Mission & History

Math Corps Mission

The mission of the Math Corps is to empower and inspire children from under-served communities – through the teaching of mathematics and the fostering of self-worth, strong values and a sense of family – to build good lives for themselves and a more just society for all. 

The goal of the Math Corps then, is to ensure that every child, while cared for and supported in the moment, goes on to graduate high school, fully prepared to succeed in college or other rewarding endeavor — all the while having the utmost confidence in their own abilities to pursue their dreams and change the world.

Math Corps History

The Wayne State University Math Corps, was established in 1992 as a combined mathematics enrichment and mentoring program for Detroit public school students. For over thirty years since, the Math Corps has been working to provide Detroit’s children with the kinds of educational and lifetime opportunities that all kids deserve. In a city where the obstacles to success are so daunting, the Math Corps has, from the beginning, been about making a difference and changing lives. 

Math Corps Today

Now, what began as a purely humanitarian effort to simply support some kids in need, has become a nationally recognized program, serving over 400 middle and high school students per year in Detroit and over 1,000 other students in replicated sites in cities across the country. 

In 2018, Math Corps created its own 501c3 charitable non-profit organization to guide the expansion of the program, provide business tools and help raise the funds necessary to be nationally sustainable.