From Irish dance training at the age of three to pre-med studies as an undergrad, Sean Crosby ’21, MS’22 is a true renaissance man.

Within just a year of receiving his bachelor’s degree in 2021, the Long Island native has traversed the world as a troupe member for the traveling Irish dance show Riverdance, while simultaneously completing an online master’s degree from Fairfield University.

For someone at the ripe age of 22, Crosby has experienced more than his share of uniquely life-altering moments. Honored to be a part of this year’s Riverdance 25th Anniversary Show, he was chosen to perform at the World Expo in Dubai, UAE. Thanks to the Sheik of Dubai’s wife, a fan of Riverdance from a young age, the troupe performed in Dubai for the entire month of November. Unfortunately, a subsequent tour in Vietnam was canceled because of Covid concerns, but Crosby said the experiences he had in Dubai more than made up for it.

“Some of my favorite experiences were eating at the base of the Burj Khalifa,” one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world, “and viewing a water show where the city plays music throughout the area, synchronized to the water performance,” he said.

“Another place that was breathtaking was the desert of Dubai during sunrise. We were escorted by some locals on a dune buggy to a high viewing spot — perfect to watch the sun rising over the Middle East… truly something I will remember for the rest of my life.”

This past March was an especially exciting time, given the global taste for Irish music and entertainment around St. Patrick’s Day. Crosby performed on The Late Show with Jimmy Fallon and was slated to perform on Good Morning America, but was unfortunately not featured on filming day due to a scheduling issue.

Because of the recently added online master’s programs available through Fairfield, Crosby was able to have these once-in-a-lifetime Riverdance experiences without pausing his studies. Complementing his 2021 bachelor of science degree in molecular biology, he received his master’s degree in management from the Charles F. Dolan School of Business this past May.

“Getting my degree virtually is what allowed me to still be able to dance. An opportunity like this wouldn’t be possible for me if I was still living at Fairfield and starting a job directly out of college,” he said. “After realizing that I wanted to enter the medical field on the business side, I researched and saw that the [online] Master of Science in Management program was perfectly tailored for me.”

Growing up, the world of competitive Irish dance took Crosby around North America and through Europe everywhere from England and Scotland, to Toronto, Nashville, and Orlando. He ultimately attained the ranking of third in the world in a competition in Glasgow. Even with these major accomplishments, Crosby never thought he’d be dancing professionally after high school, and decided to study pre-med during his first three years at Fairfield. He had seen so many physical injuries while dancing that he wanted to become one of the professionals who had helped heal him many times before.

“The positive interactions and support from medical professionals inspired me to try to be like them,“ said Crosby. “I wanted to help the injured return to their passion and make sure others could continue to achieve their aspirations. Now, instead of being hands-on with the care, I have directed my own goals to enter the medical field on the business side. Hence my degree in management through Fairfield.”

While he looked into other colleges, Crosby knew from the age of 13 that he wanted to go to Fairfield — as evidenced in a journal from his early teens that he recently came across. He has been steadfast and true with his passions and direction in life since first stepping onto the dance floor at three years old. It’s no wonder Crosby is focused and prepared for what lies ahead.

“It would be a dream of mine to be a part of a company or team whose work makes a significant difference in the world,” he said. “We see that we are only at the beginning of many advancements in tech and medicine, so I hope my work — whatever that may be — will be part of something revolutionary.”