Mark Vargas, Executive Director of the University Libraries, will be leaving after ten years of working here at Saint Xavier University.
Vargas states that his official last date will be June 30 where he will be moving to start his new job.
“The hardest part isn’t leaving the place, it’s leaving the people. You develop lots of friendships and relationships with people that you wouldn’t have met otherwise. There are some great administrators, staff, and students here,” Vargas states.
Since starting work here on July 1, 2002, Vargas has overseen many changes in the Robert and Mary Rita Murphy Stump Library located in the Warde Academic center.
“I have come to love the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy. That will be with me for the rest of my life. It’s the people that make the place. A building is brick and mortar; it’s the people inside that really make the difference.”
He continues with, “And that’s what’s hard, it’s always hard to leave the folks you have been working with for a really long time. It’s with really mixed emotions that I’ll be leaving SXU,” states Vargas.
Vargas explains that his memorable moment here at Saint Xavier was “The first day of school in Fall 2011, when people walked into the renovated library for the first time. Freshman and sophomores now don’t know how the old library looked like. But to see the faces of people when they first walked in and see them looking around and to have people ooh and ah; that was one of the best days you can ask for.”
However, Vargas says to not only thank him, stating that, “I give myself very little credit for what we’ve done, it’s what others have done that helped make it happen. It’s hard to separate out what you thought or did. Change is hard for people and this library underwent a lot of change and the credit goes to the staff for making those changes, adapting to them, and buying into them.”
When it comes to his position at Saint Xavier, Vargas and the library staff work hard to make sure resources and technology are available to students when they need them.
University Libraries.
When asked what he will miss upon his departure, he explained, “It’s always the students. It always comes back to the students. Every institution has students that you remember. But I met through the years here so many great young people that just brighten your day. You realize this is what it’s all about. I see people using the recourses and asking the question and that’s what it’s all about, it’s all about the students.”
When talking about Saint Xavier, Vargas had to say that, “This is really a unique school and I don’t think a lot people realize how great of an institution it is. It has a great tradition, it takes people of all faiths, colors, creeds, nationalities, you name it and it makes people feel comfortable, and that’s pretty unique.”
His motto for life, “Work hard and do right,” explaining that hard work only did people good and got them to the professional level they wanted to get to. He went to add that hard work needs a reason behind it, a reason beyond material wealth.
“The University has a great tagline and it’s ‘Success with Purpose’ and it’s true,” Vargas states.
Vargas will be moving on to a news position as Library Dean at St. Cloud University in Minnesota. His parting words, “Thank you. Thank you to the SXU community for ten years.”
About Post Author
