Instead he became an associate professor of pure mathematics at Northwestern University in 1892 being promoted to full professor there two years later. Parshall writes:
Sa halip siya ay naging isang associate professor ng purong matematika at mula sa hilagang-kanluran University sa 1892 itinataguyod sa buong propesor doon ng dalawang taon mamaya. Parshall magsusulat: