McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts

Liberal Arts students learn not just to understand, but to also create positive change. Our students lean into the Duquesne Mission of "Serving God by Serving Students" and providing "Service to the Church, the community, the nation and the world." You are encouraged to question societal norms and use skills learned in the classroom to build a society that is more fair, just and prosperous. 

Building a better Pittsburgh has been at the forefront of our mission since the beginning. Whether you go into healthcare, government and politics, sports, education, law, religion or any other industry, Duquesne graduates attain meaningful success and impact their circles big and small.

Alumni Transform Lives of Individuals Living with Disabilities

Heather Gray, GA’02, writes dozens of thank-you notes each month, penning messages in blank cards wherever she encounters small acts of kindness. With this spirit of gratitude, it’s no surprise the company she co-founded shares these values. Silent Visual Media bridges the gap between hearing and Deaf communities by elevating Deaf representation in the entertainment industry.

Heather's career path wasn’t linear. She pursued an English degree, taking an American Sign Language (ASL) class along the way and participating in ASL clubs and volunteer activities. Following graduate school on the Bluff, she worked with students at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf and as an ASL interpreter. In addition to interpreting at more than 300 theater performances, Joe Biden’s presidential candidacy announcement and movies at Cinemark Theaters, she’s been present for major life events to connect loved ones and ensure communication in the most vital settings.

Heather runs her business with compassion and empathy, and she’s grateful that Duquesne’s mission allowed her to hone these skills. “Learning the theories of servant leadership and emotional intelligence allowed me to expand upon the academic approach to serve individuals in the disability community,” she said.

Fresh Perspectives & Powerful Connections

For Kimberly Tucker, GA’22, a career dedicated to service also began at Duquesne. As a philosophy doctoral student, she began her dissertation focusing on applied phenomenology, focusing on human experience and how individuals perceive and interact with the world. 

“Dr. Sahel wanted to integrate phenomenology into the low-vision clinic and rehab,” said Tucker. “My original focus was chronic illness, but I switched gears to focus on vision and perception and low-vision experiences. UPMC ophthalmologist Dr. Jay Chhablani and my dissertation advisor Dr. Lanei Rodemeyer supported the interdisciplinary project between philosophy and ophthalmology, which paved the way to conduct a clinical project in phenomenology.”

Kimberly's work was well-received— she was awarded Duquesne’s Distinguished Dissertation Award for 2025 in Humanities and Fine Arts—and she now works as a postdoc researcher at the UPMC Vision Institute studying the lived experience of individuals with vision loss. Combined with a clinical diagnosis and treatment from a medical team, Tucker contributes to a holistic treatment plan that allows the team to address physical, social, emotional and the often inarticulable existential facets of health and illness.
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