Scott R. Pilarz
Encyclopedia
Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J.
, (born 1959) is a Jesuit priest
, academic and is the current President of Marquette University
since August 1, 2011. Prior to Marquette, Pilarz served as 24th President of the University of Scranton
from July 1, 2003 to July 1, 2011, and as a member of the Board of Trustees since 2000.
As an academic, Pilarz is considered an expert on medieval
and Renaissance literature
, as well as Jesuit education.
and Philadelphia. Pilarz has a younger sister, Susan.
Pilarz graduated from Camden Catholic High School
in 1977. He received a bachelor's degree
in English
from Georgetown University
in 1981, although he had initially enrolled at Georgetown with the intention of studying politics
. Pilarz became interested in the priesthood as an undergraduate student at Georgetown and put together a plan to join the Jesuits during his Senior year. Pilarz elaborated in on his interest in a 2010 article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
, "I remember going into the library
, sneaking into the stacks, looking at books about Jesuits. I wouldn't want all my friends to know I was thinking about this. It was kind of an impulse thing at the time...I thought I'd give this a shot and I did...And it felt right all the way along." Pilarz told his family of his decision to join the Jesuits after dinner at their home in Voorhees, New Jersey. He first entered the Society of Jesus
in August 1981 and was ordained a Catholic priest within the Jesuit order in 1992.
Pilarz later obtained a master's degree
in philosphy from Fordham University
. He also attended Weston School of Theology, where he received two additional master's degrees in theology
and divinity
. Pilarz completed his doctorate
in English from the City University of New York
(CUNY). His doctoral dissertation, entitled Sacerdotal Self-Fashioning: Priesthood in the Poetry of Robert Southwell, S.J., and John Donne, earned Pilarz the CUNY Alumni Achievement Prize for Dissertation Excellence in 1997.
and Renaissance literature
.
He taught philosophy
at the Ss. Peter & Paul Seminary at the University of Ibadan
in Ibadan
, Nigeria
while studying for his master's degrees at the Weston School. Pilarz was also appointed professor of English at Saint Joseph's University
in Philadelphia in 1994.
, Georgetown University
, as an assistant professor of English in 1996. The Georgetown University class of 1999 awarded Pilarz with the Edward B. Bunn, S.J., Award for Faculty Excellence for service and teaching. In 2002, he was appointed the interim
university chaplain
at Georgetown. The appointment of chaplain also gave Pilarz a seat in the cabinet of Georgetown President John J. DeGioia
.
During his tenure as a Georgetown faculty
member, Father Pilarz became involved in a movement to revive the university's Jack the Bulldog
live mascot
called "Bring Back Jack." In 1998, Pilarz collaborated with three students and co-founders of the Hoya Blue fan club - Michael Boyle, Austin Martin, and Kathleen Long - to bring back the bulldog mascot tradition at Georgetown. The Hoya Blue club and the senior class raised $1,500 to purchase Jack, Georgetown's first live mascot since the 1970s. Father Pilarz personally picked up the new Jack the Bulldog, who was named John P. Carroll then a nine-month old puppy, upon his arrival at Washington Dulles International Airport
on February 16, 1999. Father Pilarz became Jack's caretaker and roommate at Georgetown. He would walk Jack in the mornings and evenings while student volunteers walked the bulldog mascot during the day while Pilarz was in class or other university functions.
In 2003, Father Pilarz was named the President of the University of Scranton
. Pilarz brought
"John P. Carroll" with him from Georgetown to Scranton
when he became President of the University of Scranton in July 2003. "John P. Carroll" was retired in May 2003 so that he could accompany Father Pilarz to Scranton. Financial donations from Hoya Blue, the Hoya Hoop Club, the Office of the President and alumni allowed for the purchase of Jack's successor bulldog at Georgetown. Jack the Bulldog turned eleven years old in 2010 and lived with Father Pilarz at the University of Scranton until he became President of Marquette University during the summer of 2011. Father Pilarz was expected to move with "John P. Carroll" to Milwaukee when he became President of Marquette University in August 2011, but the dog died at the Pilarz's parents home in Voorhees, New Jersey, on September 16, 2011, at the age of 12.
