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Alumni Spotlight

Rev. Doyle ’78 Receives UAlbany Foundation’s Prestigious Laureate Award

Reverend Kenneth J. Doyle ’78

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Reverend Kenneth J. Doyle ’78, a leader in the community for more than half a century, was recently bestowed with one of the Capital Region’s highest honors.

Each year, the University at Albany Foundation recognizes outstanding contributors to business and industry, government, and academia at its signature event, the Citizen Laureate Awards. Rev. Doyle—one of this year’s three honorees—received the Community Laureate Award, along with former Albany Mayor Gerald D. Jennings. Hudson Valley Community College President Andrew J. Matonak received the Academic Laureate Award. The awards are considered the foundation’s most prestigious.

During his speech at the Oct. 26 gala, Rev. Doyle thanked the University at Albany for inspiring and educating its students and “helping to put the city of Albany on the map.”

Ordained in 1966, Rev. Doyle served as the pastor of Mater Christi Parish from 1992 to 2016 and is now a substitute sacramental minister in various Albany parishes. He is also currently board chair of the Albany County Airport Authority and a member of the Mission Integration Committee of St. Peter’s Health Partners.

Rev. Doyle enrolled at Albany Law School in 1975 while he was editor of the Evangelist, the Albany diocesan newspaper. At the same time he served as chaplain at the Doane Stuart School and worked at St. John’s Parish in Valatie, N.Y.

“I enjoyed the experience of law school because I got the chance to slow down, read and contemplate the law after working full-time as a priest for nine years,” he told Albany Law School in 2012.

As a law student, Rev. Doyle was seeking to learn more about the legal ramifications of issues covered by the Evangelist. The death penalty was of particular interest. But his education made an impact on other important aspects of his life beyond journalism.

“I use what I learned in law school every day,” he said. “Law teaches you a certain way of looking for an orderly format of thoughts and ideas. I actually think it helps me to write homilies, too.”

Rev. Doyle has also served as Rome bureau chief of the National Catholic News Service, information officer of the United States Catholic Conference in Washington, D.C., lobbyist for the New York State Catholic Conference in Albany, director of media relations for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C., and chancellor for public information for the Albany diocese.

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