25 minute read
university news
UniversitNEWS y
Stag Solar Strives to Bring Sustainable Vehicles to Campus
The School of Engineering’s MS in Management of Technology program is leading the charge to bring vehicle sustainability to campus. Currently, the state of Connecticut reimburses installation costs of charging stations and offers partial coverage for electric vehicle supply equipment.
As part of their capstone project, Brandon Pearce, Syed Shahzaib Hussain MS’22, and Cody Sheridan MS’22 researched the possibility to bring electric vehicles to campus. They developed a tenyear financial road map that factors in state incentives, timing projects, securing funding, and the purchase of electric vehicles. Additionally, the students designed an electric vehicle calculator and a public electric charging station that would be on campus.
Through the Campus Sustainability Plan, Fairfield University strives to reduce fleet fuel usage by 20 percent by 2025. With the projections from Stag Solar research, the graduates project the University to hit that target and reduce fuel costs by 73 percent over the next ten years.
The proposed plan for a 55KW solar panel installation, capable of powering 50 service vehicles, would save the University an estimated $59,000 annually in gasoline costs and an ROI of five years. After five years, the system would generate $29,000 a year by supplying our own supply grid power.
Fairfield’s Master of Science in the Management of Technology program prepares managers and leaders to apply the technical, financial, entrepreneurial, and management skills relevant to a competitive global environment. Graduates translate technology into business actions and implement solutions for today’s global economy. Learn more at fairfield.edu/gradengineering. l F
INCOMING CLASS OF 2026 YIELDS RECORD-BREAKING ENROLLMENT
Before the academic year officially started, Fairfield University’s newest Class of 2026 had already made history. In addition to being a part of the largest applicant pool on record, this year’s group of first-year students is also the biggest and academically strongest in the University’s 80-year history, with more than 1,340 new Stags slated to join campus in the fall.
The newly minted Stags were selected from a recordbreaking pool of 13,358 applicants and come to Fairfield with an average high school GPA of 3.74. Students represent 24 states in addition to Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, as well as ten countries, including New Zealand, Japan, Canada, Australia, Germany, and Spain, among others.
In addition to breaking enrollment and academic records, the incoming class also boasts the largest number of legacy students (199) in Fairfield’s history, as well as the largest number of firstyear students from Jesuit high schools (94). The numbers of first-generation students and students representing diverse populations have also increased from the previous year.
The Class of 2026 also welcomes the University’s first cohort of Company Scholars, an elite group of 15 first-year students from Cristo Rey Network and Jesuit High Schools who represent diverse identities and are engaged in academic excellence and
community service. l F
Class of 2026 members posed for photos during Orientation.
UniversitNEWS y
On July 22, Fairfield University celebrated its partnership with Brooklyn Jesuit Prep (BJP) with a kick-off walk for the school’s 10,000 Steps for BJP event.
The University community gathered on the plaza of the Egan Chapel of St. Ignatius of Loyola with visiting Brooklyn Jesuit Prep students, administrators from Fairfield Prep, and members of Fairfield University’s men’s basketball team. President Mark R. Nemec, PhD, Director of Campus Ministry and University Chaplain Fr. Keith Maczkiewicz, S.J.,’04, and Brooklyn Jesuit Prep Principal Russell Quiñones offered welcome remarks before the walk.
“This walk is the embodiment of Fairfield University’s and Brooklyn Jesuit Prep’s shared Jesuit mission; to accompany our youth on a hope filled future,” said President Nemec.
Students from Brooklyn Jesuit Prep were on campus for the month of July for a threeweek Summer Leadership Academy annually hosted by the University. The leadership camp builds upon students’ academic work and offers enrichment, outdoor sports and activities, leadership skill development, community building across grade levels, and the opportunity to experience life on a college campus.
Brooklyn Jesuit Prep is a Catholic Jesuit middle school in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, serving students of significant economic need, of diverse races, ethnicities, and faiths. l F
STAGS WIN FOURTH STRAIGHT MAAC WOMEN’S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP
Fairfield Women’s Lacrosse won its fourth consecutive MAAC Championship on May 9 with a 14-11 win over top-seeded Monmouth. The Stags advanced to the NCAA postseason for the sixth time in program history, where the team went toe-totoe with fifth-seeded and #4 nationally ranked Syracuse in the first round.
