[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 16539-16540]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    CONGRATULATING PROFESSOR TODD PAGANO OF THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL 
    INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF ON BEING NAMED U.S. PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 5, 2012

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, it is my esteemed honor to congratulate 
Dr. Todd Pagano, an associate professor and director of the Laboratory 
Science Technology program at Rochester Institute of Technology's (RIT) 
National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), for being named the 
2012 U.S. Professor of the Year by the Council for Advancement and 
Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of 
Teaching. The U.S. Professors of the Year Awards Program, created in 
1981, is the only national initiative specifically designed to 
recognize excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring. Todd was 
selected from more than 300 applicants for this award. He is the first 
RIT faculty member to receive this award.
  The world's first technological college for deaf students, NTID 
provides a world-class college education leading to jobs and career 
advancement for deaf and hard-of hearing students from all 50 states. 
Though not deaf or hard-of hearing, Professor Pagano's conviction to 
learn American Sign Language (ASL) in record time after receiving his 
Doctorate in Chemistry from Tufts University was already a feat in 
itself. His ability to effectively communicate with and inspire his 
students--who have a near 100 percent employment rate after 
graduation--is unparalleled.
  While serving as Director of the Laboratory Science Technology 
Program and teaching a full-time class load, Professor Pagano has made 
it his personal mission to provide mentorship and opportunities for 
deaf and hard-of-hearing students to excel in the study of chemistry. 
He has championed the advancement of deaf and hard-of-hearing students 
attending NTID and witnessed the betterment and employment of countless 
students. As Dr. Pagano has said, ``Knowing my students have acquired 
knowledge that can make a difference in their lives by helping them 
obtain a job is truly rewarding.''
  I am so proud of Professor Pagano and NTID and am grateful to have 
had the privilege to congratulate Todd and his wife--also an educator 
at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)--personally for this 
prestigious recognition when they came to Washington, DC last month to 
accept the award.
  Today, on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, I 
congratulate Professor Todd Pagano of the Rochester Institute of 
Technology's National Technical Institute for winning the highly 
celebrated 2012 U.S. Professor of the Year Award. I ask my colleagues 
to join me in celebration of this momentous honor.

[[Page 16540]]



                          ____________________