1994 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year

John W. Kenelly

John W. Kenelly was born in Bogalusa, Louisiana on November 22, 1935. John has many
degrees in mathematics including a B.S. from Southeastern Louisiana University (1957),
M.S. from the University of Mississippi (1958), and Ph.D. from the University of Florida
(philosophy minor, 1961).

He was an instructor at the University of Florida (1959-1961), an Assistant Professor
at the University of Southwestern Louisiana (1961-1963), and an Associate Professor
at Clemson (1963-1968). He became Professor and the Chairman at the University of
New Orleans. He returned to Clemson as Department Head in 1969 and served as Department
Head for eight years. At that time he divided his duties as professor and began the
service activity mentioned above. He became an Alumni Distinguished Professor in 1985
until his retirement 1994. Since then he has maintained close ties with the department
in the form of grants and in an advisory capacity.

During his early years at Clemson he was in charge of recruiting and advising graduate
students and building the mathematics collection in the library. When he became department
head he was concerned in continuing the building of faculty in all of the mathematical
sciences and the conversion to our present option-based curriculum and council-based
system of administration.

The list of his visiting appointments is as follows:

George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (aerospace engineer, 1964)

Stanford University (1973-1974) Visiting Scholar (Operations Research)

U.S. Military Academy (1982-1983) Visiting Professor (Mathematics)

National Science Foundation (1988) Program Director (Calculus Curriculum)

College Board (1989-1990) National Director, Advanced Placement Program (Interim)

His activities with the Mathematical Association of America are numerous and include:
International Mathematics Olympiad 2001 Task Force , Board of Governors (1985-1996,
2002-), Budget Committee (1988-1996, 2002-), Fund Drive for Building Committee (chair),
Investment Committee, Committee on Calculus Reform (CRAFTY), Editor Placement Test
Newsletter (1979-1985), Committee on Testing (1979-1991, chair 1985-1989), CUPM Undergraduate
Program Report-Calculus Panel (1978-1981), Panel on Remediation (1983-1985), Southeastern
Section: Chairman (1978), Section Lecturer (1984), Governor (1985-1988). (These activities
involved invited hour lectures at more than a few section and national meetings.)

Other important activities are with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
and include: Post-Secondary vice president South Carolina Council (1979-1981)and Editorial
panel-1992 Year Book Calculators in Mathematics Education.

He was National President of Mu Alpha Theta (1989-1991) and on the Governing Council
(1988-1992, 1995-2001).
He was on several governing boards , external advisory boards, and editorial boards
as follows: University of Florida Mathematics Department, Oregon State Calculus Connections,
U.S. Military Academy Mathematical Sciences Department, Futures (PBS series), Connecticut
Common Core of Learning, FASE’s Multimedia Project, National Faculty’s Mathematics
Advisory Board, COMAP (Consortium for Mathematics & Applications), Hewlett Packard
Education Committee, Wachovia Bank, Pickens County (SC), SC Governor’s Task Force
on Education Accountability, LaCEPT (State of Louisiana NSF) Visiting Committee.

John Kenelly was the 1994 Alumnus of the Year for his alma mater Southeastern Louisiana
University. He returned as their commencement speaker in May of 1999 and surprised
the audience with a generous donation at the end of his speech.

He was awarded two NSF grants at the million dollar level on teaching mathematics
with calculators (TMC) and technology intensive calculus with advanced placement (TICAP).
TCM produced and nationally distributed videos showing the use of programmable graphics
calculators in the calculus classroom and showing how mathematical modeling and quantitative
literacy could be enhanced by technology. TICAP produced materials and trained the
workshop leaders that facilitated the AP Calculus Program moving to the graphing calculator
requirement. He gave invited addresses to a variety of organizations including: the
National Association of Secondary School Principals Annual Convention, the 30th Anniversary
celebration of the Advanced Placement Program, the College Board Forum, the NCTM,
and the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics.

His publications ranged from research articles to many articles in the development
of advanced placement calculus, mathematics testing and evaluation in secondary schools
and in colleges, specific uses of Texas Instrument and Hewlett Packard calculators,
and several books.

His additional activities (which are among his most prestigious) include being president
of the International Mathematical Olympiad 2001 USA and serving a second five-year
term as treasurer of the Mathematical Association of America. Both of these tasks
involved raising substantial funds quickly. A previous successful campaign was to
generate the funds needed to complete the Washington office of the MAA. For these
activities and his many other contributions to the MAA, there is a room in the MAA
building named in his honor.

John Kenelly was selected as the 1994 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year by his alma
mater Southeastern Louisiana University. He returned to Southeastern as the commencement
speaker in May,1999 and surprised the audience at the end by presenting a check to
establish the Kenelly-Voss endowed Professor of Mathematics at Southeastern Louisiana
University for he and his wife Charmine Voss Kenelly.