Kelly Horning ’21 (pictured above) was named MAAC Championship MVP after filling out the stat sheet with six goals, 11 ground balls, and eight caused turnovers in Fairfield’s threegame run to the title. She was joined on the All-Championship Team by Keyla Bay ’22, Nicollette LaVista ’22, Caroline Mangan ’22, and Libby Rowe ’23.
ONLINE PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO EXPAND UNIVERSITY’S REACH
As nationwide data continues to show a steady increase in the popularity of post-graduatelevel online education, Fairfield University has taken significant strides to grow the University’s online programs, more than doubling their enrollment within the past twelve months.
Since 2020, the University has launched 25 online master’s degree programs and graduate certificates in a variety of fields and professional concentrations, while successfully increasing enrollment in the past year. Included in this rapidly expanding portfolio are the University’s two newest online degree programs in Business Administration (MBA) and Public Health (MPH), as well as its fully online master’s programs in Cybersecurity, Interior Design and Public Administration, which launched late last spring.
This record-breaking growth is a part of Fairfield’s longrange strategic goal to reach broader audiences using evermore innovative methods and technology. This focus is fueled by the recognition that online learning — particularly at the postgraduate level — is fast becoming the most desirable educational option for professionals who are seeking to advance their careers or prepare to enter a new field. l F
Fairfield Programs Enhance Undergraduate STEM Research
This summer, College of Arts and Sciences faculty members and students worked on cuttingedge STEM research projects — from environmental work on the effects of microplastics, to interdisciplinary behavioral research with primates — that were grant-funded by both the University and by nationally recognized external organizations.
Natalia Bertolotti ’23 was selected as this year’s Jean Dreyfus Lectureship Summer Research Student. Bertolotti is pursuing research, under the mentorship of John Miecznikowski, PhD, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and has also been supported by visiting assistant professor of chemistry Olivier Nicaise, PhD, and fellow student Michael Corbett ’23.
More than 300 research projects are conducted annually within the College of Arts and Sciences, and more than half of those are presented at national scholarly meetings or are published in professional journals and academic publications. l F
John Miecznikowski, PhD, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, (left), works as a faculty research mentor to students Natalia Bertolotti ’23 and Michael Corbett ’23.
Spring 2022 Dean’s Executive Forum Provides Insights on Developing CFOs
Last March, Fairfield Dolan presented the Dean’s Executive Forum, titled “Developing CFOs and Beyond” with guest speaker Sandy Cockrell. Cockrell is an accomplished strategist, financial executive, and certified public accountant. He is broadly recognized for his deep expertise on all matters that CFOs and finance functions face, and is a frequent contributor to news and television organizations including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, CNBC, Fox Business Network, and Yahoo Finance.
During the forum Cockrell discussed several frameworks that are effective for C-Suite executives and other professionals in government and academia to optimize performance and effectiveness. Specifically, he covered the paradigms of time, talent, and relationships, and the “four faces” of an executive. Cockrell currently serves as the executive vice president and CFO of Flipt, LLC, a digital healthcare solutions platform company and previously served as the Global Leader of Deloitte’s CFO program.
The forum took place before an in-person audience of Dolan students and more than 100 attendees joined the event via Zoom webinar.
Following the forum, students participated in an exclusive Q&A session with Cockrell. The event was co-moderated by Dean Zhan Li, DBA and Valeria Martinez, PhD, associate professor of finance. l F
STAGS WIN MAAC WOMEN’S COMMISSIONER’S CUP, PLACE SECOND IN OVERALL STANDINGS
For the second time in three years, Fairfield University Athletics has claimed the MAAC Women’s Commissioner’s Cup. The Stags also finished second in the overall cup standings for the second straight season and placed fifth on the men’s ledger.
Fairfield won three women’s MAAC Championships in the 2021-22 season: volleyball, women’s basketball, and women’s lacrosse. The volleyball and women’s basketball teams also claimed MAAC regular season titles.