's board of trustees in 2000. Then-President Joseph McShane notified members of the board in December 2002 that he would leave the University of Scranton to become president of Fordham University
. Pilarz was approached by several members of the Scranton board who proposed that he submit his name as a candidate to succeed McShane. Pilarz submitted his name for inclusion in the presidential search after discussing the matter with his Provincial in Baltimore
.
The University of Scranton named Father Scott Pilarz as its 24h President in an announcement on April 23, 2003. He assumed the presidency of the University of Scranton on July 1, 2003, succeeding outgoing president Joseph McShane. Pilarz's inuaguration as the University of Scranton's 24th President took place on September 26, 2003.
One of the centerpieces of Pilarz's tenure at Scranton has been the development and implementation of a strategic plan called "Pride, Passion, Promise - Shaping Our Jesuit Tradition." The plan has included a $125 million dollar capital campaign overseen by Pilarz which intended to transform the 58 acres (234,717.9 m²) campus through the construction of new facilities including a new campus center, two new dormitories and a science building. In January 2008, a $35 million dollar campus center, Patrick and Margaret DeNaples Center
, was completed. The new 200000 square feet (18,580.6 m²) Unified Science Center, an $83 million dollar which is the largest capital and construction project in the history of the University of Scranton, is expected to open during the Fall 2011 semester. On September 14, 2010, The University blessed and broke ground for the two new $33 million dorms, which will contain apartment-style dorms and a fitness center. The dorms, with a combined 189000 square feet (17,558.7 m²) of space, will house 400 additional students on campus. In remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony, Father Pilarz noted that the new dormitories would "add a splendor to this gateway corridor to the city" of Scranton, Pennsylvania
. Additionally, The Commons, the main walkway through the campus, has also been expanded to include portions of Clay Avenue and Linden Street during Pilarz's tenure, effectively lengthening the campus. The entire $125 million dollar capital campaign, including the Science Center and dormitories currently under construction, is expected to be completed in the Fall of 2011.
Pilarz oversaw launch of a $100 million dollar fundraising
campaign, beginning in April 2008. Pilarz has also been credited with boosting the university's student enrollment. Scranton has a total undergraduate and graduate student population of approximately 5,500 people, as of 2010. Scranton has also continued to excel academically under Pilarz. U.S. News & World Report
ranked Scranton as number 10 out 165 universities and colleges in the Northeast United States in August 2010.
In August 2010, Pilarz led a delegation of University of Scranton officials to Rwanda
to seek potential partnerships between the university and the Rwandan government. Pilarz announced that the University of Scranton and the Rwandan Ministry of Education would sign a memorandum of understanding
to promote faculty and student exchanges. In an interview with The New Times newspaper, Pilarz stated, "Due to the history of Rwanda
and its tremendous improvement in human rights
promotion and economic development
, we are seeking to partner with the Government of Rwanda to integrate an examination of the country into the life of the university."
Pilarz initiated the creation of a support group for gays and lesbians at the University of Scranton called "Inclusion Initiative", explaining "There is no room for prejudice on a Catholic campus."
Throughout his tenure at Scranton, Pilarz had continued to teach at least one course each semester, focusing on a diverse range of subjects, including 16th century British literature
, Renaissance poetry
and a course called, "Playing God: Theatrical Expression of Divinity."
In 2010, author Ronald M. Shapiro
profiled Pilarz as one of thirty-eight individuals included in his book, "Dare to Prepare: How to Win Before You Begin," which became a New York Times bestseller. Shapiro cited Pilarz's work at the University of Scranton and his fundraising skills for his inclusion in the book.
in Milwaukee in September 2009. In March 2010, Pilarz attended his first meeting as a board member. Coincidentally, Marquette President, Father Robert A. Wild, S.J., announced his intention to retire in 2011 after fifteen years as president of the university during the same month. A presidential selection committee, headed by Mary Ellen Stanek, began searching for Wild's successor.
On Tuesday, August 31, 2010, the Marquette Board of Trustees unanimously selected Pilarz as Marquette University's 23rd President and successor to Wild. Pilarz served as the President of the University of Scranton until he was succeeded by Rev. Kevin P. Quinn
, S.J. on July 1, 2011. He officially became president of Marquette University on August 1, 2011.
