Dear Friends,
In the midst of a dynamic spring semester, I am reminded that this season is both a time of renewal and reflection. Today, I am particularly mindful of how Fairfield remains an institution that embraces a duality: rooted in tradition while also continuously thinking about how we meet the needs of the 21st century.
Our Magis Core Curriculum equips students with a broad, comprehensive understanding of the world and the ability to think critically, communicate thoughtfully, and carry out their social responsibility. We are more committed than ever to supporting the enduring relevance of our University’s rigorous liberal arts tradition in preparing students with a breadth and depth of knowledge across disciplines, while instilling a devotion to lifelong learning.
This year, on March 17, as we commemorated Fairfield’s founding in 1942, we also celebrated the extraordinary generosity of John C. Meditz ’70, whose magnanimous $50 million gift will leave a lasting impact and advance the University’s mission to expand student learning and continuously enhance the quality of our Jesuit liberal arts education.
In recognition of not just this gift, but also his exceptional commitment to the liberal arts, Fairfield University’s College of Arts and Sciences will be renamed John C. Meditz College of Arts and Sciences, effective July 1. Meditz College — my academic home — will continue to serve as a constant reminder of our dedication as stewards of the Jesuit Catholic tradition to amplify our impact on the world by elevating our educational approaches and resources. This remarkable gift comes at an opportune time, as the transformational value of our liberal arts education is especially critical in addressing the significant need to prepare students to be thoughtful, compassionate, values-driven leaders in an ever more complex world.
I am honored to be serving as a board member of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, working with esteemed colleagues to articulate the immeasurable value of higher education to society. Building upon this work, I am thrilled to have also recently joined the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness consortium, partnering with other institutional leaders to identify what is needed to ensure we effectively prepare the next generation of graduates for civic engagement. Such collaboration is a natural extension of my academic research that focused on the integral role of higher education and its wide variety of institutions in advancing the American republic and the greater good.
