Pagni's Apple
Math Professor Receives Award for Educational Leadership
October 24, 2006
By Mimi Ko Cruz
David L. Pagni’s contributions to mathematics education over the
last few decades have earned him an Apple of Gold Award for Educational
Leadership from the Orange County Hispanic Education Endowment Fund (HEEF).
HEEF officials
lauded Pagni’s work for “closing the gap for disadvantaged students,
improving student academic performance and training teachers.”
Pagni, professor
of mathematics, created Cal State Fullerton’s Project MISS — a program
geared toward enhancing the math skills of 10th- and 11th-grade girls from Orange
County and surrounding communities. Since its inception in 1990, 98 percent of
Project MISS participants have completed high school and enrolled in college.
The program encourages participants to pursue careers with a foundation in mathematics
by providing an intensive skills-building summer course.
Pagni also
directs the university’s Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Program, which
works with local high schools to help math teachers identify students’ strengths
and weaknesses so that educators can readjust their teaching to meet student
needs. In addition, he co-directs the Orange County Mathematics Project, a program
dedicated to enhancing the algebra skills of those teaching fifth through ninth
grades in local school districts.
He has helmed
scores of other similar projects and garnered more than $20 million in grants
for enhancing teacher training and student learning, as well as changing the
way math is taught in elementary schools in the Santa Ana Unified School District.
Many of Pagni’s projects support students who are underrepresented in higher
education. He created a scholarship to support and mentor students from Santa
Ana high schools who have enrolled at Cal State Fullerton as math majors. Scholarship
recipients are mentored, and if they successfully complete their coursework,
continue to receive the scholarship annually through completion of their degrees.
A couple of
Pagni’s many honors include the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science,
Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring from the National Science Foundation; the
Outstanding Professor Award from Cal State Fullerton and the Cal State University
system; and the CSU Wang Family Excellence Award.
Pagni “is
very passionate about mathematics and wants everyone to share in that passion,” said
Silas H. Abrego, associate vice president for student affairs. “For years,
he has worked with parents, teachers and students to improve math instruction
in order to get more students to go on to college.”
In his award
nomination letter to HEEF, President Milton A Gordon wrote: “We are very
proud of Professor Pagni’s accomplishments, his impact on improvement of
learning and teaching mathematics in our elementary and secondary schools and
the local, regional and national recognition that his efforts have brought to
Cal State Fullerton and to the CSU system at large.”
Pagni truly
deserves the HEEF award, said Marjorie DeMartino, HEEF’s award committee
chair. “His influence and achievements in mathematics at the local, state
and national level are a testament to his scholarly and creative activity throughout
his distinguished career,” she said.
DeMartino
said the 13th annual Apple of Gold Awards are given to those educators who help
Latino students prepare for and succeed in college.
“I’m
very excited to be honored for my work in promoting Hispanic and minority students
at the K-16 level in mathematics education,” Pagni said. “Basically,
Latinos are underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics
disciplines nationally, as has been documented by many different reports. In
our modern technological society, these fields are important not just for careers,
but for a country that needs an educated citizenry and a diverse population of
students graduating from college. Many Latinos begin as laborers, but they want
their children to go to and graduate from college. In order to help the parents
and students achieve this dream, we must continue to strive to improve educational
opportunities for Latinos.”
Pagni received
his award Oct. 20 at a reception at the Hilton Anaheim Hotel. Other Apple of
Gold Award recipients honored were Arnold O. Beckman High School teacher Janet
Gonzalez, for Most Promising Young Teacher; Segerstrom High School teacher Lorraine
Gerard and Century High School teacher Laura Rubio, for Excellence in K-12 Teaching.
HEEF was established
in 1996 to support scholarships, programs and institutions that respond to the
needs of Latino youth in order to inspire, enhance and improve educational opportunities.
The organization has awarded $850,000 in scholarships to more than 700 college
students in the last decade.
Produced by the Office of Public Affairs at California State University, Fullerton.