The Stags also scored Commissioner’s Cup points in women’s tennis following a trip to the MAAC Championship match, in softball for a secondplace regular season finish, in women’s soccer after advancing to the tournament semifinals, and in women’s swimming and diving for a third-place performance at the MAAC Championships.
In addition to their second MAAC Women’s Commissioner’s Cup in three years, Fairfield has now earned that honor 10 times in program history. The Stags have also won four overall MAAC Commissioner’s Cups and three Men’s Commissioner’s Cups,
both most recently in 2011-12. l F
UniversitNEWS y
Alumnus and Trustee John Meditz ’70 Receives Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam Award at USA East Province Jesuit Dinner
On May 7, Fairfield University alumnus and Board of Trustee member John Meditz ’70 was honored with the Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam award at the USA East Province’s annual Jesuit Dinner at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center. The USA East Province of Jesuits honors the Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam award “to those who selflessly give of themselves for the greater glory of God.”
Managing director and cofounder of Horizon-Kinetics, LLC, Meditz earned a bachelor’s in economics from Fairfield University in 1970. In addition to serving on the University’s Board of Trustees, he also gives generously to support Fairfield students, including a $10 million gift to expand and modernize the Leslie C. Quick Jr. Recreation Complex, and gifts that enabled the University to construct and establish the Fairfield University Art Museum, to endow the directorship of the Museum, and to create additional endowed student scholarships. Meditz is also a former chairman and current member of the Board of Trustees at Xavier High School, another of his alma maters.
Meditz served on the Capital Campaign Committee for the USA East Province of Jesuits, where his contribution launched the development of a new apostolic center, The Jesuit Center, which is now central to the province’s operations. l F
(l-r) George Diffley, Fr. John Mulreany, Fr. Gerry Blaszczak, Brian Hull ’80, P’13, (Trustee), John Glassford ’85, Lisa Ferraro Martino ’85, P’22 (Trustee), President Mark R. Nemec, PhD, Suzanne Nemec, John Meditz ’70 (Trustee), Patti Glassford ’85 (Trustee), Fr. Mario Powell (President of Brooklyn Jesuit Prep), Mark Reed ’96 (current President of Saint Joseph’s University, soon-to-be President of Loyola Chicago), Fr. Michael Tunney, Fr. Paul Rourke, Kevin Delaney, and Fr. Kevin O’Brien Charlie Pagliarini ’23 was named to the All-MAAC First Team after swatting 13 home runs this past spring.
STAGS RACK UP SPRING ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
Thirty-four Fairfield studentathletes earned all-conference honors in the spring of 2022. Stags collected All-MAAC recognition in golf, tennis, women’s lacrosse, baseball, softball, and women’s rowing, in addition to four AllCAA honors for men’s lacrosse.
Kaya Gore ’22 and Sandra Bozinovic M’22, were named the MAAC Men’s and Women’s Tennis Players of the Year.
On the golf course, Killian McGinley ’23 and Jason Salameno ’22 tied for seventh place at the MAAC Championship, helping the Stags to a third-place team finish.
Fairfield Women’s Lacrosse collected a quartet of All-MAAC honors on their way to a fourthstraight MAAC Championship. Kelly Horning ’21 and Caroline Mangan ’22 were both named to the First Team with Nicollette LaVista ’22 and Elizabeth Talluto ’23 each landing on the Second Team.
Horning went on to become first All-American in program history, as she earned an Honorable Mention distinction from Inside Lacrosse.
Fairfield native Jack McKenna ’25 led the rundown of men’s lacrosse selections as he was named the 2022 CAA Rookie of the Year. In addition, Taylor Strough ’21 earned the Stags’ first All-CAA First Team nod since 2016, with McKenna, Mike Drake M’22 and Braden Lynch ’24 all selected to the Second Team.
Another Rookie of the Year headlined the ledger for Fairfield Softball as Charli Warren was named the MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year as well as the team’s lone All-MAAC First Team pick. Katie Kudlacik ’22 and Haley Updegraff ’23 both earned a place on the All-MAAC Second Team.
