Commencement ceremonies were presented virtually and more than 1,400 undergraduate and post-graduate degrees and certificates were awarded.

On May 22, to everyone’s great joy, we held an in-person celebration for the undergraduate Class of 2020. More than 700 of last year’s class returned to campus to gather together as they were unable to last spring. It was my honor to address the Class of 2020 as Commencement speaker and share with them three sentiments that I also shared with the Class of ’21: Be Curious, Be Bold, and Be Kind. For those inclined to see the whole of my remarks, they can be found at fairfield.edu/president.

Needless to say, these have been challenging times; that Fairfield has come through this demanding period in our history with glorious celebrations is testament to the spirit of fellowship and the enduring values that distinguish our University.

It is fitting too, that our celebrations coincided with the start of this Ignatian Year, marking the 500th anniversary of the turning point in the life of St. Ignatius when he was wounded at the Battle of Pamplona. With this Jesuit, Catholic heritage in mind, we look to the future. We are blessed to be emerging from these challenges with tremendous momentum, and grateful in particular for our faculty’s unceasing dedication this past year — as always — to the teaching, formation, and development of young men and women of purpose.

Our innovation in service to the community also continues. The University has taken a leadership position in collaboration with the Connecticut Office of Higher Education to recruit and train 500 college students to provide summer educational programs for students whose K–12 school years were disrupted by the pandemic. We can all be proud of our Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions — soon to be renamed the School of Education and Human Development — and its social entrepreneurial proposal that is quickly meeting the needs of our community. This is only one example of Fairfield, in Ignatius’ words, “meeting the world as it is.” In keeping with our evolution to a doctoral professional university, we recently finalized a new Doctor of Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership program, slated to start in fall 2021. It will be our third professional doctoral program and our first in education.

Not only in graduate programs does our future shine bright. Currently, we expect more than 1,250 new undergraduates in the Class of 2025 — the largest incoming class in our history. They are excellent students with high academic standing and a host of talents.

Our national stature outside the classroom also continues to grow. Fairfield Baseball concluded its regular season with a remarkable 37-3 record. The team earned its first-ever national ranking and became the first MAAC baseball team ever to earn an at-large bid in the NCAA Championships. Meanwhile, for the third consecutive season, Fairfield Women’s Lacrosse was named MAAC Conference Champions.

So, as the Class of ’21 is launched and the Class of ’20 has been rightfully commemorated, we look ahead to what the future holds, a community inspired by our mission, brimming with fresh ideas, and filled with renewed optimism and faith in this special Ignatian Year.

With very best wishes and utmost gratitude,

Mark R. Nemec, PhD

President