Amy Lee Persichetti, EdD

Chair and Associate Professor, Writing and Narrative Arts

When Amy Persichetti, Ed.D., came to Cabrini in 2001, she knew she was entering an environment in which she would thrive.  “Part of what I have enjoyed the most at Cabrini is the ability to design programs and courses to meet the ever-changing needs of our student body.  I have been given the freedom and the mentorship here at Cabrini to be a part of some fascinating and meaningful initiatives.”

Most recently, Persichetti created or revisited several courses to develop the current Writing program, including Experiential Poetry; Writing, Editing, and Publication; and The Creative Eye.  According to Persichetti, the arts demand that students slow down, reflect, and place a narrative to their very human experiences. However, she also sees the marketplace value of good writing. “I am a true believer in the Humanities’ ability to enrich lives.  I am also well aware that good writing skills are a critical part of being able to complete in the workplace.” Persichetti’s creative work appears in the Sonora Review. 

Persichetti has coordinated on-site poetry readings by Martín Espada and Nikki Giovanni, regular open mic nights for student writers, and serves as the faculty advisor for Cabrini’s nationally recognized literary magazine, Woodcrest.  At the time of this writing, Woodcrest has won three Gold and two Silver Crown Awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.  Persichetti has written about the unique curricular design of the problem-based course that produces this magazine in the Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning.  She has also served on the Executive Board of FUSE, the Forum for Undergraduate Student Editors, and remains active in fostering student participation in its annual conference.

Persichetti is deeply committed the social justice mission of the university. She says it is her fundamental job to motivate students to see themselves as agents of change, both in their own lives as well as in their community.  She is committed to domestic violence education, and has built a replicable Community-Based Research course to help students understand the issues behind domestic violence, conduct research for community partner Laurel House, and empower women and families to lead lives free of fear and abuse.  She currently serves on the Faculty Advisory Committee of the Barbara and John Jordan Center for Children of Trauma and Domestic Violence Education.

Persichetti earned a doctorate degree in Higher Education Academic Administration from Widener University, a master’s in education from the elite 180 Days Program at the University of Massachusetts, and a bachelor's from Penn State University, Main Campus. Her work has been published in the International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, and The Sonora Review.