Gustafson-Prize-Honors-Mathematical-Excellence.php

Gustafson Prize Honors Mathematical Excellence

• Students
• 05/12/2026

David Bertolasi has excelled in all of his math courses at Rock Valley College while balancing involvement with RVC Men’s Golf Team, RVC Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and volunteering for his church’s A/V crew.

 

Dr. Paul Gunsul, Professor of Mathematics at Rock Valley College, said David’s commitment to learning and community impact made him a strong choice for this year’s award. "David embodies what the Gustafson Prize is all about.  He showed a dedication to learning mathematics in the classroom and has found ways to use mathematics outside of the classroom to solve real-world problems and to inform himself and others of patterns and needs in the community."

As this year’s recipient of the Gustafson Prize in Mathematics, David plans to transfer from RVC to UW Eau Claire this upcoming fall. He will be studying and majoring in Geospatial Analysis and Technology, which is a field that often uses statistics to reveal the geographic patterns behind real-world problems.

“[My class was] able to show [using statistics and analysis] that there are certain areas of Rockford that have more poverty than others,” he continued. “These findings can be used to advocate for the reorganization of public transportation networks, further access to sanitary drinking water, or other causes benefitting economically disadvantaged people.

“One of my favorite aspects of math is that it can be used to reveal patterns that are not otherwise obvious,” he said. “I have used what I learned about statistics and golf strategy in RVC golf tournaments to make decisions. In total, math is fascinating to me because it can be used to solve a diverse range of problems that go from solving world hunger to getting better at golf.”

The Gustafson Prize in Mathematics was established in honor of R. David Gustafson who served as chair of the Division of Humanities and Mathematics at Rock Valley College for 25 years. As both a teacher and an administrator, he helped students to develop their mathematical skills and to appreciate the power and beauty of mathematics.

Upon his retirement, the mathematics department at Rock Valley College established this prize, funded by Mr. Gustafson at $1,000.00. The prize is not designed specifically for a student intending to major in mathematics, but is meant to honor a student who has displayed exceptional mathematical talent at Rock Valley College.

As part of the honor, David’s name will be engraved on the plaque displayed near the Math Lab. He will also receive a personal plaque and a $1,000 award.