Jacquelyn White

Jacquelyn White, EdD, is a professor of mathematics and Director of the Honors Program at Saint Leo University, Florida. Dr. White is known for her dedicated teaching, providing student-centered education, and implementation of innovative teaching techniques. At FL MAA meetings, she can be often found surrounded by students who give presentations, participate in student competitions, and attend talks. For her distinguished teaching, Dr. White was awarded the FL MAA Section Teaching Award for 2007.

Jacci White has been a driving force in the Florida Section of the MAA for the past two decades. As a long-time officer of the Section, she served twice as the section’s vice-president for programs in 2002–2003 and 2012–2013; as vice-president for site selection in 2010-2011; as president in 2006–2007; and as the section’s governor in 2013–2016. She was elected by the executive committee of the FL MAA multiple times to serve on the section’s nominating and awards committees. Along with her St. Leo’s colleagues, Professor White hosted the 2016 FL MAA annual meeting. In addition, she is one of main coordinators of the Suncoast Region of the FL MAA, organizing numerous annual Suncoast MAA meetings. For her distinguished service to the Florida Section and the mathematics profession, Dr. White received the 2015 Florida Section Distinguished Service Award.

With great honor and enormous gratitude, the Florida Section of the MAA nominates Professor Jacci White for the 2022 Meritorious Service Award.

Response

What a surprise and honor from my friends in the Florida Section, to be nominated for the meritorious service award. There is nothing I would call “service” in the Florida section, only an opportunity to create fun times with friends. I appreciate and am humbled by the opportunities I have had to learn from so many great mathematicians. The MAA gave me the opportunity to learn from and share ideas with seasoned faculty throughout the state while I was getting started in my career. Now I have the opportunity to visit with old friends I have made along the way. I have attended wonderful workshops that made me a better teacher, and I have had the chance to share and refine my own ideas through presentations and papers. I was able to take on leadership positions in an orderly fashion so that I was always ready when I got to the next step. I am grateful to those who paved the way, making it easy for us to follow in your footsteps. I hope I have created a few worthwhile footsteps of my own over the years. Thank you to everyone I have worked with, for making this honor possible, but more so for making the Florida Section so vibrant and inviting to old and new mathematicians alike. I am blessed to be a part of the Florida Section of the MAA!

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Jacci White, is a professor of mathematics in the School of Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Data Science at Saint Leo University, where she has taught for 24 years. She received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Rollins College, a master’s degree in applied mathematics from University of California in Santa Barbara, and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction for higher education from the University of Central Florida. Her educational interests include mathematics education, classroom technology, and sports analytics. She has written several books that are used as classroom aids for student discussion, projects, and other activities. Dr. White is active in professional organizations where she has been honored with the MAA—FL award for Excellence in Teaching, the Florida Association of Women in Education Service Award, and the Saint Leo University awards for Researcher of the Year in Arts and Sciences and the University Faculty Service Award.

Jacci lives with her husband in St. Petersburg, FL where they raised their three children. Her oldest daughter is completing an MS in genetics at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, her middle daughter is a math major who plays on the Florida State University beach volleyball team, and her son is a junior in high school.