In late July, I and a number of Fairfield colleagues gathered in Chicago with presidents, administrators, faculty, and staff members from peer institutions in the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) to discuss ways to advance the Society’s work of faith, justice, and reconciliation.

Returning to Chicago, I found myself reflecting on the past seven years since I joined Fairfield from the University of Chicago. The late Robert Zimmer, president during my deanship there, often stressed the need for higher education institutions to think strategically in seven-year arcs. For student-centric Fairfield, this is particularly true. Typically, our first-year students look to the senior class for guidance and our seniors take special care to support the first-years — making the length and breadth of a typical student’s touchpoints seven years.

Looking forward to our next seven years and beyond, we will continue to focus on quality and scale, dedicated to forming young persons of integrity to go into the world and change it for the better.

Drawn by this purpose, the Class of 2028 is our largest ever with just over 1,450 students. With an acceptance rate of 33 percent, it is also our most competitive class, aligning us with a new group of national peers and ranking us among the six most selective Catholic universities nationwide. The average high school weighted GPA of the new class stands at an impressive 3.96, up from last year’s 3.85.

Our incoming students hail from ever broader geographies, including 26 new Company Scholars — a program offering four-year, full-tuition grants to students from Cristo Rey and Jesuit high schools — who represent ten states and the countries of Micronesia and Tanzania.

Further demonstrating our commitment to the Jesuit, Catholic mission of reaching ever broader audiences in ever more innovative ways, our second Fairfield Bellarmine associate’s degree cohort of 77 students began classes this summer. The first cohort’s retention rate of more than 90 percent is well above the national average.

We opened a new student residence, Avery Dulles, S.J. Hall, a useful complement to Faber Hall on the southeast corner of campus. Sister Thea Bowman Hall, which opened last year in the Quad, was recently granted LEED Certification at the Gold Level.

Additionally, the University has taken occupancy of office space at 1720 Post Road in downtown Fairfield, a short walk from our bookstore. Fairfield Post is home to our Center for Social Impact, the new Center for Arts & Minds, and a number of administrative colleagues.

In this issue of Fairfield University Magazine, you will read about the exciting launch of our Center for Climate, Coastal, and Marine Studies – our first cross-disciplinary academic center and a reflection of our continuing commitment to the Vatican’s Laudato si’ Action Platform, which calls us to “care for our common home.”

You will also read about the 10-year anniversary of our Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality and the ongoing success of its unique programs for students, our on-campus community, and our Diocese of Bridgeport neighbors.

Embarking on our next seven-year strategic arc, we are filled with hope and excitement for what lies ahead. Our collective efforts and unwavering dedication continue to advance academic excellence; further achievement in arts, culture, and athletics; and broaden access through scholarships, pathways, and outreach — as always, ad majorem Dei gloriam: for the greater glory of God.

With my deepest gratitude and best wishes,

Mark R. Nemec,
PhD President