Dear College of Arts and Sciences community members,

It has become a tradition that I write to share my thoughts on another successful academic year. It remains, as always, an honor to serve as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, to work with so many gifted and dedicated faculty and staff, to witness the passion and talents of our students, and to meet so many impressive alumni and almunae.

The College of Arts and Sciences, which is rooted in the liberal arts, provides a world class education that prepares students for successful post-Fairfield careers. I’m very pleased to let you know that the College has a 97.3% post-graduation employment rate, and that our students’ starting salaries are the second highest for any university in the state. Our Ignatian values and singular focus on student outcomes undoubtedly set them apart.

Fairfield has clearly risen. This current year saw the largest and most selective first year class in the University’s history. We have also witnessed an exceptional class in the College of Arts and Sciences and seem destined to repeat this pattern next year. These students will be joining an already stellar student body, whose achievements are too numerous to mention. As I have gotten to know our students, I am continually amazed at the level of their commitment to their disciplines. They create new knowledge, present at national professional academic associations, and conduct research in labs and fields. They act, perform, and do community service projects. In short, they are truly amazing. Their faculty also continually impress me. They publish countless books and scholarly articles; produce plays, exhibits, and films; and lead national scholarly associations, yet they remain completely focused on our core mission, which is teaching our students.

The College faculty have been busy this year developing new programs, majors, and minors, including our new behavioral neuroscience major. We continually strive to provide the most rigorous academic programs possible. We are involved in a new strategic planning process and have honed our assessment work - all in an effort to ensure that we continue to meet the high standards that have become a hallmark of a Fairfield University College of Arts and Sciences degree.

In our continued effort to better serve our students, we created the College’s Office of Career and Professional Development, and welcomed new staff members Stephanie Gallo and Kim Nickolenko. Our new office and staff will further enhance the College’s efforts to provide students with the career readiness that pairs so well with their strong liberal arts education. 

Our faculty have also been raising the profile of the College of Arts and Sciences, while providing unique opportunities for our students. This fall, we are welcoming a National Book Award winner, Phil Klay, to our MFA faculty, and through a gift from the Wilson Foundation, we are pleased to offer graduate fellowships to veterans who wish to study with us in our MPA and MFA Programs.

As you can see, the College remains strong, the heart and soul of the University, and a college on the move. I hope you follow us on social media to learn more about all the interesting things we are doing. I am really interested in learning more from our community, especially how they have put their liberal arts education into action.

All the best,

Richard Greenwald, PhD
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences