Letter from the President

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Letter from the President

Dec 16, 2024

Dear Friends,

Writing on another of the beautiful, sunny days that have blessed us this fall, I am struck by the exceptional energy across the ��ϲʹ�� community.

Dr. Nemec in a blue checked suit and red tie speaking confidently while holding a tablet in a warmly lit room. — A professor in the Politics Department of the College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Nemec co-teaches a first-year seminar on the societal role of higher education, as part of the Honors Program.

Our campuses have been buzzing with dynamic activity and interactions among our students, faculty, and staff. One particular highlight of this semester was our annual Alumni and Family Weekend in late October, during which more than 2,500 family members and alumni joined us for two days marked by academic ceremonies, community gatherings, athletic competitions, and a memorable afternoon StagFest celebration.

��ϲʹ��has incredible momentum. Our Class of 2028, with just over 1,460 students, is our largest class in history. With an acceptance rate of 33 percent, it is also our most competitive class, aligning us with a whole new group of national peers and placing us among the top six most selective Catholic universities nationwide. We are appropriately recognized as one of the best investments in higher education as we continue our efforts to be the model for Jesuit, Catholic education in the 21st century.

While focusing on the current moment is essential, it is equally important to understand how we arrived here, the current context for higher education, and Fairfield’s way forward.

Our University is grounded in a 500- year Jesuit, Catholic tradition, inspired by St. Ignatius’s then unique practice of serving God and the Church not by retreating to a monastery but rather by getting amongst the world and educating individuals for the greater good. This tradition was brought to southern New England by the Jesuits in 1942 at a time of massive upheaval. Our founding on March 17 was only a few months removed from the attacks on Pearl Harbor, but was animated by a long-term vision and a faith in the dignifying power of higher education.

The audacity of Fairfield’s founding is emblematic of not only our Jesuit, Catholic mission, but also the exceptionalism which characterizes American higher education. For as I share with my students in the first-year seminar I co-teach on the societal role of higher education, the diverse collection of American universities has been an integral factor in making our republic resilient and vibrant.

Higher education in the United States, though, is at a pivotal juncture. Our world has entered into a new period of unprecedented technological innovation and social disruption, and the benefits of a college education are under increased scrutiny. Despite this, the demand for a ��ϲʹ��education has never been higher: applicants are increasingly talented and employers are in need of our Jesuiteducated graduates more than ever.

Even with this success in mind, we cannot take our position for granted. We are called to elevate the quality of every element of our student-centric, valuesbased, and outcomes-focused work, to ensure that our graduates are ready and able to shape the future for the betterment of our communities, our country, and our world.

We remain committed to our educational tradition and the liberal arts. At Fairfield, the liberal arts are the cornerstone of what we are and what we do. Our Magis Core Curriculum focuses on ensuring that every undergraduate leaves ��ϲʹ��with the ability to communicate, a commitment to others through the lens of Catholic social and intellectual tradition, and the aptitude to think across fields of inquiry — no matter the major or career path.

At the same time, we also recognize that to answer our call we must always be evolving to ensure our impact and our relevance. During this year’s annual address to the community to start the academic year, I stressed that generational demographic shifts, urbanization, globalization, digital technology, and artificial intelligence and big data are reshaping the context for our work in dramatic ways. In response we must be ever more committed to lifelong learning, holistic formation, and expansive partnership while being national in scope, global in outlook, and unbounded in approach, all as part of our ongoing efforts to serve broader populations in ever more innovative ways.

��ϲʹ��is an exceedingly special place at a very special time. As a new year dawns, I want to not only celebrate our upward trajectory, but share gratitude for the community and family we have here.

To close on a personal note, in November I accompanied a group of Trustees, University leaders, and Jesuit colleagues on a pilgrimage to Ignatian Rome. Among many extraordinary moments, we attended Mass in the Rooms of St. Ignatius, visited the Gesù and other Jesuit churches, and toured the Jesuit Archives. Perhaps the most profound encounter was our meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican. Being in the presence of the Holy Father’s warmth, simplicity, and deep sense of compassion was humbling and inspiring for all of us and a reminder of the promise of our collective endeavor.

With very best wishes and utmost gratitude,

Mark R. Nemec,
PhD President

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