James D. West Memorial Math Scholarship

Jim West of Cody loved mathematics. He often sat at the table for hours and played with advanced calculations, just for fun. His eyes would light up as he would talk at length about mathematics. He was passionate about its innate elegance. This love of knowledge was passed on to his son, John West. At one point, John considered changing careers and he became a non-traditional student at Northwest. John appreciated the support he received from the staff at Northwest, especially from John DeWitt who was the Dean of Students. He was also deeply impressed with the professionalism and dedication of his instructors and went on to earn his Associates Degree at Northwest. Upon his father’s death, John and his wife JoAnn chose to honor his father and keep his passion for mathematics alive with a scholarship in his name. The James D. West Math Memorial is, of course, for math majors. Reflecting on all of this, John said, “whether or not an individual uses education in pursuit of a career, the more one knows about the world he lives in – the more interesting life becomes.”