23 minute read
athletics
Nursing Ambition
Some schools discourage nurses from Division 1 athletics competition. At Fairfield, it’s all part of the learning experience.
by Jack Jones
Sophomore Kathryn Bergstrom ’24 sat across from coaches during her college recruitment days and listened as her aspirations to row on a varsity team and study to become a nurse slowly slipped away.
It was a similar experience for senior Tahlia Brown ’22 when she went through the recruiting process as a softball player.
Kelly Buckley ’21 had stopped looking altogether, because she could not find a school that would offer her the chance to play field hockey as well as work her way toward a nursing degree.
But as anyone with a dream will do, Bergstrom, Brown, and Buckley did not relent. Rather, they continued their search until they came upon Fairfield University’s Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies, the one place where their aspirations were not only welcomed but also encouraged.
“I probably looked at five schools that had both rowing and nursing,” Bergstrom said. “Other schools told me that I had to pick either nursing or rowing. Clinicals start in the second year so I was told that I could be on the team for the first two years, but then I would have to quit the team or pick another major.”
Brown was so sure she would never realize her dream of playing softball and studying nursing, that she dropped the major from her profile.
“On my recruiting profile, I just put “education,” because a lot of schools in the West discouraged softball and nursing, since softball is year-round,” Brown said. “They were concerned because of clinicals… they didn’t say I couldn’t do it, but just really discouraged me, by telling me about a player who had tried it and had missed a lot of practices.”
Buckley’s nursing goals were not solidified until she made her decision to attend Fairfield University.
I wasn’t 100 percent sure about nursing before I found Fairfield, because I had never seen a program that was on board with athletics.” Buckley said. “There weren’t many opportunities for field hockey and nursing.”
Buckley, a two-time Northeast Conference defensive player of the year, graduated from the nursing program last spring and now works as a clinical nurse on a medical surgical floor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. She hopes to use this experience to move into the emergency room.
“I think it’s the fast-paced energy of the emergency room that draws me there,” said Buckley. “It kind of relates to field hockey because it’s pure adrenalin that drives your next instinct. Emergency room work is completely run on teamwork and communicating with one another, like sports.”
Like all nursing students, Brown started the clinical experience in her sophomore year, gaining exposure to areas of nursing such as geriatrics, medical surgery, maternity, and pediatrics.
“I really want to work in a pediatrics ICU or neonatal ICU,” Brown said. “Down the road, I am thinking of being a nurse practitioner. I would become an RN first, work a few years, and then pursue a master’s to become an APRN for pediatrics.”
Bergstrom is in her sophomore year, so she will not experience her first clinical until the spring semester. She looks forward to finding her field of interest.
While clinicals provide the opportunity to apply academic subjects such as anatomy and chemistry while gaining practical experience, the time required can put added strain on an already full schedule for a student-athlete. On some clinical days, student-athletes need to miss practice and conditioning sessions in order to meet the hourly requirements of their academics. “When playing a sport, you don’t always have enough hours in the day,” Brown said. “Even though I may not want to study or do homework at a particular time, I need to take advantage of the time I have, so that I don’t get behind in my work.” She noted that softball head coach Julie Brzezinski “always gives us time when we are traveling to do our schoolwork, so that’s helpful as well.” But, along with the stress of trying to find “enough hours in a day” comes that sense of accomplishment and relief when everything comes together.
“In the fall of my junior year, I was taking 18 credits,” Buckley said. “There was one day when I had an exam in my 8 a.m. class, an exam in my 12:30 p.m. class, plus I had to make up a lab, followed by another exam that night. And, I went to practice that afternoon. At the end of the day, I thought ‘Wow, I just did that!’”
When those time crunches materialize, all three student-athletes are grateful for the guidance they receive from their coaches as well as their professors.
“I appreciate all of the support from my coaches and professors because they all really want you to do well and want what’s best for you,” Bergstrom said. “If you are struggling in a class, the coaches are always there to help you. Having support from the staff was really important to me, in choosing a school.”
With proper support, and spurred by their own determination, Bergstrom, Brown, and Buckley have gained a sense of accomplishment, satisfaction, and pride — in the classroom, in competition, and in their chosen profession — all of which are important when fulfilling a dream. l F
Left: Student-athlete nurses pose in front of the Egan School. (l-r): Tahlia Brown’22 and Kathryn Bergstrom ’24.
