Adjemian retires after 32 years of service
Dedicated professor of mathematics, Dr. Adjemian, retires following three decades of service.
In a Man’s World
When math professor Carol Adjemian began her study of arithmetic, she was considered a minority in the field.
“I got to my first professional job and I was the only woman in the division,” Adjemian said. “I sort of paved the way for the next woman, because in the next couple of years they had hired a couple more women.”
But she never considered herself the odd one out. “Growing up on a farm, I was always one of the boys,” she confessed.
Today, after 32 years teaching in the field at Pepperdine, Adjemian retires from her position in the natural science division. Adjemian received her bachelor’s degree at California State College at Los Angeles, and then went on to receive her master’s in mathematics at U.C. Davis and Ph. D. in applied mathematics at UCLA.
A Passionate Professor
Throughout her time at Pepperdine, Adjemian feels that she has fulfilled her passion.
“You’re giving [students] the tools to succeed in whatever they decide to do — whether it’s being a doctor, a teacher, a lawyer or anything,” Adjemian said. “Just working with kids and realizing that the alumni are doing those things they wanted to do because they had the math skills they needed — that’s one of the things that makes the job worthwhile.”
“You know you’re impacting kids even when you don’t know you’re impacting them.”
Courtesy of Pepperdine University
After retiring, Adjemian even hopes to help under-privileged students.
“I have a big heart for helping people who aren’t privileged,” Adjemian shared. “I wish I could help [less privileged] kids with their math skills so they can do work that is becoming increasingly math-centric.”
The Value of Enjoyment
For the time being, Adjemian enjoys simple pleasures like spending time with her grandkids Anika and Matthew — she explained fun games they play like puzzle war — working on sewing and knitting projects and diving into a good book.
She is excited to see what life has in store for her next. “Life is like a journey, an adventure, where you never know what’s around the next bend.”
In a Pepperdine press release, fellow math professor Don Thompson shared the impact that Dr. Adjemian has left on the school.
“She’s a tireless servant,” Thompson said. “We’re losing a person who does not view her work here as a job, but as a calling and she truly does love her students and they love her in return. We’re losing a family member, a good friend.”
Thursday, April 12, a retirement celebration will be held in Dr. Adjemian’s honor in the Fireside room at 3 p.m.
Feel free to share your story of how professor Adjemian has impacted your life.
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