On the baseball diamond, Charlie Pagliarini ’23 was the lone All-MAAC First Team honoree for the MAAC Regular Season Champion Stags. The foursome of Mike Becchetti ’23, Matt Venuto ’23, Bryson Cafaro ’21, M’22 and Matt Zaffino ’22 all claimed a place on the Second Team.
Rounding out the honorees is a quartet that helped guide Fairfield Women’s Rowing to third place at the 2022 MAAC Championship. Christina Caruso ’23 and Ana McDonough ’22 were named to the First Team with Arden Costello ’25 and Chloe Lennon ’23 both claiming Second Team laurels. l F
Fairfield’s Dolan Wins Connecticut Building Congress Award
The Charles F. Dolan School of Business won first place in the “Large Higher Education” category of Connecticut Building Congress (CBC)’s 2022 Project Team Awards.
The team worked cohesively to deliver the project — an 85,000 square foot, state-of-the-art academic facility — within budget and on time for the fall 2019 opening. Techniques such as Gilbane’s Advanced Planning and Scheduling (AP&S) and Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) ensured the project remained on schedule and trades were coordinated transparently despite challenges such as expansive sitework, long-lead custom materials, and a unique curved building frame.
The CBC recognizes outstanding building projects that exemplify project team excellence and represent the best practices in teamwork by project owners, architects, engineers, constructors, and trades. Each year, the CBC’s Annual Project Team Awards program recognizes projects throughout the state whose team members have met or surpassed goals and have achieved higher project quality through this close collaboration. l F
IN MEMORIAM
The Fairfield University community is saddened by the loss of alumnus and trustee,
E. Gerald “Jerry” Corrigan ’63
on May 17.
A native of Waterbury, Conn., Corrigan earned his bachelor’s in economics from Fairfield, and a master’s and PhD in economics, in 1965 and 1971 respectively, from Fordham University. His career began as an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in 1968, where he served in various positions. In 1976, he was named vice president of the bank, and in 1979 he became special assistant to the board chairman. In 1980, he was promoted to president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, until 1985 when he returned to the New York Fed to serve as President and CEO. Corrigan ended his 25-year career with the Federal Reserve System in 1993. In 1994, he joined Goldman Sachs as chairman of International Advisors and senior advisor to the executive committee, and was named managing director in 1996. He retired from Goldman Sachs in 2016.
Corrigan was actively engaged with Fairfield since 1984 and was one of the University’s top benefactors. He served on the Board of Trustees for 11 years and was elected Trustee Emeritus in 2009. Corrigan was honored with Fairfield’s 50th Anniversary Jubilee Medal in 1992 and received the Alumni Personal Achievement award in 1981. l F
Pictured Left to Right: Chizimuzo Chibuko ’22, Tobenna Ugwu ’22, Dr. Drazan, John Minogue ’22, Aina Razakamanantsoa ’22, Rachel Jacobson ’22, and Prince Addo ’22.
Engineering Research Team Takes First Place at NEBEC Conference
Senior engineering students represented Fairfield University’s School of Engineering and showcased team research on biomechanics in front of an audience of engineering students, industry professionals, and research leaders at the 48th NEBEC Conference, held at Columbia University in New York City on April 23 and 24.
Class of 2022 biomedical engineering majors Tobenna Ugwu, Chizimuzo Chibuko, John Minogue, Aina Razakamanantsoa, Rachel Jacobson, and Prince Addo were awarded first place for their senior research project, “STEM Outreach Through Sports Biomechanics,” developed under the mentorship of assistant professor of electrical and biomedical engineering John Drazan, PhD.
During the course of the project, the engineers developed four devices that were used to measure the students’ athletic abilities. They engaged the students in sports while explaining the process of designing each of the devices. In addition to presenting their research, students had the opportunity to attend research presentations and connect with industry professionals. l F
INTRODUCING NEW EdD IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Inaugurated in September 2021, the School of Education and Human Development (SEHD)’s Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership program has quickly proven successful. Its determined focus on social justice and equity, which underpins every aspect of the curriculum, gives the program a distinction that differentiates it from other EdD programs.