(AJCU) to the board of directors of the American Council on Education
(ACE) from 2005 until 2008.
Pilarz has been a member of the University of Scranton board of trustees since 2000 and Marquette University's board of trustees since 2009. He is the president of the board of Camden Catholic High School in New Jersey. He is also a board member of Boston College
, Scranton Preparatory School
, Scranton Tomorrow and the United Nations of Northeastern Pennsylvania as of 2010.
from King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
, in 2010. He was the recipient of Georgetown University's John Carroll Award in 2009, the highest honor awarded from the Georgetown University Alumni Association. He has also been awarded the Lackawanna Bar Association Chief Justice Michael J. Eagan Award for Dedicated Service and the Slovak Republic St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Sciences Great Medal of St. Elizabeth Award.
, the Shakespeare Association of America, the Academy of American Poets
, the Modern Language Association
, the John Donne Society and The Renaissance Society of America
.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, (born 1959) is a Jesuit priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, academic and is the current President of Marquette University
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
since August 1, 2011. Prior to Marquette, Pilarz served as 24th President of the University of Scranton
University of Scranton
The University of Scranton is a private, co-educational Catholic and Jesuit university, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the northeast region of the state. The school was founded in 1888 by Most Rev. William O'Hara, the first Bishop of Scranton, as St. Thomas College. It was elevated to a...
from July 1, 2003 to July 1, 2011, and as a member of the Board of Trustees since 2000.
As an academic, Pilarz is considered an expert on medieval
Medieval literature
Medieval literature is a broad subject, encompassing essentially all written works available in Europe and beyond during the Middle Ages . The literature of this time was composed of religious writings as well as secular works...
and Renaissance literature
Renaissance literature
Renaissance Literature refers to the period in European literature that began in Italy during the 14th century and spread around Europe through the 17th century...
, as well as Jesuit education.
Early life and education
Scott Pilarz was raised by his parents, Joan and Joseph Pilarz, in Pennsauken, New Jersey, a suburb of CamdenCamden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
and Philadelphia. Pilarz has a younger sister, Susan.
Pilarz graduated from Camden Catholic High School
Camden Catholic High School
Camden Catholic High School is a four-year comprehensive private coeducational Roman Catholic High School, located in Cherry Hill Township, New Jersey, serving students from the Camden County area...
in 1977. He received a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
from Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in 1981, although he had initially enrolled at Georgetown with the intention of studying politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
. Pilarz became interested in the priesthood as an undergraduate student at Georgetown and put together a plan to join the Jesuits during his Senior year. Pilarz elaborated in on his interest in a 2010 article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. It is the primary newspaper in Milwaukee, the largest newspaper in Wisconsin and is distributed widely throughout the state...
, "I remember going into the library
Lauinger Library
The Joseph Mark Lauinger Library is the main library of Georgetown University and the center of a seven-library system that includes 2.8 million volumes. It holds 1.7 million volumes on six floors and has accommodations for individual and group study on all levels.Opened on April 6, 1970, the...
, sneaking into the stacks, looking at books about Jesuits. I wouldn't want all my friends to know I was thinking about this. It was kind of an impulse thing at the time...I thought I'd give this a shot and I did...And it felt right all the way along." Pilarz told his family of his decision to join the Jesuits after dinner at their home in Voorhees, New Jersey. He first entered the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
in August 1981 and was ordained a Catholic priest within the Jesuit order in 1992.
Pilarz later obtained a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in philosphy from Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
. He also attended Weston School of Theology, where he received two additional master's degrees in theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and divinity
Divinity
Divinity and divine are broadly applied but loosely defined terms, used variously within different faiths and belief systems — and even by different individuals within a given faith — to refer to some transcendent or transcendental power or deity, or its attributes or manifestations in...
. Pilarz completed his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in English from the City University of New York
City University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
(CUNY). His doctoral dissertation, entitled Sacerdotal Self-Fashioning: Priesthood in the Poetry of Robert Southwell, S.J., and John Donne, earned Pilarz the CUNY Alumni Achievement Prize for Dissertation Excellence in 1997.
