Rose D Danella

Rose DeCarlo Danella died on 13 December 2023 in Colfax, NC. She is survived by daughters Carla Ruth Danella and Ann Charles Danella, grandchildren Delmar and Giovanni, sister Barbara (DeCarlo) Ferro, many beloved nieces and nephews, stepdaughter Kristin Elizabeth White and stepson Francis Patrick White. Her marriage to the artist Guy A Danella ended in divorce.

Rose was a full professor and department head at Mohawk Valley Community College, teaching courses in World Civilization, Modern European History, American Studies, Government, among many others. She also developed an interdisciplinary humanities course, a team-taught American studies programme, a “culture clinic” designed to expose technical career students to the liberal arts. She served for many years on the MVCC General Education Committee.

She designed and moderated a nationally-distributed eight-part video production for the State University of New York on the relationship between technology and the humanities, and coordinated the MVCC International Studies curriculum, including study-abroad options.

Rose also directed the Mohawk Valley Police Academy and provided seminars for area law enforcement officers, using national experts. In recognition for this work, the New York State Federation of Police presented her with its President’s Award in 1989.

She was an elected delegate to the MVCC College Senate and served on many of its committees. She was also the elected MVCC representative to the New York State Faculty Council of Community Colleges from 1977 to 1981 and its President from 1981 to 1983. In 1990 she was elected Northeast Representative to the National Council of College Administrators.

As a National Endowment for the Arts Scholar, she conducted post-doctoral studies at Columbia and Princeton Universities in race relations and ethnic studies.

She was honored as “Woman of the Year” in 1974 by the Business and Professional Women’s Club of Utica. She received the “Women of Merit: Justice Award” in 1990, and the Federation of Italian-American Societies’ “Outstanding Italian-American Woman Award” in 1990. She was inducted into the MVCC Hall of Fame for her service to the College community in 2004.

Following her retirement from MVCC, after 23 years of service, she was appointed Professor Emerita. She then began a second career as a clinical research studies specialist in the Viral Epidemiology Branch of the National Cancer Institute. In 1995, she moved to the University of Maryland School of Medicine as part of the team led by Dr Robert C Gallo, discoverer of the AIDS virus. As an assistant research professor, she facilitated cancer and AIDS research projects, became an expert in informed consent, and was managing editor of the scientific publication, Journal of Human Virology.

From 1997 to 2001, she was the principal investigator for two World AIDS Foundation grants involving HIV/AIDS intervention research in the Caribbean.

She presented the 11th Annual Charles and Elizabeth Hallenback Riley Lecture in Women’s Studies at Alfred University in 2006, a talk, titled “Scientific Discovery: People, Politics, and Pressures,” which focused on the role her liberal arts education played in preparing for careers in higher education and, ultimately, epidemiological research.

Rose received her cum laude BA in history and political science from Alfred University, and later MA and PhD degrees from Syracuse University.

Rose retired, with her husband Lt Colonel Joseph (Joe) W White II, to North Carolina in 2000.

She will be interred with Joe at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the Parkinson’s Foundation.