News

The Teacher/Scholar of the Year award is one of UF’s oldest and most prestigious awards, having recognized one excellent UF faculty member each year since the 1960’s. This year, Professor of Classics Victoria Pagán earned the award, marking CLAS’s first win in almost a decade.

This award honors faculty who go above and beyond for their research, academics, and students. Recipients are considered top professionals in their field, recognized nationally and internationally for their scholarship and creative work. In Pagán was named CLAS’s International Educator of the Year. She is considered one of the foremost experts on classical Greek and Roman literature and culture, publishing the first in-depth encyclopedia on the Roman historian Tacitus in 2023. 

Pagán was informed of her nomination in December, but the news still came as a shock to her. “I saw the red flashing light on the ancient landline telephone in my office in Dauer Hall and I was sure it was a robo-call or a wrong number,” she explained, “but then I heard (interim UF President Kent) Fuch’s voice, and even then, I thought it was a mistake. As I listened, I got a little teary, thinking about how much I love my job and all the teachers, students, family and friends who have supported me along the way.”

Pagán sees this award as a win not just for herself or the Department of Classics, but for UF humanities as a whole. “By recognizing the work of the humanities in times when public opinion tends to spotlight STEM fields, the University of Florida is affirming its commitment to a truly comprehensive education that prepares our students not just to make a living, but to live meaningful lives,” she said.

She said she is proud to join the ranks of other award-winning humanities professors including Professor Emeritus of English Sidney Homan and Distinguished Professor of Religion Vasudha Narayanan, who she credits for setting the bar high during her nomination process. 

With this award under her belt, Pagán plans to continue doing her part to promote the humanities and instill excellence in her students. “Marathoners know that it’s about the process, not the finish line. So, in the words of the great Des Linden, ‘right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot — repeat.’”