Academics
Pilarz is considered to be an expert on medievalMedieval literature
Medieval literature is a broad subject, encompassing essentially all written works available in Europe and beyond during the Middle Ages . The literature of this time was composed of religious writings as well as secular works...
and Renaissance literature
Renaissance literature
Renaissance Literature refers to the period in European literature that began in Italy during the 14th century and spread around Europe through the 17th century...
.
He taught philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at the Ss. Peter & Paul Seminary at the University of Ibadan
University of Ibadan
The University of Ibadan is the oldest Nigerian university, and is located five miles from the centre of the major city of Ibadan in Western Nigeria...
in Ibadan
Ibadan
Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
while studying for his master's degrees at the Weston School. Pilarz was also appointed professor of English at Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
in Philadelphia in 1994.
Georgetown University
Pilarz began teaching at his alma materAlma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, as an assistant professor of English in 1996. The Georgetown University class of 1999 awarded Pilarz with the Edward B. Bunn, S.J., Award for Faculty Excellence for service and teaching. In 2002, he was appointed the interim
Interim
Interim is an album by British rock band The Fall, compiled from live and studio material and released in 2004. It features the first officially released versions of "Clasp Hands", "Blindness" and "What About Us?" — all of which were later included on the band's next studio album Fall Heads Roll —...
university chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
at Georgetown. The appointment of chaplain also gave Pilarz a seat in the cabinet of Georgetown President John J. DeGioia
John J. DeGioia
John J. "Jack" DeGioia became the 48th and current President of Georgetown University on July 1, 2001. Since graduating from the university in 1979, he has served both as a senior administrator and as a faculty member...
.
During his tenure as a Georgetown faculty
Faculty (university)
A faculty is a division within a university comprising one subject area, or a number of related subject areas...
member, Father Pilarz became involved in a movement to revive the university's Jack the Bulldog
Jack the Bulldog
Jack the Bulldog is the official mascot of the Georgetown University Hoyas athletics teams. Jack has been the name of at least four live Bulldogs since 1962, when the name first came into use. The current incarnation of Jack is an English Bulldog born in 2003 whose full name is John S. Carroll....
live mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
called "Bring Back Jack." In 1998, Pilarz collaborated with three students and co-founders of the Hoya Blue fan club - Michael Boyle, Austin Martin, and Kathleen Long - to bring back the bulldog mascot tradition at Georgetown. The Hoya Blue club and the senior class raised $1,500 to purchase Jack, Georgetown's first live mascot since the 1970s. Father Pilarz personally picked up the new Jack the Bulldog, who was named John P. Carroll then a nine-month old puppy, upon his arrival at Washington Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport is a public airport in Dulles, Virginia, 26 miles west of downtown Washington, D.C. The airport serves the Baltimore-Washington-Northern Virginia metropolitan area centered on the District of Columbia. It is named after John Foster Dulles, Secretary of...
on February 16, 1999. Father Pilarz became Jack's caretaker and roommate at Georgetown. He would walk Jack in the mornings and evenings while student volunteers walked the bulldog mascot during the day while Pilarz was in class or other university functions.
In 2003, Father Pilarz was named the President of the University of Scranton
University of Scranton
The University of Scranton is a private, co-educational Catholic and Jesuit university, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the northeast region of the state. The school was founded in 1888 by Most Rev. William O'Hara, the first Bishop of Scranton, as St. Thomas College. It was elevated to a...
. Pilarz brought
"John P. Carroll" with him from Georgetown to Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
when he became President of the University of Scranton in July 2003. "John P. Carroll" was retired in May 2003 so that he could accompany Father Pilarz to Scranton. Financial donations from Hoya Blue, the Hoya Hoop Club, the Office of the President and alumni allowed for the purchase of Jack's successor bulldog at Georgetown. Jack the Bulldog turned eleven years old in 2010 and lived with Father Pilarz at the University of Scranton until he became President of Marquette University during the summer of 2011. Father Pilarz was expected to move with "John P. Carroll" to Milwaukee when he became President of Marquette University in August 2011, but the dog died at the Pilarz's parents home in Voorhees, New Jersey, on September 16, 2011, at the age of 12.
