Mentorship and Math: Calculating Success with DHSP

At the University of Michigan, where the rigor of “Michigan math” can present significant challenges, the Douglass Houghton Scholars Program (DHSP) has emerged as a life-changing opportunity for students interested in pursuing majors in math or science. Designed to support students who are taking both Calculus 1 and 2 during their first year at Michigan, DHSP fosters academic excellence and personal growth. 

“DHSP is a great supplemental course to Math 115 and Math 116,” said Clare Stack (LSA Class of 2026). “The complex problems done in the workshop allow for students to get real life examples of what they are learning in Calc 1 and 2.”

DHSP’s approach, “taking the tools of calculus and doing something interesting with them, so in the end students have an idea of what calculus is good for outside of math class,” has proven to be remarkably effective. A notable 84 percent of students who completed DHSP between 2013 and 2021 went on to graduate from Michigan with STEM degrees, underscoring the program’s role in shaping future scientists, engineers, and mathematicians.

DHSP is more than just a supplementary calculus workshop; it’s a close-knit community where students engage in group problem-solving sessions, building lasting relationships and a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. The program offers students the support necessary to thrive in a demanding academic environment while transforming rigorous challenges into rewarding achievements. Students represent a wide range of academic backgrounds, from those who already love math to those who need extra support, but the one thing they all have in common is that they’re willing to work hard and show up.

For Feaven Gebrezgi (B.S. ’24), DHSP was “like a good headache—problems that are so challenging, time-consuming, and thought-provoking, yet once we found the answer, it was worth all of the work because what came out of it was so strange and beautiful!”

Many students have found DHSP to be a cornerstone of their University of Michigan experience, changing the way they feel about math and about themselves as math students. 

“I am so glad that DHSP exists,” said software engineer Dustin Stabinski (B.S. ’21). “[The program] really turned my liking for calculus into almost a passion. I actually enjoyed doing the webwork and learning about new material.”

For students like Emma Bersch (B.S. ’23), who didn't consider herself a star math student when she started college, DHSP “entirely shifted my perspective on math.” Bersch found that the mentorship provided by the program helped her improve and gain confidence in her work. She emphasized the invaluable support from the program: “I don’t know what I would have done without [DHSP].”

Central to DHSP’s success is the unwavering dedication of its director, Mark Conger. Winner of the prestigious University of Michigan Golden Apple Award—Michigan’s only student-bestowed teaching award—Conger is more than an instructor; he is a mentor, a guide, and a champion for every student who walks through his door. With a background in enumerative combinatorics and discrete probability, Conger’s path to finding career fulfillment in making math both more accessible and more fascinating to undergraduates was long and looping. The 17 years he spent working on his Ph.D. helped him understand that the “straight ahead path” approach to learning isn’t for everyone, and he fosters a nurturing environment where students feel empowered to tackle complex problems and grow intellectually. The process is the lesson, and DHSP courses are not graded.

In his 2019 Golden Apple lecture, Conger noted, “Some students remember a teacher who demanded a great deal of them, and so expanded their confidence. Others remember the teacher who made them feel excited about what they were learning. But, in either case, teachers neglect the feelings of students at our peril. Any teaching strategy fails unless the student feels empowered and engaged.”

Students praise Conger’s mentorship. Olivia Herbert expressed that if she was ever stuck, “Mark was able to help me understand when and how to use different techniques to solve similar problems [to those we were studying in Calc 1 and 2].” This personalized guidance has been a hallmark of the DHSP experience, contributing significantly to student success.

“Mark gave me a new confidence in mathematics that I thought could have never existed before. I speak for all of us when I say that he changed my academic future for the better,” said Stabinski.

For some students, DHSP is more than just a program—it’s a lifeline. Julie Lowitz (A.B. 1988), whose family spans three generations of Michigan alumni, witnessed its magic. Her son, Spencer Lowitz (COE, B.S.E. ’22, M.S.E ’23), entered the LSA Honors Program in 2018 without having taken a single calculus class in high school—a factor that probably would have derailed his dreams of becoming an engineer. But Spencer met Mark Conger at orientation, and with DHSP’s support, he excelled in calculus, built strong study habits, and ultimately became an aerospace engineer—an outcome that “never would have happened without DHSP,” said Julie Lowitz. “And that’s what Mark does with these kids.” 

“Math in general can be difficult to learn in a large lecture hall,” she said. “But the way Mark has them learning, they have the time to ask questions. The program is crucial for students like Spencer who are determined but lack the necessary math background.”

Inspired by the pivotal role DHSP played in Spencer’s academic success, Julie and her husband Marc established the The Lowitz Family DHSP Support Fund in 2023 to support DHSP program and operating expenses and ensure future students can have access to the same life-changing support. Their generosity underscores the tremendous impact DHSP has on students’ academic and professional trajectories, proving that with the right encouragement and assistance, potential can be unlocked in ways students never imagined.

“Mark Conger and the Douglass Houghton Scholars Program had such a profoundly positive and lasting impact on our son Spencer’s academic interests while at the University of Michigan and career pursuits following graduation,” said Marc Lowitz. “We are forever grateful for Mark’s dedication and personal interest in Spencer’s (and all the students’) success, and thankful for the program’s existence. We have been more than happy to support Mark and DHSP in whatever way we can and hope for the program’s continued growth so that it can have the same positive impact on even more students.”

As Giving Blueday approaches, we encourage DHSP alumni and others to reflect on the program’s impact on their lives and make a gift to the Lowitz Family DHSP Support Fund to ensure its continued success. Your contribution will help maintain the vibrant community around problem solving that defines DHSP and ensure that no student’s dream of pursuing a STEM major is derailed by a lack of resources and support necessary to thrive in math classes at Michigan.

Join us in celebrating and sustaining the Douglass Houghton Scholars Program, and support what you love about Michigan. Together, we can continue to make math at Michigan not just a subject to be mastered, but a journey to be cherished—because with DHSP, no student has to face it alone.

Top photo courtesy of DHSP