Giuseppe Faustini
Professor of Italian Emeritus Giuseppe Faustini, a distinguished scholar, mentor to faculty, and dedicated teacher who inspired in his students a deep appreciation of Italian literature and culture, died on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. He was 75.
Giuseppe, who joined Skidmore as an assistant professor in 1982 and retired earlier this year, published widely and taught about Renaissance and modern Italian literature and Italian cinema. He was promoted to professor in 1999.
鈥淭wice chair of the Department of World Languages and Literatures and director of the Self-Determined Major Program, Giuseppe demonstrated leadership and vision, enhancing the department鈥檚 stature and academic breadth,鈥� said Maria Lander, professor of Spanish and chair of the Department of World Languages and Literatures. 鈥淎 fervent advocate for Italian culture and literature, Giuseppe expanded the Italian program by founding the Italian minor and developing advanced courses and translations. His courses on Dante鈥檚 鈥楧ivine Comedy鈥� and Italian cinema became student favorites, reflecting his innovative approach to teaching, which emphasized visual learning and engagement with Italian language films.鈥�
A sample of the breadth and creativity of Giuseppe鈥檚 teaching and scholarship could be seen in the prestigious Edwin M. Moseley Faculty Research Lecture that he delivered in March: His presentation considered visual representations of Dante鈥檚 Inferno from the 14th century to today. When he lost his voice days before the lecture, Giuseppe used artificial intelligence to deliver it 鈥� a symbol of Giuseppe鈥檚 continuous innovation and ingenuity.
His engaging teaching earned him Skidmore's Ralph A. Ciancio Award for Excellence in Teaching. One of his students has described his classes as "more than just lessons in Italian; they were a journey into the culture, history, and soul of Italy itself.鈥�
Professor of French Emeritus John Anzalone noted Giuseppe鈥檚 central role in the remaking of the former Department of Foreign Languages when the College reinstated a language requirement in the 1980s and his role in the hiring and mentoring of numerous junior faculty members, including Anzalone.
鈥淏ut the true measure of the man has been in his constant loyalty and his warmth to his family first of all and to his many friends,鈥� Anzalone said.
Over the years, Giuseppe mentored more than 30 faculty members at Skidmore, sharing
his extensive knowledge and experience to foster their professional growth and development.
Born in Ripi, Italy, in 1949, Giuseppe earned his Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures
from Harvard University. His many honors included a Fulbright Distinguished Service
Award for Italy and Greece, a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Fellowship,
and participation in a National Endowment for the Humanities Dante Seminar at Dartmouth
College. He authored the acclaimed monographs 鈥淟uigi Pirandello, studi e ricerche鈥�
(2017) and 鈥淯n amore primaverile鈥� (2019) in addition to numerous scholarly articles
considering topics ranging from the poetry of Dante and Rinaldo D鈥橝quino to the films
of Vittorio De Sica and Giuseppe Tornatore.
Survivors include his wife, Mary; his daughter Franca Faustini (Angelo) Zuppa 鈥�00; his grandchildren Gioia, Stella, and Augustus; and his siblings Fernando (Pia) Faustini and Pasqualina (Domenico) Silvestri. His son, Gerren, died in 2019.
The Giuseppe Faustini Book Fund and Dante Prize Fund stand as a testament to his four decades of commitment to Skidmore students.