President of the University of Scranton
Pilarz joined the University of ScrantonUniversity of Scranton
The University of Scranton is a private, co-educational Catholic and Jesuit university, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the northeast region of the state. The school was founded in 1888 by Most Rev. William O'Hara, the first Bishop of Scranton, as St. Thomas College. It was elevated to a...
's board of trustees in 2000. Then-President Joseph McShane notified members of the board in December 2002 that he would leave the University of Scranton to become president of Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
. Pilarz was approached by several members of the Scranton board who proposed that he submit his name as a candidate to succeed McShane. Pilarz submitted his name for inclusion in the presidential search after discussing the matter with his Provincial in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
.
The University of Scranton named Father Scott Pilarz as its 24h President in an announcement on April 23, 2003. He assumed the presidency of the University of Scranton on July 1, 2003, succeeding outgoing president Joseph McShane. Pilarz's inuaguration as the University of Scranton's 24th President took place on September 26, 2003.
One of the centerpieces of Pilarz's tenure at Scranton has been the development and implementation of a strategic plan called "Pride, Passion, Promise - Shaping Our Jesuit Tradition." The plan has included a $125 million dollar capital campaign overseen by Pilarz which intended to transform the 58 acres (234,717.9 m²) campus through the construction of new facilities including a new campus center, two new dormitories and a science building. In January 2008, a $35 million dollar campus center, Patrick and Margaret DeNaples Center
Patrick and Margaret DeNaples Center
The Patrick and Margaret DeNaples Center is The University of Scranton's new campus center. This center opened in January 2008. The $35 million project was named after the parents of Dunmore, Pennsylvania businessman, former University trustee, and reputed organized crime associate Louis...
, was completed. The new 200000 square feet (18,580.6 m²) Unified Science Center, an $83 million dollar which is the largest capital and construction project in the history of the University of Scranton, is expected to open during the Fall 2011 semester. On September 14, 2010, The University blessed and broke ground for the two new $33 million dorms, which will contain apartment-style dorms and a fitness center. The dorms, with a combined 189000 square feet (17,558.7 m²) of space, will house 400 additional students on campus. In remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony, Father Pilarz noted that the new dormitories would "add a splendor to this gateway corridor to the city" of Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
. Additionally, The Commons, the main walkway through the campus, has also been expanded to include portions of Clay Avenue and Linden Street during Pilarz's tenure, effectively lengthening the campus. The entire $125 million dollar capital campaign, including the Science Center and dormitories currently under construction, is expected to be completed in the Fall of 2011.
Pilarz oversaw launch of a $100 million dollar fundraising
Fundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
campaign, beginning in April 2008. Pilarz has also been credited with boosting the university's student enrollment. Scranton has a total undergraduate and graduate student population of approximately 5,500 people, as of 2010. Scranton has also continued to excel academically under Pilarz. U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
ranked Scranton as number 10 out 165 universities and colleges in the Northeast United States in August 2010.
In August 2010, Pilarz led a delegation of University of Scranton officials to Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
to seek potential partnerships between the university and the Rwandan government. Pilarz announced that the University of Scranton and the Rwandan Ministry of Education would sign a memorandum of understanding
Memorandum of understanding
A memorandum of understanding is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in...
to promote faculty and student exchanges. In an interview with The New Times newspaper, Pilarz stated, "Due to the history of Rwanda
History of Rwanda
Human occupation of Rwanda is thought to have begun shortly after the last ice age. By the fifteenth century the inhabitants had organized into a number of kingdoms...
and its tremendous improvement in human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
promotion and economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
, we are seeking to partner with the Government of Rwanda to integrate an examination of the country into the life of the university."
Pilarz initiated the creation of a support group for gays and lesbians at the University of Scranton called "Inclusion Initiative", explaining "There is no room for prejudice on a Catholic campus."
Throughout his tenure at Scranton, Pilarz had continued to teach at least one course each semester, focusing on a diverse range of subjects, including 16th century British literature
British literature
British Literature refers to literature associated with the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Channel Islands. By far the largest part of British literature is written in the English language, but there are bodies of written works in Latin, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Scots, Cornish, Manx, Jèrriais,...
