Today Dr. William Allegrezza, BA ‘96, is associate executive vice chancellor of academic affairs at Indiana University (IU) Northwest and a prolific author. Many years ago, he was a high school student attracted to UD by the long list of classical writers featured in the Core. With a PhD in Comparative Literature, reading and writing was the start of William’s story, but the throughline, he says, is helping other people to thrive.
By Caitlin Bootsma, BA ’06
UD Culture
“UD helped give me a cultural grounding in life that is still foundational to this day for me,” William reflects.
The Core, he says, was critical, as was the impact of professors such as Drs. Curtsinger, Cowan and Crider. The Rome semester is part of what drew him to UD in the first place, and it became an important part of his college years. As an English major, he particularly mentioned the Junior Poet which “was important in directing my future in graduate school.”
Perhaps like many alumni remembering their college years, William has a collage of memories about his time at UD:
I remember sitting with friends and watching a lightning storm move through Irving below us. I remember Professor Curtsinger going on three hour rants about Henry James and being amazed. I remember Professor Louise Cowan inviting a small group of us to her home for a reading group on Southern writers. I remember a giant water balloon fight between dorms. I remember touring Rome with the late architect Christian Norberg-Schultz and seeing architecture in a way I had never seen it before.
“UD was really a place that I could grow”, he reminisced “and I value those years.”
Literature out in the world
After graduating from UD, William received a master’s in English and a PhD in Comparative Literature from LSU. After teaching part-time at some local universities in Chicago while finishing his PhD, he started full-time at a branch of Indiana University.
William worked up to a distinguished full professor position and serves today as the associate executive vice chancellor of academic affairs. William not only teaches literature, but also has written 18 books! Most are poetry, but that number also includes two critical works, one anthology, two books of translation and one novella.
William has not only written many books, he’s always guided other writers through an online literary magazine he started in graduate school and edited for many years. He also co-founded two book presses. For five years he also hosted a literary reading series and hosted writers who were coming through the area. “Basically, I have had a rather straight line as a college teacher but a very unconventional life as a writer at the same time. The throughline is helping people. I’ve done that as a teacher, and I’ve supported writers,” William comments.
30 years later
Thirty years after graduating, William proudly calls being a dad to two daughters his most important role, especially valuing traveling with them as they grew up. In his administrator job at IU, he strives to support the faculty and, therefore, education. He continues to write, with two books currently in process.
William considers music his hobby and has been playing with cover bands for the past few years. He’s currently a bass player for a U2 tribute band that plays around the Midwest!
When asked what wisdom he has to share with today’s UD students, he emphasizes the
Core, saying, “In the long run, I remember UD’s core curriculum more than many of
my major classes. That grounding has carried me through much of my life, and I’m glad
I took it seriously. “