Recently, Dean Laurie Grupp, PhD, announced a new track within the program, one that is specifically designed to build leadership skills for those working in higher education.
Recruiting is ongoing and the new cohort begins September 2022 under the direction of Mack Hines, EdD, formerly on the faculty of Tennessee State University. He has written extensively on diversity, inclusion, and lead-
ership in education. l F
UniversitNEWS y
Fairfield Dolan hosted the first Sports Analytics Hackathon sponsored by Athletes Unlimited. Business Analytics professor Philip Maymin, PhD, serves on the advisory board for Athletes Unlimited and hosted the event in May.
A panel of judges awarded a total of $10,000.
First place and $5,000 was awarded to Team Basketball: Rachel Hakes ’21, M’22; Conor Fletcher ’21; Chase Judkins ’21, M’22; Andrew Mahoney ’21, M’22; and Tyler Zikias ’21, M’22. Second place and $3,000 was awarded to Team Field Hockey: Daniel Anusic M’22, Pranav Bhattessa, Euan Brown MBA’21, Mica Diaz, Daniel Enright M’22, and Gabby Saxon ’22. In third place, Team Value won $2,000: Matt Dziemian; Nick Palazzi ’21; Lila Pfohl ’21, M’22; and Connor Wolff M’22.
Athletes Unlimited (AU) is a network of new professional sports leagues where athletes compete in fantasy-inspired games in softball, volleyball, and lacrosse. Soros and Athletes Unlimited CTO John Spade accompanied Dolan Analytics professor and director of Fairfield StartUp, Chris Huntley, PhD, and assistant professor of Information Systems and Operations Management Jie Tao, PhD as
judges for the event. l F
$30,000 Awarded at the Tenth Annual Fairfield StartUp Showcase
On April 27, the University’s student entrepreneurship competition, Fairfield StartUp Showcase, returned live at the Quick Center. First-place team Quantify won $12,500 in seed funding, and team GreenIRR took second place with winnings of $7,500 plus $1,000 for being voted the audience favorite.
Five teams competed for $30,000 in seed funding in front of an audience of 500, and a panel of investors. Nearly 400 viewers also watched the livestream. The event was hosted by actor and director James Naughton.
Celine King ’23 pitched first for team GreenIRR, a SaaS [software as a service] offering that allows private equity managers access to real-time environmental data to ensure climate impact is tracked. Ashley Milone ’23 pitched for team Present Pass, an engine that helps shoppers buy the perfect gift. Next up was Ricky Jagroo ’22 pitching for team Village, an interactive mentoring platform that connects middle school classrooms with college students engaged in service learning. Returning Showcase contestant Mariana Antaya ’23 pitched for team Quantify, a cryptocurrency strategy generator. Finally, Christian O’Rourke ’24 pitched for team Right Hand Apprentice, an online platform that connects students looking for work with homeowners looking for assistance with home projects.
The investor panel featured alumni and business professionals: Joseph Bronson ’70, Chris Hillock ’00, Spring Hollis, Brenda Lewis, and Mark Selinger ’90. l F
First place team Quantify at the 2022 Fairfield StartUp Showcase.
Fairfield University’s Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies is launching a new fully online Master of Public Health program. The online program is designed to meet criteria for accreditation by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
“As a fully online, asynchronous program that can be completed in a relatively short period of time, Fairfield University’s MPH program is designed to meet the needs of a diverse student population including new college graduates and individuals who have been working full-time for many years,” said interim program director and assistant professor Kim Doughty, MPH, PhD, CHES.
Rooted in science and social justice, a master’s degree in public health prepares students for a variety of careers that are preventionoriented, multi-disciplinary, and that promote conditions to protect and improve the health of people and communities.
The MPH is an 18-month full-time, 24-month part-time program that offers a customizable interdisciplinary curriculum to meet the broad spectrum of indemand careers within the field. The program concludes with a two-semester capstone project involving an internship to gain hands-on experience. l F
FIRST MASTER’S DEGREES AWARDED IN INTERIOR DESIGN
During Fairfield University’s Commencement ceremony on May 21, the College of Arts and Sciences’ online Interior Design program awarded its first eight master’s degrees.
