Adalberto Pinelo

After 38 years at Northern Kentucky University, including 11 years as the chair of the Political Science Department, Dr. Adalberto Pinelo retired in May 2009.

In recognition for his service, Dr. Pinelo became the first Latino named Professor Emeritus at NKU. He still plans on teaching an occasional course and keeping in touch with many of his students, but he’s also looking forward to having free time to devote to his writing.

Dr. Pinelo, who specializes in comparative politics and political theory courses, said his teaching career has, "defined who I am and provided me with a sense of purpose."

An exile from the Republic of Cuba, Dr. Pinelo offered his students an expert insight on a global perspective. He said his battles against discrimination early on in his career has given him the strength for "speaking truth to power."

Dr. Pinelo was born March 5, 1944 in the Republic of Cuba. After coming to the United States, he received his Bachelor’s degree at Lake Forest College in Illinois. He obtained his Masters degree and PhD from the University of Massachusetts, where he also began his teaching career.

He came to Northern Kentucky University in 1972 as an assistant professor of Political Science. Equipped with a passion for knowledge and justice, he soon became coordinator of Latin American Studies, a position he still holds today.

Regents Professor Miriam Steinitz Kannan says Dr. Pinelo exemplified "NKU’s core values, in particular multiculturalism, public engagement and intellectual freedom" through out his teaching career.

In 1973, Dr. Pinelo published his book, The Multinational Corporation as a Force in Latin American Politics: A Case Study of the International Petroleum Company in Peru. He also had a hand in writing two other publications regarding politics and culture in South America and he wrote 12 book reviews that discuss similar topics of international interest.

In 1974, Dr. Pinelo was awarded a grant from NKU to do field research in Peru, Chile and Argentina. In 1975, he founded and led the Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Latin American Studies.

In 1987, he received the prestigious Fulbright Grant to teach an MBA program on political risk analysis in Peru. He also represented NKU in Cincinnati’s Civic Delegation visit to Kharkov, Ukraine in 1991.

He served as president of both the Kentucky and NKU chapters of the American Association of University Professors. His passion for philanthropy prompted him to speak at professional conferences on a variety of political and socioeconomic topics, including discussions in Washington D.C., New Orleans, Mexico and Canada.

During his teaching career at NKU, Dr. Pinelo was instrumental in establishing the Political Science and International Studies majors. While serving as the chair of the Political Science Department from 1983-1994, it became the fastest growing academic department at the university.

He also served as the president of the NKU Faculty Senate and was a member of the Presidential Search Committee that recommended Dr. A.D. Albright for the position. As chair of the Council of Chairs, he authored the Chairs Handbook in 1994 that’s still in use today.

In addition to his contributions to the university, Dr.Pinelo played an imperative role in the intellectual growth of the NKU student body.

"Students from across Dr. Pinelo’s tenure recognize his breadth of knowledge, his encouragement of them to think about issues of equality, and his ability to expose them to real world experiences," said Dr. Julie Kunselman, current chair of the Department of Political Science & Criminal Justice.

Dr.Pinelo dedicated his life to promotion of equality and justice and has been driven by his strong desire for continuous growth and education. He has been a vital asset to the growth of NKU and will be greatly missed.