Faculty Profile: Melvin Nyman
Melvin Nyman found his job at Alma simply by chance. A job posting led to a Good Friday interview in between family events.
Twenty-six years later, he is chair of the Math department and has been the mayor of the city of Alma sine 2002.
Nyman came to Alma from Manchester College in Indiana. He was interested in the job because of the strength of the academic programs.
"There were lots of different paths, but no easy one," the professor says.
“Alma is good at taking bright students farther than they thought they would go.”
He also was influenced by the leadership of then-Provost Ron Kapp.
The broad variety of students' interests is something he loves about the College, and says he usually has at least one math major a year dual majoring in a performing art.
"Students here also are very good at taking advantage of the opportunities Alma provides them," he says. "Alma is good at taking bright students farther than they thought they would go."
His own interest in math came from a math minor in college, and faculty encouraging him to go to graduate school.
The liberal arts atmosphere allows him to be a generalist, and he says he enjoys being able to apply math to other facets of life.
In his spare time, Nyman enjoys spoiling his six grandchildren, spending time outdoors, biking and working in his woodshop.
