Scott Pilarz - Biography - Georgetown University

Georgetown University

Pilarz began teaching at his alma mater, 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.