Politics professor John Orman, one of the most well-known and beloved professors on the Fairfield University campus passed away suddenly at the age of 60 on Sunday, July 5. Orman was the chair of the politics department and has worked at Fairfield since 1978.
“The suddenness of his passing is especially difficult to grasp because of the vibrancy with which he lived his life,” said University President Father Jeffrey von Arx in a press release. “He was a man of great intellectual curiosity who followed his interests with a passion. This is a tremendous loss to our community.”
Orman has written multiple books on politics, including “Celebrity Politics,” which gained national attention when published in 2003. Orman is also well-known in the Connecticut political arena for his 1984 run for the U.S. House of Representatives and for being a noted critic of Sen. Joe Lieberman. His comments on politics were carried in media ranging from the New York Times to CNN.
Orman was known to urge students to get involved in the political process, saying, “politics is not a spectator sport but an important civic duty.”
While Orman was known for his immense political knowledge and activism, he was also often seen in multiple other roles around campus. He had a love for basketball and was the faculty advisor to the Stags basketball teams. He also could often be seen playing basketball in Alumni Hall, noted for his three-point shooting ability and for starting the “Doctors of Dunk” faculty intramural team. In addition, Orman wrote poems and frequently took part in rap contests on campus.
This past year Orman wrote a play that was performed at the Pepsico Theater on campus, called “Helen Keller Speaks,” to teach about little known aspects of Keller’s life.
Orman leaves behind his wife, Reenie Demkiw and children Natalie, Nicholas and Katherine ’04
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