McAnulty College mourns loss of Dean Labriola
On Wednesday, March 11, Dr. Albert Labriola, the acting dean of the McAnulty Liberal College passed away.
For anyone that had the opportunity to study under Dr. Labriola or even know him in passing realizes the profound loss that Duquesne University has suffered. Dr. Labriola was a renowned scholar, successful teacher, and skilled administrator. The loss is felt in the College, throughout the University, and in the larger academic community where he was deeply respected and admired.
The thoughts and prayer of the College are with Dr. Labriola’s friends and family.
Check back to the blog regularly as all incoming information will be posted.
The University’s official press release is below:
Duquesne Mourns the Loss of Dr. Albert C. Labriola, Interim Dean of Liberal Arts
March 12, 2009
Dr. Albert C. Labriola, acting dean of the McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts, died on Wednesday, March 11. He was 69.
“Al was one of Duquesne’s leading teachers and an internationally recognized scholar. We are indebted to him for his leadership in the College and his dedication to our students,” said Dr. Charles Dougherty, Duquesne University president. “Our prayers are with his wife Regina and his family, as well as his many friends in the College, University, and throughout academia.”
Labriola, who was a Distinguished University Professor and professor of English, first began teaching in Duquesne’s Department of English in 1970. He was an international expert on British Poet John Milton, and specialized in Shakespeare, the 17th-century English metaphysical poets, the interrelation of literature and film, and of literature and theology.
The author and editor numerous scholarly books and articles, Labriola’s most recent works included contributions to the Oxford Handbook of Donne Studies, Studies of 17th Century Literature and Oxford Reception History of the Bible.
He earned four Presidential Excellence Awards and a Creative Teaching Award at Duquesne. Labriola was editor of Milton Studies and was an Honored Scholar of the Milton Society of America, for which he had served as secretary since 1974. In addition, he was general editor of Medieval & Renaissance Literary Studies and general editor of A Variorum Commentary on the Poems of John Milton.
Labriola was a past president of the Western Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of English and directed the English Festival at Duquesne University. He received several fellowships, including nearly 10 National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar for School Teachers grants.
An alum of Duquesne University, Labriola earned his B.Ed. in English and education in 1961. He also held an M.A. in the teaching of English from Columbia University, and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in English from the University of Virginia.