Past dean of college Balestri remembered

Former Assistant Dean of the College Diane Balestri, a pioneer in incorporating technology into teaching and learning, died of a brain tumor March 5 in Princeton Township. At only 58 she had mastered the art of fusing professional discipline with personal charisma.

"I regarded her as just a wonderful colleague, tough minded, warm-hearted, with very best interests," said Dean of the College Nancy Malkiel.

Having worked with Balestri for several years, Malkiel recalled both the attributes Balestri brought to her relationships and the brilliance she brought to her work.

After holding various positions at the University, Balestri moved to the department of Computing and Information Technology, now the Office of Information Technology, to pursue her career-long interest in using technology to improve higher education. A former English teacher, she blended the worlds of technology and the humanities, by initiating computer programming that would be accessible to all academic disciplines.

And all the while, she paid as much attention to the people she worked with as to the projects she propelled.

One of Balestri's former employees, Kirk Alexander, who now directs the Educational Technology Center remembered Balestri's assistance in helping him catapult his new career.

"She was very supportive," said Alexander. "She called me back up to Vassar [where she had assumed a job in 1997] to get her new people. We sort of helped each other out."

Leo Balestri '93, Diane's son, remembered the classic way his mother balanced an involved professional life with her life at home. Managing students at the University and her family — including her other son, Carlo '96, and husband, Charles '63 — was challenging, he said.

"She was the kind of person who made her career in technology, but would spend an entire winter knitting my brother a quilt," said Leo. "It was amazing how she balanced the two."

A Boston native, Balestri graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Wellesley College in 1965 and earned her Ph. D. in literature from Yale in 1970. She taught English part-time for several years while also serving as associate and assistant dean at Bryn Mawr College.

Balestri moved to the University in 1985 to assume the responsibilities of Assistant Dean of the College.

Over the years Diane published numerous articles on information technology and presented at conferences on both computing and writing. From 1999 to 2000, she chaired the National Conference Program for EDUCAUSE, a conference on computing in higher education.

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Last year, Brown University offered Balestri the vice presidency of computing technology, which she had to turn down because of her illness.

Between her professional and family life, she also found time to garden extensively, quilt and travel. Last year, the Balestris took a long-awaited trip to Italy, which Leo said they all enjoyed.

"Her loss is a great loss not just for those who knew her but for those who haven't had a chance to know her," said Associate Dean of the College Nancy Kanach.

The funeral service for Diane Balestri will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at the University Chapel. Memorial contributions can be made to the Brain Tumor Society, 124 Watertown Street, Suite 3-H, Watertown, MA 02472.