originally published in the Observer Magazine, March 2002 Volume 28, Number 3

Ralph M. Aloisi

Ralph M. Aloisi, professor of biology and health sciences and former associate dean, died at Yale-New Haven Hospital on Nov. 25. He was 56. He had been admitted to the hospital earlier that week to undergo a procedure related to his long-term health problems.

During his 23 years at the University, Aloisi had a profound impact on thousands of students and colleagues while leaving his imprint on many programs and curricula. His work and vision played a key role in the development of the All-University Curriculum (AUC) and in the creation of the University's successful Health Professions programs.

Aloisi's background in medical technology and immunology, combined with his belief in the importance of teaching students about critical issues in health care, led him to develop an AUC course called Epidemics and AIDS, which is believed to have been the first interdisciplinary undergraduate course on AIDS in the country. Similar courses are now offered at more than 40 colleges and universities, largely because of Aloisi's work. Known for his extraordinary dedication to students, he was also an outstanding mentor to other faculty members in the Division of Health Professions.

He was the recipient of the Roy E. Larsen Excellence in Teaching and Donald W. Davis All-University Curriculum Awards.

He leaves his wife, Carol '82; son, Kevin '98; daughter, Jennifer Colebourn '94, and son-in-law, Christopher Colebourn '94; his sister, Joanne Aloisi; two brothers, Joseph and Anthony, and sister-in-law Patricia '95 (wife of Anthony); one grandson; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Ralph M. Aloisi Health Professions Award in care of the University's Development Office.

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Many members of our University community continue to grieve the death of Ralph Aloisi. He affected the lives of so many students and colleagues. His impact on the University and the larger community it serves needs to be remembered and honored. Let me try here.

Few people have fundamentally changed the University as Ralph did. He arrived in 1977, and for that first year, he was the health professions at the University. Within a decade, HP grew large enough to change the name of a college and become a division. At its peak in the 1990s, with Ralph as its leader, from a single program in medical technology, Health Professions grew to seven degree programs, more than 30 faculty members, and almost 400 majors. He managed, despite scarce internal resources, to secure equipment donations regularly from companies and to establish community partnerships with a myriad of health providers and with a half-dozen doctoral-level professional health schools. Ralph Aloisi and the rise of Health Professions are an important part of the history of the University.

What made Ralph effective and special was not simply that he knew his field, published extensively, was an excellent teacher (he received the Roy E. Larsen Award for Excellence in Teaching at Commencement last year), but that he had both vision and the wherewithal to accomplish it. Ralph was that very rare individual-a true leader. He leaves an almost impossible void to fill.

We became friends in the mid-1980s when he played a major role in the creation of our nationally recognized All-University Curriculum. He created, moreover, a course for the AUC that is regarded around the country and beyond as the first liberal arts course to address the AIDs epidemic. When I travel to higher education conferences, often I will be stopped by someone who has noticed where I work to talk about Ralph and his course.

Over the last 20 years, when I needed a fresh perspective or a good idea to improve some part of our activity, I called Ralph. He never failed to be innovative, he never failed to help me, and he never failed the University.

I have needed to call extension 4108 a number of times since Nov. 25, but he is no longer at the other end of the line.

For most of his life, he carried the pain and difficulty of his health problems quietly and courageously…and with Carol's help. He defied all medical predictions and, along the way, accomplished so much. We need to remember and honor him, not only for him and for his family but also for ourselves.

Guy Charles ("Chuck") Colarulli is associate provost and dean of undergraduate studies.