Alberto Godenzi, a member of the VIU Board of Directors, and Vice Provost for Global Engagement at Boston College died on October 20 after a short illness. He was 66.
A native of Switzerland, Dr. Godenzi pursued interests in comprehensive internationalization—leveraging the dynamic interplay between strategic global partnerships, internationalizing learning, faculty global engagement, and student mobility. His research focused on violence against women, and he was part of the Council of Europe’s Group of Specialists for Combating Violence Against Women.
Prior to becoming vice provost at Boston College, he served as dean of its School of Social Work, where he incorporated innovation and entrepreneurship into the curriculum, resulting in the creation of nationally recognized programs such as the Latinx Leadership Initiative, the Center for Social Innovation, the Immigrant Integration Lab, and the Global Practice Program, helping brand the school as a leader in pioneering responsiveness to emerging social issues. He also attracted the attention of leading academics with his interdisciplinary approach to social work education, which led to the hiring of top faculty at Boston College in fields such as sociology, neuroscience, epidemiology, and public health.
Godenzi was appointed as a member of the VIU Board of Directors in 2017. From his first visit, Prof. Godenzi demonstrated an immediate understanding and appreciation of the uniqueness of VIU and shared valuable insight into how VIU might grow and develop in the future. His considered contribution to the advancement of VIU will be missed.
Photo credit: Boston College
