Mae Anderson

• Mathematics Professor

• Mathematics Department Chair 1928-1948

Biology

Mae Anderson grew up in Shelly, MN and graduated from Concordia College in 1920. As a student, Anderson was a member of the Alpha Society, which was organized during her senior year. Only students achieving “A” grades were admitted into the society and their earnestness and work habits were also taken into consideration. She continued her education after Concordia, earning a master’s degree in 1923 and a Ph.D. in 1936, both from the University of Chicago.

Anderson returned to Concordia in 1928 and was head of the Mathematics Department--the first female faculty member to chair an academic department. She acted as chair until her death in 1948 from leukemia. In addition to her teaching duties, Anderson worked on the Graduate Scholarship Committee and was secretary for the Committee on Relations to the Armed Forces. She was also active in Lutheran Daughters of the Reformation at Trinity Church. The 1949 Cobber yearbook described Anderson as having “that trait found in the rare teacher which is the ability to see the subject through the eyes of the student and thus to anticipate the difficulties he is sure to encounter.”