RICHARD AND MARY ANNE FRANCISCO ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP IN ITALIAN STUDIES

James C. Kriesel, PhD

James C. Kriesel, PhD, is the Richard and Mary Anne Francisco Endowed Professor in Italian Studies. In addition to his appointment as Associate Professor of Italian, Dr. Kriesel is Director of the Italian Program and the Provost Fellow for Research. He is a scholar of the medieval and Renaissance periods, and focuses on the writings of Boccaccio, Dante, and Petrarch. His book, Boccaccio’s Corpus: Allegory, Ethics, and Vernacularity, appears in the William and Katherine Devers Series in Dante and Medieval Italian Literature by the University of Notre Dame Press (2019). He has also published articles and book chapters on topics such as the marvelous, gender and body, nature, and physical and spiritual healing.

Dr. Kriesel pursued advanced studies at the University of Notre Dame, where he received an MA in Italian, MMS in Medieval Studies, and his PhD in Medieval Studies. His research has been supported by a Fulbright Fellowship and an Edward Sorin Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Notre Dame.

About the Richard and Mary Anne Francisco Endowed Professorship in Italian Studies

The Richard and Mary Anne Francisco Endowed Professorship in Italian Studies in the Villanova University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is a distinguished academic position established in 2023 to promote excellence in the field of Italian Studies. This endowed professorship is named in honor of Villanova alumni Richard and Mary Anne Francisco, reflecting their commitment to the advancement of education and cultural understanding. The incumbent of this professorship is a leader in the field, contributing significantly to research, teaching and the enhancement of Italian Studies.