Edward Jerome Finan joined the staff of the Department of Mathematics at The Catholic University of America in September, 1930, soon after having received his Ph.D from Ohio State University as a student of the algebraist C. C. MacDuffee. Respected by his colleagues and beloved by his students as an outstanding educator, and recognized for his research in number theory, he had risen to the position of Ordinary Professor when, in 1947, he was appointed Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. After resigning from the deanship the following year for reasons of health, he returned to full-time teaching and research, exercising his leadership in the Department of Mathematics until his death on May 9, 1960.
The E. J. Finan Memorial Award in Mathematics was established through contributions from his colleagues and students in order to perpetuate the memory of Dr. Finan at the University to which he had given such devoted service over a period of almost thirty years. A plaque in the Mathematics Department lists the names of the yearly recipients of the award, engraved each year on individual plates.
The memorial prize honors a graduating senior who has been outstanding in the study of mathematics in their baccalaureate program.
Recipients
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Patrick Daigle |
| 2023 | Andrew Barth Riley Smith |
| 2022 | Garrett Farrell Elizabeth Pacious |
| 2021 | Ian Nelson Kerry Silidker |
| 2020 | Casandra Abgrab |
| 2019 | Theresa Abela Matthew Menture |
| 2018 | Daniel J O'Hagan |
| 2017 | Ellen DiMartini Ethan Robinett |
| 2016 | Peter Gartland |
| 2015 | Alexander Russell |
| 2014 | Nicholas S. Shields |
| 2013 | Timothy McEvoy |
| 2012 | Stuart Nygard |
| 2007 | Amanda Shaw |
| 2006 | Joseph Herning |
| 2004 | Mark J. DeCelles |
| 1997 | Angela M. McKay |
| 1996 | Deborah A. Scharzwalder |
| 1995 | Maria L. Montello Daniel P. Wisniewski |
| 1994 | Daniel Liam Higgins |
| 1991 | Kazuhiro Iwasawa Raquel E. Maderazo |
| 1990 | Susan Elizabeth Lolz |
| 1988 | Theresa Marie Gallo |
| 1985 | James Hughes |
| 1983 | Ann M.Cisek |
| 1982 | Martin D. Schoch |
| 1980 | Dwight Barkley |
| 1975 | James S. Arzigian |
| 1974 | Richard M. Bates |
| 1973 | Vincent J. Cogliano |
| 1971 | Robert F. Merski |
| 1970 | Mary P. Bradley Mary Ann Milly |
| 1969 | Peter J. O'Rourke |
| 1968 | Ronald V. Giusti |
| 1967 | Susan Milly |
| 1966 | Neil Sharp C.F.X. |
| 1965 | Richard Frechette F.F.C. |
| 1964 | Bernardus Garvey C.F.X. |