, Renaissance poetry
Renaissance literature
Renaissance Literature refers to the period in European literature that began in Italy during the 14th century and spread around Europe through the 17th century...
and a course called, "Playing God: Theatrical Expression of Divinity."
In 2010, author Ronald M. Shapiro
Ronald M. Shapiro
Ronald M. Shapiro is a well-known sports agent, attorney, New York Times best selling author, expert negotiator, educator, speaker, and civic leader.-Biography:...
profiled Pilarz as one of thirty-eight individuals included in his book, "Dare to Prepare: How to Win Before You Begin," which became a New York Times bestseller. Shapiro cited Pilarz's work at the University of Scranton and his fundraising skills for his inclusion in the book.
President of Marquette University
Father Pilarz was elected to the board of trustees of Marquette UniversityMarquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
in Milwaukee in September 2009. In March 2010, Pilarz attended his first meeting as a board member. Coincidentally, Marquette President, Father Robert A. Wild, S.J., announced his intention to retire in 2011 after fifteen years as president of the university during the same month. A presidential selection committee, headed by Mary Ellen Stanek, began searching for Wild's successor.
On Tuesday, August 31, 2010, the Marquette Board of Trustees unanimously selected Pilarz as Marquette University's 23rd President and successor to Wild. Pilarz served as the President of the University of Scranton until he was succeeded by Rev. Kevin P. Quinn
Kevin Quinn (academic)
Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., J.D., Ph.D. is an American Jesuit, lawyer and law professor. Quinn is currently serving as the 25th President of the University of Scranton, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, effective July 1, 2011....
, S.J. on July 1, 2011. He officially became president of Marquette University on August 1, 2011.
Board memberships
Pilarz was previously a member of the State Ethics Commission for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 2005 until 2008. He served as the representative of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and UniversitiesAssociation of Jesuit Colleges and Universities
The Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities is a consortium of the 28 Jesuit colleges and universities and two theological centers in the United States committed to advancing academic excellence by promoting and coordinating collaborative activities, sharing resources, and advocating and...
(AJCU) to the board of directors of the American Council on Education
American Council on Education
The American Council on Education is a United States organization, established in 1918, comprising over 1,800 accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities and higher education-related associations, organizations, and corporations....
(ACE) from 2005 until 2008.
Pilarz has been a member of the University of Scranton board of trustees since 2000 and Marquette University's board of trustees since 2009. He is the president of the board of Camden Catholic High School in New Jersey. He is also a board member of Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
, Scranton Preparatory School
Scranton Preparatory School
Scranton Preparatory School is a Catholic and Jesuit college preparatory day school for boys and girls. The current enrollment is 860 students. Prep is fully accredited by the Pennsylvania State Department of Public Instruction and by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools...
, Scranton Tomorrow and the United Nations of Northeastern Pennsylvania as of 2010.
Awards
Most recently, Pilarz was awarded an honorary degreeHonorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
from King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
, in 2010. He was the recipient of Georgetown University's John Carroll Award in 2009, the highest honor awarded from the Georgetown University Alumni Association. He has also been awarded the Lackawanna Bar Association Chief Justice Michael J. Eagan Award for Dedicated Service and the Slovak Republic St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Sciences Great Medal of St. Elizabeth Award.
Membership
Pilarz is a member of numerous professional, academic and cultural organizations including the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of AmericaPolish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America
The Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America is a Polish-American scholarly institution headquartered in Manhattan , at 208 East 30th Street.-History:...
, the Shakespeare Association of America, the Academy of American Poets
Academy of American Poets
The Academy of American Poets is a non-profit organization dedicated to the art of poetry. The Academy was incorporated as a "membership corporation" in New York State in 1934...
, the Modern Language Association
Modern Language Association
The Modern Language Association of America is the principal professional association in the United States for scholars of language and literature...
, the John Donne Society and The Renaissance Society of America
The Renaissance Society of America
The Renaissance Society of America is an academic association founded in 1954 supportingthe study of the Renaissance period, 1300–1650, in Western history....
.