From guiding the hands-on development of self-balancing robots to encouraging collaborative problem-solving in “knowledge checks” during class, faculty members in the mathematics department at Lehigh are reimagining how mathematics is taught through support-focused initiatives and real-world applications.
Their innovative approaches are fundamentally reshaping the student experience, with fewer students receiving a grade of D or F, or withdrawing from mathematics courses and building the confidence and skills needed to succeed in a subject that was often viewed as a barrier for many students.
DFW rates refer to the percentage of students in a course who receive a grade of D, F or W (withdrawal)—outcomes that indicate a student did not successfully complete the course with a passing grade, which can prevent a student from progressing in their program. Across the three academic years prior to the current 2025-26 year, when considering only courses with a minimum class size of at least 20 students, 10 of the 11 courses with the highest DFW rates were in mathematics at Lehigh. However, during the 2025 fall semester, zero of the highest-rated DFW courses were in mathematics.
Terry Napier, professor and chair of the department of mathematics, attributes this achievement to the innovation of mathematics department faculty members leveraging their passion for teaching to develop activities and initiatives that help improve student success.
“I knew we were making these efforts, but this accomplishment was just so over the top for us,” said Napier. “We have this clear message that Lehigh is really focused on students succeeding. We have a great retention rate and a great success rate for our students, but the idea of trying to push that even higher and to be a part of that is just a really good feeling.”
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