The numbers all add up - to the top of the class

Killough

Success is nothing new to Brady Killough, UVic's top undergraduate for 2004. Five years ago he was B.C.'s top high school graduate, after achieving perfect scores on three of his provincial exams.
The Oliver, B.C., native registered in first-year general science, but soon found his true niche in physics and mathematics. In fact, math is so intriguing to Killough that he's off to the University of Toronto this fall to pursue a master's in the subject.

"There are so many connections between daily life and math," he says. "And there's that great moment when you reach a solution to something you've been mulling over, and put the pieces together."

Seeking these connections led Killough to tackle a variety of courses that incorporate math and its applications in different ways. Over his four years at UVic he delved into biochemistry, economics, and earth and ocean sciences.

But his head wasn't always in the books. The one-time captain of his high school basketball team was active in intramural sports from volleyball to soccer, and appreciated the benefits of a quick game of ultimate frisbee.

"I'm not an outstanding athlete," he says, "but intramurals kept me busy, kept me running around. It's a way to balance school and release some of the stress."
This balance seems to have worked; Killough achieved a graduating GPA of 8.94 - just 0.06 shy of a perfect score. Even so, he was surprised to learn he'd won the Governor General's Silver Medal as the year's top undergraduate.

"In all honesty, I'm quite a procrastinator," he laughs. "I work hard, but I don't have a strict method or study regime. Usually I need that last minute pressure to get me going."

After one year working on a master's, Killough hopes to switch to a PhD program and then possibly return to academe to teach. "Plans may change," he says, "but for the moment, I'm following my passion."
Among the many scholarships that helped Killough along the way: the John Locke Malkin Entrance Scholarship, the David Brousson Memorial Entrance Scholarship and the Clarence C. Cook Memorial Scholarship.