For incoming Fairfield freshmen who are worried about being the new kids, this year they can draw sympathy from a man in a powerful position. For the first time in 25 years Fairfield will welcome a new president in the person of Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J.
Rev. Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J. spent a quarter of a century at the helm of Fairfield University and retired at the end of June. Fr. von Arx, whose last job was Dean of the Fordham College at Rose Hill, will assume his responsibilities on July 1.
“Obviously they are big shoes to fill,” said Fr. von Arx. “Fr. Kelley has been president of Fairfield for almost half of its history. There are few people who know anyone else as Fairfield’s president.”
Fr. Kelley’s years as president were incredibly lucrative for Fairfield. He oversaw the expansion and renovation of seven buildings, increased the endowment by $129 million and contributed to the academic growth at Fairfield. Still, Fr. von Arx does not intend to be an exact replica of Fr. Kelley.
“The best way that I can follow Fr. Kelley is to be my own person. The last thing he would want and the last thing I want is to copy his style. I’m going to be my own best self, that’s the best tribute I can offer,” said Fr. von Arx.
Fr. von Arx is certainly qualified to pick up where Kelley left off. He received his undergraduate degree in history from Princeton University and later earned masters’ degrees in history and philosophy and a Ph.D. in history from Yale University. He graduated from the Weston School of Theology in 1981 and was ordained the same year.
He taught history at Georgetown University and served as the chair of the department from 1991 to 1997 and created the Center for Australian and New Zealand Studies in the School of Foreign Service. He went to Fordham in 1998 where he has served as Dean at the Fordham College at Rose Hill since.
“It’s a wonderful exciting opportunity [coming to Fairfield],” said Fr. von Arx. “Fairfield is the great success story of Jesuit higher education. The school is still relatively young [Fairfield was established in 1942] in comparison to other Jesuit universities, but it is already on the radar.”
Fr. von Arx intends to add some new issues to that radar. Citing Fairfield’s present financial shape, he spoke of the future. “The next challenge is to improve the quality of student life and the educational experience of the students,” said Fr. von Arx. Speaking of the students, Fr. von Arx intends to be visible and present to them. Fr. Kelley was often absent where student life was concerned and students are looking forward to the change.
“Even when I did administrative work the contact that I had with the students was the most fulfilling, both as a teacher and as an administrator. As president I’ll be busy, but it’s important to me to be in regular conversation with the student body,” said Fr. von Arx. For the freshmen, Fr. von Arx imparted these words of advice on how to experience college life: “Be ready to work hard and have real ambitions. Make an effort to get to know the faculty, the difference between a mediocre and excellent educational experience is in finding faculty members to help the students plan their future.”
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