Lecturers at the Jefferson Educational Society

Michael E. DeSanctis, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts and Theology at Gannon University, Erie, PA, a Catholic, diocesan institution. He is a four-time recipient of the Student Government Association “Excellence in Teaching” award and has been honored with the Bishop Donald W. Trautman “Feed My Sheep” award for his commitment to the University’s Catholic mission. Dr. DeSanctis is a member of the Commission on Sacred Art and Architecture for Diocese of Erie and has established an international reputation for his work as a liturgical educator, designer and consultant. In recent years, Dr. DeSanctis’ “avocation” as a designer-fabricator of original, three-dimensional depictions of the Nativity has gained him wide recognition. His projects were featured in the September 2016 and Summer 2020 issues of the newsletter of “Friends of the Crèche,” the national organization committed to preserving the art and history of crèche-building, of which he is a board member. He and his physician-wife, Kelli, are members of St. Jude the Apostle Church, Erie, PA, where they head up the OCIA/Adult Education initiative.