Students in the Interior Design master’s program are encouraged to work in the field during the program and all of the graduates leave Fairfield with job prospects.
The Interior Design master’s degree program was launched as a fully online, part-time course of study in 2019. Since then, the program’s popularity has grown, enrollment has doubled, and outof-state students have joined the online cohorts. l F
2022 Goldwater Scholar Jimmy Vizzard ’23
Physics Major Jimmy Vizzard ’23 Awarded Prestigious Goldwater Scholarship
At the concluding ceremony of the annual Innovative Research Symposium in April, Jimmy Vizzard ’23 was named a 2022 Goldwater Scholar. The Barry Goldwater Scholarship recognizes top college sophomores and juniors who plan to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering. In his research, Vizzard studied the projected changes in the magnitude and frequency of extreme precipitation over the Northeastern United States through the end of the century using state-of-the-art climate models.
According to Vizzard’s faculty mentor and research advisor, assistant professor of physics Robert Nazarian, PhD, this year the Goldwater Scholars candidate pool included 433 academic institutions with more than 5,000 applicants, of whom less than 10 percent were named Goldwater Scholars.
Vizzard has received funding through the NASA Space Grant as well as through the Lawrence Family Mentoring Fund and the Mancini Family Fund through Fairfield’s Office of Scholarly Development. l F
JESSICA BALDIZON MA’15 RECOGNIZED WITH AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING TEACHING
Jessica Baldizon MA’15 (pictured here with her parents) was recently named the 2022 recipient of the Bridgeport Public Education Fund Inspiration Award for Outstanding Teaching. In her role she teaches English to third, fourth, and sixth-grade multilingual learners at Cesar Batalla School in Bridgeport, Conn. Cesar Batalla is the second-largest pre-K-8 school in the state and Baldizon has taught there for six years since graduating from Fairfield with her master’s in TESOL.
Two Class of 2022 Graduates Named Fulbright Scholars
The Office of Scholarly Development is pleased to announce that Matthew Little ’22 and Sean McQuade ’22 have been named 2022 Fulbright Scholars. The Fulbright Program is a yearlong scholarship that supports post-graduate study, research, work, or teaching in another
country. Through the Fulbright Program, Little and McQuade will travel to Brazil and Germany respectively, to continue their research and pursue their passions. Matthew Little’s Fulbright journey will take him to Fortaleza, Brazil where he will pursue his research, titled “The Embodied Interconnectedness of Brazil’s Domestic Natural Products.” A biology major with minors in chemistry and economics, Little has been accepted to Yale University for graduate studies and will pursue a PhD in chemical biology following his Fulbright experience. For Sean McQuade, the Fulbright program will allow him to pursue his research, titled “Integration of Female Afghan Refugees,” in Hamburg, Germany, with Dr. Joachim Schroeder at the University of Hamburg. Following his time in Germany, McQuade hopes to pursue a master’s in international relations, in Germany or another European country. l F
Matthew Little ’22 Sean McQuade ’22
UniversitNEWS y
Fairfield Celebrates Class of 2022 at 72nd Commencement
This past May, Fairfield University awarded diplomas to 1,082 undergraduates and 499 graduate students, 23 sixth-year certificate recipients, and 39 doctorate recipients. Graduate students from the Class of 2022 celebrated Commencement on Saturday, May 21, and undergraduate students from the Class of 2022 were honored on Sunday, May 22. Both ceremonies took place on Fairfield’s historic Bellarmine Lawn.
The graduate Commencement ceremony honored 561 graduates from the Class of 2022 with degrees from Fairfield’s Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing & Health Studies, College of Arts and Sciences, Charles F. Dolan School of Business, School of Engineering, and School of Education & Human Development.
The graduate ceremony speaker and recipient of an honorary Doctor of Laws degree was Allison Rivera, president of Saint Martin de Porres Academy in New Haven, a tuition-free independent Catholic middle school.
Rivera inspired the graduates “to find not only a job, but a real vocation — a place where your unique gifts meet the world’s needs,” and encouraged them to not “accept the status quo. Fairfield University has challenged you to be men and women for others.”
