He's much to our like-Engh

By Jesus Diaz

Little known fact: University President Father Engh, S.J., is not a coffee person.

"He likes tea better than coffee," said senior Liza Sweeney, who works in the president's office and engages with Engh regularly. He also prefers his Blackberry to iPhones.

Despite these little-known facts about Santa Clara's president, one impressive fact stands outí -- students like him.

A recent student poll has shown that, of 206 students surveyed, 92.7 percent approve of the president's job so far.

"Fr. Engh is very supportive of student life and is also a very thoughtful listener," said Jeanne Rosenberger, vice provost for student life and dean of students.

"He has attended countless student events and senate meetings to try to hear from students and learn what the Santa Clara experience is from the students' perspective," she said.

Said President of Associated Students Sean Brachvogel, "I think he's done a magnanimous job. He's very kind, compassionate, a really great guy, and I am thankful that we have him on campus."

The poll also showed that 78.6 percent of students feel comfortable approaching Engh -- more comfortable than approaching former University President Paul Locatelli, S.J. Of those, 71 percent who were enrolled at Santa Clara during the Locatelli presidency expressed more comfort approaching Engh than former president Locatelli.

The AS president expressed his thoughts about both presidents and described Locatelli as a "visionary" as he tended to "look towards the future."

"Fr. Engh is very in touch with the current climate on campus and Fr. Locatelli was sometimes busy in Rome, securing permits, working on the library and on the new business school," said Brachvogel.

Other students, however, see major differences between the two presidents' styles. Sweeney believes Engh is more involved with student activities around campus.

"I've seen Fr. Engh on campus a lot engaging with students," said Sweeney. "Before, I wouldn't see Fr. Locatelli around too much, but now it's different."

Locatelli and Engh not only differ in terms of student interactions but also in academic focuses.

According to Rosenberger, Locatelli had a background in business, while Engh is a historian.

Engh was officially inaugurated last April as Santa Clara University's 28th president. Previously, he served as dean of the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

Executive Assistant to the President James Briggs said he "couldn't have imagined a smoother transition" between Locatelli and Engh.

"The biggest difference between the two is that Engh came in brand new to the university and Locatelli knew Santa Clara for most of his life as a student, faculty and president," said Briggs.

According to Briggs, Engh came in to Santa Clara in a difficult time and "immediately had some major issues to address and did so very effectively."

"Among the things that have impressed me the most is his even temperament," he said. "He wants to hear what other people have to say and takes them into consideration."

Apart from the administrative aspect of the university, the new president has also sparked excitement in Campus Ministry

Campus Ministry recently opened a new meditation room in the first floor of Benson.

Campus Ministry Director Jack Treacy, S.J., credited both presidents for helping with this new addition to the Santa Clara campus.

Treacy also said Engh almost always attends community mass on Sundays.

"Fr. Locatelli helped ensure that we had the money for the construction in the space and Fr. Engh ensured that we had funding for the furnishing of the space," said Treacy.

As an attempt to take a step back and meet the students in an informal fashion, Engh hosted a lunch at Benson last week for about an hour.

Approximately ten students stopped by to express their concerns about the Santa Clara campus.

"He is very open and welcoming and interested in the students' experiences," said Rosenberger. "Fr. Engh has a clear vision of where SCU is going and he's doing a great job."

Contact Jesus Diaz at (408) 554-4546 or jadiaz@scu.edu.