Path to Professorship For Troy Larsen ’22, the dream to become a professor began as an undergraduate and became a reality thanks to opportunities made possible by W&L’s Office of Fellowships.

Troy Larsen ’22 (right) and his Budapest Semesters in Mathematics cohort on an excursion to the Buda Hills, with the Hungarian Parliament building in the background.

As a rising junior at Washington and Lee University, Troy Larsen ’22 could not have imagined that a summer spent using pipe cleaners to solve complex math problems would open the door to his dream career, combining his passions for research and mentorship.

Larsen is currently completing his doctorate in mathematics at North Carolina State University with the goal of teaching at a liberal arts college, a career path that began at W&L and was nurtured through opportunities Larsen pursued through W&L’s Office of Fellowships. Larsen was awarded a Goldwater Scholarship in 2021 and received a Fulbright research grant in 2022.

“My motivation is rooted in the goal of returning to an environment like W&L and to provide mentorship to students similar to what I received as an undergraduate,” Larsen said.

Larsen first developed a passion for research as a Summer Research Scholar studying knot theory with Elizabeth Denne, professor of mathematics, during the summer of 2020. Using pipe cleaners and strips paper to solve problems, the experience showed him that research could be a feasible and grounding career path.

When Larsen entered his junior year, he sought opportunities to continue honing his research skills and attended an information session hosted by Matthew Loar ’07, director of fellowships and student research, about the numerous fellowship and scholarship opportunities available to W&L students. He was pleased to learn that the work he had enjoyed so much also qualified him for the Goldwater Scholarship, which promotes research careers in science, mathematics and engineering.

“The realization that my new passion for research aligned so perfectly with the criteria for the award is what ultimately motivated me to apply,” said Larsen, who used the Goldwater to expand upon the research for his honors thesis.

For Larsen, receiving the Goldwater Scholarship was a vote of confidence in his abilities as a researcher, alleviating his imposter syndrome and encouraging him to continue pursuing his interests. The scholarship helped him realize that success doesn’t always follow a linear path, and the setbacks he had faced were simply part of the journey.

“At that stage, I was just beginning to see myself as a researcher,” Larsen said. “Winning the scholarship didn’t just open doors; it provided a necessary validation that I was capable of contributing to the field of mathematics. It encouraged me to take the idea of a Ph.D. seriously and gave me the confidence to aim for top-tier graduate programs.”

Larsen with his Advanced Combinatorics class at the Budapest Semesters in Mathematics, taught by famed Hungarian mathematician András Gyárfás (second from right).

Larsen continued to meet with Loar during his junior and senior years and appreciated how supportive and encouraging Loar was as Larsen sought additional fellowship opportunities to advance his research and career.

“Matthew challenged me to ‘think big’ about my future, then convinced me I could achieve it,” he said.

If students are interested in pursuing fellowship opportunities, Larsen recommends meeting with W&L’s Office of Fellowships early, and to not fear rejection.

“Meeting with Matthew at the start of my junior year gave me a long runway that helped me shape my narrative for future fellowship opportunities, and determine how to best pursue my interests,” Larsen said. “Equally important to starting early is learning resilience. I’m someone who struggles with failure and rejection (it’s human!), but you cannot let the fear of ‘no’ stop you from trying. The process itself — writing the essays, refining your goals and building relationships with mentors — is valuable regardless of the outcome.”

Larsen’s selection for a Fulbright research grant to Hungary, where he spent a year studying at the Budapest Semesters in Mathematics program and participated in a research group at the Alfréd Rényi Institute of Mathematics, further affirmed his readiness to take his learning to the next level.

By taking graduate level courses to prepare him for the demands of a doctorate, Larsen was able to gain a better sense of what kind of mathematician he wanted to be. Being exposed to different academic models made him realize that, while he never wants to stop learning, he values teaching and mentorship over pure research.

“If Goldwater nurtured my goals, Fulbright honed them,” said Larsen. “It solidified my desire to pursue a student-facing career, ultimately aiming to return to a small liberal arts environment where I can support students the way I was supported.”

In becoming a professor, Larsen hopes to model the mentorship he found at W&L, especially in his research mentors, Denne and Cory Colbert, associate professor of mathematics, and his thesis adviser, Aaron Abrams, associate professor of mathematics. Beyond the classroom, he is grateful for the support and encouragement he received from Kevin Beanland, Associate Dean of Administrative Affairs and professor of mathematics; Tammy Futrell, Dean of Student Engagement and Leadership; Shane Lynch, professor of music and director of choral activities; and Rebecca Benefiel, the Abigail Grigsby Urquhart Professor of Classics.

While in Hungary, Larsen co-facilitated an SAT prep course with Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Amethyst Freibott through EducationUSA.

Pursuing a doctorate became the next logical step in Larsen’s career path, where he could combine the intellectual challenge of mathematics with his passion for mentorship. He credits W&L for preparing him for the rigor of a Ph.D. program, not only through the fellowship opportunities that fostered his research but through the “soft skills” a liberal arts curriculum fosters, which have set him apart at NC State.

“W&L provided a unique advantage in communication and interdisciplinary thinking, skills that are often undervalued in technical fields but have been crucial to my success,” Larsen said.

Larsen carried W&L’s emphasis on communication and close collaboration between students and faculty with him to NC State and received three university-wide teaching awards in his second year of his doctorate. His interdisciplinary experience also made him uniquely qualified for funding by a National Science Foundation Research Training Group focused on uncertainty quantification in the life sciences, which bridges math, biology and statistics. Larsen also received the Goodnight Doctoral Fellowship, the university’s premier graduate award, as a testament to his abilities as a researcher and educator.

On track to complete his degree in the spring of 2028, Larsen knows he will continue to lean on the lessons he learned at W&L through his graduate program and beyond.

“The community of support I found at W&L has been the defining factor in my success,” Larsen said. “W&L inspired me to prioritize mentorship and instilled in me the leadership and interpersonal skills necessary to become a mentor to undergraduates, guiding them the way W&L’s faculty guided me.”

Larsen received the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award at NCSU’s Graduate School awards banquet.

If you know any W&L alumni who would be great profile subjects, tell us about them! Nominate them for a web profile.