During her tenure at the Academy, Rivera has served as teacher, director of special programs, and vice president. In 2010, she was appointed president and currently oversees the general operations and management of the school and its $2 million operating budget, which is fundraised annually. Prior to the Academy, Rivera served as the executive director of the Connecticut chapter of Best Buddies International. She is a graduate of the University of Vermont and Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.
An honorary degree was also bestowed upon Carl F. Bailey Jr. ’75, president and founder of Bailey & Beatty Financial Services and founder of Danbury Grassroots Academy, a free, yearround program focusing on education, character, tennis, and health.
In a final blessing, Superior of the Fairfield Jesuit Community, Reverend John Mulreany, S.J., prayed over the graduates, “Moved with gratitude for their own blessings, may they make a fitting return for all they have been given. Having been afforded the opportunity to flourish, may they ensure the same opportunity exists for others. Inspire in them a spirit of wisdom and a burning desire for justice.”
The Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport opened the undergraduate ceremony with the
Robert D. Manfred, Jr. Commissioner of Major League Baseball delivered the undergraduate commencement address.
Russell and Thomas Mazzaro share beaming smiles upon graduating from Fairfield’s Dolan School. Saint Martin de Porres Academy President Allison Joy Rivera received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at the graduate exercises.
Lucas the Stag added to the festivities in honor of the Class of 2022.
(l-r) Fairfield University Trustee Frank J. Carroll III ’89; President Mark R. Nemec, PhD; Fairfield University Trustee Rev. Mario M. Powell, S.J., president of Brooklyn Jesuit Prep; and Rev. Gerald Blaszczak, S.J., alumni chaplain and special assistant to the President.
Marc R. Nemec, PhD, University President
Fairfield University celebrated graduates from the Class of 2022 on May 21 and 22, conferring degrees upon 1,082 undergraduate students and 499 graduate students.
invocation, followed by student Commencement speaker EnkhAmgalan Batburen ’22.
Nicole Hockley, co-founder of Sandy Hook Promise, received an honorary degree. Sandy Hook Promise aims to help students, teachers, and parents recognize the signs of social isolation and anger in students, to head off violence before it starts. The nonprofit was created following the death of Hockley’s son Dylan, along with 19 other firstgraders in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
This year’s undergraduate Commencement speaker and recipient of an honorary Doctor of Laws degree was Robert D. Manfred Jr., attorney, business executive, and current commissioner of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Manfred spoke to graduates about baseball legend Jackie Robinson’s legacy. “Jackie Robinson once uttered words that I believe teach an important life lesson. Jackie said: ‘A life is not important except in the impact that it has on others’ lives.’”
Manfred continued, “Jackie Robinson was right. You will all have busy and successful lives. Please find room and time in those busy lives to positively affect the lives of others... Be generous with your wealth and try to help those who are less fortunate. At the end of the day, what you do for others is what really matters.”
Manfred became the commissioner of baseball in January 2015. He has led the MLB in staging special events internationally and domestically, including a historic trip to Cuba in 2016, the sport’s inaugural 2019 European games in London, and the 2021 trip to Iowa’s famed Field of Dreams. With two labor agreements during his tenure as commissioner, baseball’s unprecedented streak of uninterrupted play on the field since 1995 has continued. MLB has formed core partnerships with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Jackie Robinson Foundation, and Stand Up to Cancer.
Following Manfred’s speech, undergraduates received degrees from the College of Arts and Sciences, Egan School of Nursing, Dolan School of Business, and the School of Engineering.
President Mark R. Nemec, PhD, congratulated the Class of 2022 and offered concluding remarks. “Our Ignatian tradition calls us to... ‘be in the moment,’ to find God in all things, and to celebrate your leadership.” He shared words of wisdom by a 2019 Fairfield University honorary degree recipient, Chris Lowney: “The measure of a leader’s personal greatness is less what they found at journey’s end and more the depth of human character that carried them along the way, their imagination, will, perseverance, courage, resourcefulness, and willingness to bear the risk of failure.’” l F
