Bowling Green State University professor wins Distinguished Teacher Award

Dr. Patrick Pauken (center) celebrates receiving the Distinguished Teacher Award
with presenter Paul Rouda (left) of the Maumee Valley Mensa Local Group
and Angela Miller, who nominated Pauken.

“Who is this guy?” was the first thing Mensa member Angela Miller thought upon entering Professor Patrick Pauken’s Law, Ethics and Negotiations class at Bowling Green State University. Little did she know that five years later, Dr. Pauken would receive the Mensa Education & Research Foundation’s Distinguished Teacher Award for 2007 based on the strength of her nominating essay. The award was officially presented on Dec. 3.

Dr. Patrick Pauken is an associate professor in the School of Leadership and Policy Studies at BGSU, where he serves as graduate program coordinator of the doctoral program in Leadership Studies. Dr. Pauken’s primary teaching responsibilities include school law, special education law, and moral and ethical leadership. He has been on the faculty at BGSU for 10 years.

In her nominating essay, Angela Miller wrote, “Over the course of the semester, Dr. Pauken challenged me more than any other educator and helped fuel my passion for knowledge, reinvigorate my interest in law, and strengthen my intellectual confidence… Not only was his intellect unparalleled, so were his expectations. I gave what I thought was my best, and he would demand more. Because of his persistence, I produced work of a quality I didn’t realize I possessed. The end of the semester came, but it was only the beginning of his tremendous influence.”

The Distinguished Teacher Award recognizes a teacher, professor or instructor at any educational level who has had an especially positive influence on the education or life of a Mensa member. The educator can impact the Mensa member directly or as a result of their influence on the education of a dependent. Dr. Pauken was presented with a cash donation from the Mensa Foundation, and BGSU received a commemorative plaque.