Much has been reported about the life of new president Jeffrey von Arx, S.J. these past few months. However, unless you want to talk to him about his doctoral thesis, there haven’t been many options for conversation starters. Since the likelihood of having a chat with Fr. von Arx is pretty good, we asked him some questions that could be used on the chance you run into him. What’s your favorite food in the Barone Campus Center? I haven’t eaten there yet. I’m waiting for students to invite me!
Have you been to the beach? Several times. I go in disguise.
Could you find Dolan if you had to? I’ve actually been there. Fine country living!
What band would you like to see play at Fairfield? A reunion tour by the Supremes!
If you were at a Fairfield/Fordham basketball game, what would you do? Cheer for Fairfield! They pay my salary! Now, if it were a Fairfield-Princeton game, it would be a more difficult choice.
What’s your favorite Olympic Sport? Gymnastics, because the routines are so incredible.
Are you a Red Sox or Yankees fan? Are you kidding? After six years in the Bronx? 1918! 1918!
What was your least favorite class in college? At the risk of offending faculty colleagues, I’d have to say economics. But that was because I was so bad at math, not because the professors weren’t good or the subject wasn’t interesting.
What type of student were you in college? Fairfield students would be shocked by my GPA. But the grading system at Princeton in those days went from 1 (good) to 7 (bad).
What were your SAT scores? Honestly, I don’t remember. Let that be a lesson to you how little these things matter in the long run!
How much is the most you’ve paid for one semester of books? This was thirty-five years ago, and you’d cry if I told you.
Who would win in a knock em’ down, drag em’ out fight? A Jesuit or a Franciscan? No contest. Franciscans are too nice.
Favorite Reality TV show? The nadir, I’m afraid of American entertainment. I don’t watch them.
Favorite alcoholic drink? Scotch, the official drink of New York Province Jesuits.
Do you have a cell phone? What model? Yes. A Motorola, but it never seems to work here. Does everyone else have problems getting a signal? If you don’t, let me know your provider. Paul Duffy has the number, but if he tells you, I’d have to kill him!
Are you right-handed or left-handed? Left-handed. Do right-handed people know the discrimination we put up with? Do they know that scissors and steak knives are made for right-handed people? Also, lefties should be allowed to write from right to left.
Who’s your favorite superhero? Herodotus, the father of history.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Well, not a priest. That came later. But I think the young me would not have been surprised to learn that I ended up a college professor.
Did you have any nicknames growing up (anything we can call you now?) Actually, people did use my initials: “JvA.” We used to call Fr. Kelley “APK”, can we call you “JvA?” Not when you introduce me to your mother!
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