Professor Emeritus of Communication Al Albrecht passes away

 

GOSHEN, Ind. – Goshen College Professor Emeritus of Communication Al Albrecht, 84, passed away on June 23 in the hospital after a lengthy illness. He taught at the college for 23 years, from 1964 to 1987.

Upon hearing the news, former Professor of Communication Stuart Showalter, who was a colleague of Albrecht, said, “Al Albrecht was one of the faculty founders of the Communication Department at Goshen College, helping to broaden its focus from speech and oratory to include the many modes of communication that we associate with the field today. He provided steady leadership for the department during a time of unprecedented enrollment growth and ferment in the field.

“Al’s kind manner and academic interests in debate, persuasion, oral interpretation, parliamentary procedure and politics encouraged many students to consider graduate programs and careers in law, ministry, education and business. Years later, his former students continue to serve church and society effectively in many different professional roles.”

Albrecht was a graduate of Goshen College in 1950, and then received a master’s degree at Purdue University in 1958 and a doctorate degree at Indiana University in 1965. In addition to teaching at Goshen, he prior taught for four years at Indiana University and three years at the University of Vermont.

In his role at Goshen as professor of communication, he directed forensics, chaired the department and was executive secretary for the Intercollegiate Peace Speech Association. He taught speech and parliamentary procedure in AFL-CIO leadership training institutes, United Steel Workers institutes and local unions. And he was a member of the National Speech Communications Association, the Central States Speech Association and the Indiana State Speech Association.

Current chair of the Goshen College Communication Department and Associate Professor of Communication Duane Stoltzfus had Albrecht as a professor while he was a student at the college between 1977 and 1981. “My earliest memory of Al places him in the old Assembly Hall at Goshen College, leaning ever so slightly on the lectern, presiding over a class of nervous students, many of whom probably wished they could have tested out of speech,” said Stoltzfus. “But we couldn’t, and we were lucky to have Al there as a smart, unflappable guide to public speaking. He was a master at instilling confidence, and giving students the tools they needed to finish the job.

“I wish that we would have had a chance to teach as colleagues, but when I arrived in Goshen in 2000, Al was retired. Still, he remained eager to contribute. In ways spoken and unspoken, then, his legacy lives on.”

Albrecht was the first president of Aux Chandelles (ADEC) in 1964. He was a former board member of Elcose Credit Union, Elkhart, and he co-founded the Pennsylvania Deitsch Society. He was a parliamentarian for many years for Mennonite General Assembly sessions.

J. Daniel Hess, professor emeritus of communication, expressed fond memories of his former colleague. “Al was feisty in guarding Robert’s Rules of Order, but a complete gentleman in personal relationships,” he said. “I always valued his support, integrity and good humor – even his Pennsylvania Dutch.”

Albrecht was born Jan. 22, 1924, in Middlebury, Ind., and on June 10, 1951, he married Miriam Sutter in Hopedale, Ill. They had two children Trish Yoder, of Goshen, and Jamie Albrecht, of Goshen, as well as four grandchildren. Albrecht was a member of College Mennonite Church in Goshen. And he enjoyed golf and gardening as hobbies.

Memorials may be given to the Mennonite Historical Library or a charity of the donor’s choice. Visit www.yoderculpfuneralhome.com to send online condolences.

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

 

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.