Dr. Angelo Volpe

Dr. Angelo Volpe

Cookeville – Dr. Angelo Anthony Volpe, age 83 of Cookeville, and former President of Tennessee Technological University, died Sunday evening May 8, 2022 at his home.

He was born November 8, 1938 in Brooklyn, NY to the late Bernardo Volpe and Serafina Martorana Volpe. He graduated from New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn in 1955 at the age of 16. He received a BS degree in Chemistry from Brooklyn College in 1959 at the age of 20, a Masters degree in organic Chemistry from the University of Maryland in 1962 and a PhD degree in organic and polymer chemistry from the University of Maryland in 1966.

From 1961 to 1966 he was a civilian research chemist at the US Naval Ordnance Laboratory in Silver Springs, MD. From 1966 - 1977 he was an Assistant, Associate, Full Professor of Chemistry and Acting Head of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ. In 1977, he was appointed Professor and Chairman of the Chemistry department of East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. In 1980, he was appointed Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at East Carolina University and in 1983 he was appointed Vice President for Academic Affairs at ECU. In 1987, he was named the seventh president of Tennessee Technological University. He served as President of TTU from 1987 to 2000 and upon his retirement in 2000 he was named President Emeritus of TTU.

He is survived by Dr. Jennette Elizabeth Murray Volpe, his wife of 57 years (whom he married May 15, 1965 in College Park, MD); his sister and brother-in-law, Catherine and Donald Turilli of Staten Island, NY; his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Joan and Dr. Ernest Dewald of Clarksville, TN; two nieces, Lisa DiLorento and Karen Todaro of Staten Island and three great nieces, all of Staten Island.

At the time of his retirement, Dr. Volpe's tenure as President of Tennessee Tech University was longer than that of any other serving public university president in Tennessee. During his tenure, the university completed its first major capital campaign and raised over 23 million dollars, including one of the largest one-time gifts in the university's history. The university's endowment grew from one million to over 30 million dollars. The athletic and academic programs drew state-wide and regional acclaim. Dr. Volpe saw the construction of the university fitness center, the Hyder Burks Agricultural Pavilion and the University Library, now named after him and his wife, Jeannette. He also successfully fought for funding to keep the Joe L. Evins Appalachian Center for Crafts open to continue its educational and cultural mission. Under his leadership, the university created two chairs of excellence and, perhaps most importantly, established the Women's Center, the Commission on the status of women, the Leona Lusk Officer Black Cultural Center and the Commission on the Status of Blacks. The legacy of the Volpes continues in the architectural consistency of the campus, the university community relations fostered by he and his wife and the endowment of several prestigious scholarships.

Dr. Vople served on the Boards of First Tennessee Bank, Tusculum University in Greenville, TN, the Bryan Symphony Orchestra at TTU, the TTU College of Business Foundation, Cookeville CityScape, Crime Stopper of Cookeville, the Upper Cumberland Broadcast Council (WCTE-TV), Leadership Putnam, Dismas House, the Patient Family Advisory Council of Cookeville Regional Medical Center and the Advisory Board of the Tennessee higher Education Commission.

He was a member of the Rotary Club of Cookeville, a member of the Cookeville Chapter of the New York Yankees Fan Club, and a member of the Cookeville City Planning Commission. He served as Acting President of the Tusculum College in 2007, President of the Tennessee College Association in 1993-1994 and President of the Ohio Valley Conference in 1990-1991 and 1999-2000.

His membership in professional associations included the American Chemical Society, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the Tennessee College Association, the Tennessee Academy of Science, Sigma Xi, Phi Kappa Phi, Alpha Chi Sigma and the American Association of University Professors.

Among his awards are an Honorary Masters of Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1975, Honorary Alumnus of Tennessee Technological University in 1989, Honorary Doctor of Science from Tusculum College in 2008, Induction into the Ohio Valley Conference Hall of Fame in 2002, Induction into the Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2003, Induction in the Baseball Stadium Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY for having attended baseball games at all 30 major league ballparks, 2009 and recipient of a Brooklyn College Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday May 13 at 12 noon at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church with Father Aby Thannickal officiating. Interment will follow in Cookeville City Cemetery.

His family will receive friends Thursday from 4 - 7 p.m. at the Angelo and Jennette Volpe Library on the campus of Tennessee Tech University, and Friday from 10 a.m. until service time at the church.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of Rotary Club of Cookeville and the NY Yankee breakfast club, Terry Rector, and Sonny Allen.

Active Pallbearers will be friends

Memorial contributions may be made to the Angelo and Jennette Volpe Scholarship Fund, or the Angelo and Jennette Volpe Library Fund both in Care of TTU Foundation P.O. Box 1915 Cookeville, TN 38505, or the Bryan Symphony Orchestra, 123 W. Broad Street, Suite 4 Cookeville, TN 38501

Hooper-Huddleston and Horner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. (931)526-6111 Share your thoughts and condolences at www.hhhfunerals.com.