was called "The McKee Excellence in Mathematics Competition" and was funded by Mr. McKee from 1983 to 1994.
A team of six students are selected from each high school in Wake County to participate in the competition, a ninety minute examination usually given in October of each year. Cash prizes are given to those individuals placing first, second and third in the overall contest, in addition the team that scores the highest in the examination has its name placed on a traveling plaque which remains in the school of the winning team until the next examination.
In 1995, The exam was sponsored by Mr. Vinal and was renamed Mckee-Vinal Excellence in Mathematics Contest. From 1996 to 2001 the contest was sponsored by the College of PAMS and was called the NC State University Mathematics Competition. In 2002, the contest was sponsored by Todd Fuller and was named the Todd Fuller Mathematics Competition. Todd Fuller graduated from NCSU with a major in mathematics. He had an outstanding academic record and also was a star on the Basketball Team. Todd went on to a successful career in professional basketball.
Various members of the mathematics department designed the problems for the competition. From 1983 to 1989 Burniston, Evans, Wilson and Petrea made up the problems. From 1989 to 1999 Ramsay, Garoutte and Griggs took on the job and since 1999 a committee headed by Jeff Scroggs has had the responsibility.
A sample of the examination can be seen in the file: Math Competition (pdf file)
-- N. J. Rose, January 2003