Kacey Crain Receives Gustafson Math Award

• Students
• 07/10/2024

Rock Valley College's Mathematics Department is proud to announce Kacey Crain as the recipient of the prestigious 2024 R. David Gustafson Prize.

This esteemed award is given annually to a student with exceptional mathematical talent at RVC.

Named in honor of Mr. R. David Gustafson, the former chair of the Mathematics Department, the Gustafson Prize recognizes students who exhibit outstanding mathematical skills and a genuine appreciation for the power and beauty of mathematics. Having served as the department chair for 25 years, Mr. Gustafson played a pivotal role in nurturing and developing the mathematical capabilities of countless students.

Kacey has earned high grades in all of his math courses. In addition to maintaining high academic grades, he is involved in many extra-curricular activities. He has volunteered to assist with the Illinois Science Olympiad, been involved with the Chemistry Club, and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa. He has participated in all the AMATYC Math League math contests since the Fall of 2022, achieving the highest scores at RVC.

His professors feel he indeed carries the spirit of the Gustafson Award.

"Kacey is the embodiment of what these awards stand for and why we have them. Kacey has an infectious excitement about learning and pursuing educational goals."

The award, established upon Mr. Gustafson's retirement, has been an integral part of the college's tradition for over two decades. Each year, the Mathematics Department at RVC invites applications for the Gustafson Prize, seeking to celebrate and honor students who exemplify the ideals set forth in its establishment.

Kacey is grateful for this recognition and expressed his passion and excitement for math. "I like math for a multitude of reasons. It's beautiful, both in its results and in the elaborate lines of reasoning that lead to them, it's relaxing (indeed, I'll often save my math homework for when I'm feeling burnt out on other classes), it's fun to work through the problems, it's eminently useful for my chosen field, and it's the one subject that gives knowledge that is objectively, irrefutably, and universally true."

Kacey's name is engraved on the plaque that hangs on the wall by the math lab. He will also receive a personal plaque to take home and a check for $1,000.