Utah PhD Student Teaches 40-Hour Math Class for World Record

Emmanuel Onyegu had two big dreams when he arrived in Utah from Nigeria: earn his doctorate in math education and break a world record doing what he loves most.

Last November, the 28-year-old Utah State University student combined both dreams into one marathon teaching session. He stood at the front of a classroom for more than 40 hours straight, working through every level of mathematics from basic addition to advanced calculus.

The current record belongs to fellow Nigerian Sanusi Kazeem, who taught for 31 hours, 42 minutes, and 54 seconds in April 2025. Onyegu didn't want to just edge past that number. He wanted to smash it with a full 48-hour attempt.

"It has always been my dream to break a Guinness World Record," Onyegu said. "And I grew up loving mathematics, so I just thought, 'This could be my record.'"

Breaking an official Guinness World Record requires serious preparation. Onyegu applied in spring 2025 and waited months for approval. The organization sent him strict guidelines and a long list of evidence requirements, including multiple official timekeepers, witnesses with log books, and continuous video documentation.

About 30 students showed up in person to the Logan campus classroom, with more joining via livestream. Many wore pajamas and brought blankets for the long haul. Cases of Monster and Red Bull lined the walls, and granola bar wrappers quickly filled the trash cans.

Onyegu taught sequentially, building from the foundations of mathematics through increasingly complex concepts. He covered geometry in the middle stretches and pushed through coefficients and calculus in the final hours. Nobody fell asleep, he proudly notes.

The journey to this moment started more than 7,000 miles away in Nigeria, where Onyegu earned his master's in applied mathematics and taught for six years. He wanted to dig deeper into how people actually learn math, not just the formulas themselves.

Utah State's School of Teacher Education and Leadership kept appearing in his online searches as one of the top research programs in the country. The school's community of 25 Nigerian students, complete with their own association, helped seal the deal.

Why This Inspires

Onyegu's attempt represents something bigger than a quirky record. He's using his platform to celebrate mathematics and show that learning can be an endurance sport worth cheering for.

His students stayed engaged through the entire session, taking notes and asking questions even as the hours stretched past midnight and into the next day. The classroom became a testament to the infectious enthusiasm of a teacher who genuinely loves his subject.

Now Onyegu waits for Guinness World Records to review his mountain of evidence and verify whether he's officially the new champion.

One man's dream, 40 hours of math, and proof that passion can turn even the longest equation into something extraordinary.