When Lily Tsomos ’25 transferred to Towson University from Harford Community College, she didn’t know exactly what to expect. She had never stepped foot on campus, but she knew two things: She loved math, and she wanted to teach it. What she didn’t anticipate was how much support, opportunity and community she would find through the Hill-Lopes Scholars Program and Towson UTeach.

“I decided I was going to TU in May [2023]  without even visiting, but the transfer team made it so easy,” Tsomos says. “I knew it had a great program for math educators, and I reached out to the UTeach director right away. Within a week, I had my entire two-year plan emailed to me.”

Lily Tsomos with her mentor
Tsomos (left) with mentor teacher

That early outreach set the tone for the rest of her experience at TU. On her first day, she showed up 30 minutes early for the UTeach program—nervous, excited and eager to start. What she found was a community that would support her academically and personally.

The summer after graduating TU, Tsomos spent time serving as a daily substitute teacher in Harford County and deciding which full-time teaching job offer she planned on taking.

“I always say the reason I got so many offers is because of the inquiry-based teaching strategies I learned through UTeach,” she says. “We’re trained to design lessons where students build the knowledge themselves. It’s about engaging students in a way that makes them think deeply and collaboratively.”

But it wasn’t just teaching methods that shaped her confidence—it was the people around her. As a woman taking advanced mathematics courses to achieve her undergraduate degree in mathematics, she often found herself in the minority. But joining the Hill-Lopes Scholars Program changed that.

group of professors/students post-grad
Tsomos (second from left) with influential professors and UTeach cohort members

“I was surrounded by women who were doing incredible things in STEM,” she says. “Some were going into research, some into medicine, others into education like me—but what connected us was our drive and the support we gave each other.”

Tsomos appreciated that Hill-Lopes didn’t just focus on research careers. “Even though education is female-dominated, being a woman in advanced math classes is still rare. Hill-Lopes helped me feel seen. They made it clear that your path in STEM is valid no matter what direction you take.”

Through Hill-Lopes, she connected with mentors who helped her beyond the classroom. One of those mentors was Ming Tomayko, associate dean for teaching and student success from the Fisher College of Science and Mathematics, whose area of expertise is math education. Over multiple conversations, Tomayko provided valuable insights about how to get involved in math education research, how to select a graduate program and how to navigate the job search process. 

“Lily’s dedication to learning and her desire to make math meaningful for her future students was evident,” says Tomayko. “Helping students like her connect their academic work with their professional goals is exactly what programs like the Hill-Lopes Scholars Program does.”

That theme of connection runs through everything Tsomos says about her time at TU. Whether it was faculty who held tutoring hours on Saturdays, peers who became lifelong friends or mentors who offered career advice, she found a community that lifted her up.

“I want to be that person for my students,” she says. “I had amazing teachers who made me feel safe asking for help, and that changed how I felt about math. I want my classroom to be a place where students feel comfortable. Especially in math—that’s so important.”

Matt Nugent and Lily Tsomos posing
Tsomos (right) receives her Honors College recognition from Dean Nugent

To students thinking about teaching or STEM education, Tsomos’ advice is simple: “Don’t run away from something just because it looks hard. Find your people. Reach out to your professors. Get involved in programs like Hill-Lopes and UTeach. That’s how I ended up spending Saturdays with my professors—because we built that relationship.”

Her journey from community college student to confident educator was shaped by people who believed in her. Now she’s ready to do the same for her students.

“I love math. I love teaching. And I love the idea that I get to be the person who makes someone else feel seen and capable. That’s what TU gave me—and now I get to pay it forward.”

People graduating

Lily Tsomos '25 (fourth from left) with her graduating Hill-Lopes Scholars Program cohort.