Virginia M. Barnelle

Virginia M. Barnelle was a Professor of Theatre Arts at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) and its predecessor institutions from 1950 to 1981. She founded LMU’s Theatre Arts Department in 1953 as its sole faculty member and later expanded it to nearly 20 faculty members and 100 majors. Her administrative roles included department chair (1953–1969 and 1979–1981), director of the Fine Arts Division (1966–1967), and assistant to the president of Marymount College (1968–1973). She pioneered LMU’s study abroad programs and established the Office of International Education.

Her career began as a stage actor, followed by a B.A. from UCLA (1949) and an M.A. in Theatre Arts from UCLA (1953)—the first woman to achieve this distinction. She championed inclusivity, integrating male students into the Theatre Arts Department after the 1973 merger of Loyola University and Marymount College. Her legacy includes the Virginia Barnelle Scholarship (funded by former students) and the Virginia Barnelle Theatre, a black-box venue in Foley Hall.

Awarded membership in Zeta Phi Eta (communication arts) and Pi Lambda Theta (education), Barnelle remained a revered figure post-retirement until her death in 1995.