Dave Logothetti loved to teach and he loved his students. Don't get me wrong, he was no push over or softy and he definitely knew his stuff. Though these qualities were important but for me Dave Logothetti the person transformed my learning.
Thanks to Dr. Logothetti 
I graduated from Santa Clara University with a bachelor's degree in marketing from the school of business.
This is the building that housed his office.
What did Logothetti teach? You might think he specialized in marketing or business, after all I credit him with my graduation with a B.S. in marketing. Not so. He taught Math!
I needed to take remedial math in college due to mishaps in secondary school in Holland. SCU required that I take Algebra and Logothetti taught it. He recognized in me the "different" person that I was and honored it. He made me feel understood, appreciated and capable. I think I got a B in Algebra. Then I took Calculus I from him and got another B. Next I needed to take Calc II to graduate. There was one problem: Logothetti never taught Calc II. I asked him how I was going to graduate if he did not teach this class. (I had tried another prof. and had to drop the class). He said, "take Trigonometry, it will meet the requirement and you can do it." If you teach it I will try. My grade in Trig was a C but I passed.
Dave and I became friends and had lunch about once a month. We exchanged Christmas cards--his were all hand drawn cartoons. Once he gave me a book he wrote. Sadly, in 1991 he died of cancer and I had not sees him the last few years of his life. I still greatly regret not making time to see him.
Dave would teach math using humor and his cartoons. For one concept he taught he drew a phlegmatic young pup on the black board. This was to illustrate a line, a slope up because he drew a "slow pup." I still remember and it's been 25 years.
Thanks Dave for believing in me!
More about Dr. Logothetti: Professor David Eugene Logothetti. Born 29th December 1934. Mathematician, Lecturer at Santa 
Clara University. Santa Clara established a teaching award in his honor as did the California Mathematics Council. Dave Logothetti was also a published author. One of the books he co-wrote is still being used to teach kids math.
I had a teacher in elementary school named Miss Raper. She was my teacher in 3rd grade, and then again in 6th grade. She was the "Dave" in my life.
I still talk with Miss Raper. And I still call her "Miss Raper." Any other name just seems "wrong." :)
Posted by: Tamara Dull | Thursday, May 17, 2007 at 05:59 AM