Mark C. Reed '96 to succeed Vice President of Student Services William P. Schimpf | Press Releases

Vice President of Student Services William P. Schimpf has announced that he will end his 37-year-career at Fairfield University when he retires on Jan. 1, 2006. Schimpf, who headed the Division of Student Services since his appointment as Dean of Students in 1969, has served four presidents during his tenure.

In a letter to University President Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., Schimpf said, "I am particularly appreciative of the opportunity that you, Fr. George Mahan (executive assistant to the president), Fr. William McInnes, Fr. Thomas Fitzgerald and Fr. Aloysius Kelley have given me, allowing me to be a member of this wonderful and purposeful community. I count among my friends students, staff members and faculty whom I have had the pleasure of working with over the past 37 years. I am particularly proud of the student leaders, graduate assistants and young professionals who have developed into leaders in the student affairs profession."

The day following Schimpf's announcement to the university community, Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., president, appointed Mark C. Reed '96 to be the new Vice President of Student Affairs, and Reed in turn named Thomas C. Pellegrino '90 to be Dean of Students, effective Jan. 1.

In appointing Reed, Father von Arx said, "During his tenure as a senior member of the student services division, Mark has demonstrated his leadership capabilities along with forward thinking solutions to the everyday challenges that are presented. I have every confidence that he will build on the strengths that exist in this area and collaborate with others as together we set out to achieve the integration of life and learning at this institution. I welcome the talent, energy and enthusiasm Mark brings to this position."

Reed is a 1996 graduate of Fairfield and has an M.Ed. in educational administration from Boston College and an MBA from Fairfield. He came to Fairfield in 2000 as Assistant to the Dean of the Business School, served briefly in the Office of Annual Giving, and was named Dean of Students in 2001. In June of 2004, upon assuming administrative oversight responsibility for the Athletic Department, he was named Associate Vice President and Dean of Students. During his time at Fairfield, Reed has also served as an adjunct instructor for the Mathematics Department and the Dolan School of Business' MBA program, participated in the Kairos retreat program, and led Ignatian Volunteer trips to Mexico and Ecuador.

In selecting Pellegrino as Dean of Students, Reed said, "I knew that selecting the right person to coordinate and manage the key functions of the division - and the units that will play the lead role in shaping the integration of life and learning as called for in our strategic plan - was the most important first decision I had to make. Tom's academic credentials and prior professional career experience are stellar, but I have been most impressed by the way he has approached his roles and responsibilities at Fairfield thus far. He is a leader and strong manager and he has demonstrated clearly his ability to work with and across all sectors of the University."

Pellegrino, who received his J.D. from Syracuse University and a Ph.D. in educational administration from the University of Connecticut, said, "It's an honor for me to be appointed to the position of Dean of Students. I am grateful for this opportunity, and stand committed to continuing the tradition of strong leadership that Mark Reed brought to the position. I can think of no greater responsibility, and no greater privilege, than to be entrusted with the care, well being and development of others. I take this responsibility seriously, and will put all my energies towards being an effective advocate, mentor and teacher for the students."

Pellegrino began working at Fairfield in 2004 as Assistant Director of Student Activities and was named to his current post earlier this year. Prior to that he was an attorney with Clendenen & Shea, LLC, New Haven, Conn.

Upon learning of Schimpf's decision, Father von Arx said, "Bill Schimpf's 37 years of service to Fairfield University are remarkable. The changes in both the student population and the field of student life that he has experienced have been extraordinary and, through it all, Bill has devoted his energy to ensuring that we at Fairfield were prepared to take advantage of the opportunities and meet the many challenges that these changes brought. Bill Schimpf has been a devoted servant to this University and he will be missed."

During Schimpf's tenure at Fairfield, he has greeted 37 freshmen classes, and has had responsibility for the "outside of the classroom" experiences of 30,350 undergraduates. He played a major role in the University's transition to co-education and has been responsible for an increase in the residence hall capacity by 1,380 beds as well as a major expansion of the hub of student activity, the John A. Barone Campus Center.