Eighteen hundred men were taught by a small faculty in fewer than half of the buildings standing today. This is the Fairfield at which Bill Schimpf started work in 1969.
Indeed, the Fairfield we all know and love today bears little resemblance to the university on Mr. Schimpf’s first day of work.
As he prepares to end his 37-year tenure on December 31, it is important to examine the legacy of the man who shaped the Fairfield University experience for the tens of thousands of students who passed through campus during that time.
As Vice President of Student Services, Mr. Schimpf has had a hand in every aspect of student life on campus. No aspect of the campus experience, whether it be the dorm room you slept in as a freshman in Jogues Hall, the food you ate for lunch yesterday in Barone, the rules and regulations you abide by in the townhouses, and the comfy chairs you sit in between classes in the campus center, has been left untouched by his influence.
Mr. Shimpf’s departure marks the end of an era. His leadership style has inspired similar approaches in many of the rising stars in Fairfield’s administration; though he will leave his corner office on the fourth floor of the Barone Campus Center on at the end of the year, his bold example will be the benchmark by which his successors will be measured for years to come.
The Mirror staff sheds an extra proverbial tear on the occasion of his departure. It marks the end of a storied relationship that spans the entire 28-year history of the paper. As our liaison to the administration, Mr. Schimpf has showed utmost respect for the freedom of the press and has been a staunch defender of the students’ right to have an independent voice on campus.
We hope that his successors share his views in this regard and continue to nurture the public forum provided by The Mirror for years to come.
Leave a Reply