Kathryn Bergstrom ’24
Kelly Buckley ’21 in action during a field hockey game.
Top: Fr. Allen offers remarks after receiving the Bowler Award. Below, clockwise from top left: Fr. Gerry Blaszczak, Fr. John Mulreany, Dean Tom Curran, and Bishop Frank J. Caggiano on the altar at the outdoor Mass; attendees enter the main door of Bellarmine Hall; Marianne and Robert H. Laska ’69 enjoy Fr. Blaszczak’s sermon; and Mike and Cece Donoghue join the impromptu applause following the homily.
GOD’S WORK
The Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality honored Rev. Charles H. Allen, S.J., for his more than 40 years of service to Fairfield University and Fairfield Prep.
by Jeannine Carolan Graf ’87
With characteristic grace and humor, the Rev. Charles H. Allen, S.J., returned to campus on Sunday, Sept. 19 to receive the Rev. James M. Bowler, S.J., Award from the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality of Fairfield University.
His spirit of generosity filled the enormous tent on Bellarmine Lawn as more than 500 friends and family members gathered in celebration for the outdoor Mass and luncheon.
The Most Rev. Frank J. Caggiano, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, presided at the Mass, assisted by a dozen resident and visiting Jesuits. Homilist Rev. Gerry Blaszczak, S.J., alumni chaplain and special assistant to the Fairfield University President, paid homage to Fr. Allen’s famous “three-point talks” and thanked God for “the gift of Charlie Allen.”
Rev. Denis Donoghue, S.J.,
Director of the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality
“ Fr. Allen and St.
Rev. Denis Donoghue, S.J.
Director of the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality
The Glee Club provided music for the Mass — a fitting touch, given Fr. Allen’s many years of service as chaplain of Fairfield University’s oldest club. Fr. Allen’s nephew, Luke Paulino ’13, lent his voice to the Glee Club as an alumnus guest for the occasion, and also sang an impromptu, a cappella Amazing Grace during the luncheon, at his Uncle Charlie’s request.
Fairfield University President Mark R. Nemec, PhD, gave a welcome address during which he commended Fr. Allen for always carrying himself with “grace, wit, and a generosity of spirit,” telling his former special assistant, “Thank you so much, Fr. Allen, for your leadership, your companionship, and above all, for your servant’s heart.”
The event was co-chaired by Fairfield College Preparatory School alumnus Peter Harding (FP Class of 1987) and his wife, Jennifer.
Introduced by Peter as “Charlie’s guardian angel,” Janet Canepa ’82, assistant vice president of Alumni Relations, joyfully proclaimed “This is the day the Lord has made!” before being joined by Rev. James M. Bowler, S.J., former Fairfield Prep headmaster and founder of the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality, to present the award to Fr. Allen.
Fr. Allen’s three-point acceptance speech was punctuated by laughter from the crowd. With great humor, he told the story of how he got his first teaching job at Fairfield Prep after one of their Jesuits left to get married: “My God, what a sacrifice that man made, just so I could have a job!”
With grace, he reflected on the gift of spirituality that he received from his parents, Helen and Charles Allen: “They taught me that finding God is not a solo sport…it’s a sport that requires a good deal of team effort.”
And with great humility he thanked the organizers of the day’s events, his fellow Jesuits, and “the many beautiful women who have enriched my life, especially my sisters Andrea, Lisa, and Lorraine.”
Since 2018, the Rev. James M. Bowler, S.J., Award has been bestowed upon a person whose lifetime of service exemplifies the spirit of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Fr. Allen is the third recipient of the honor, following Fr. James M. Bowler (2018) and Bishop Frank J. Caggiano (2019).
“St. Ignatius talks about the importance of meeting people where they are in their relationship with God and bringing them out the door of Christ. This was the essence of Fr. Allen’s ministry here at Fairfield,” said Rev. Denis
Above: More than 500 friends and family members gathered beneath the tent on Bellarmine Lawn to honor Fr. Allen. Left: Fr. Denis addresses those gathered for the celebratory Mass.
Donoghue, S.J., director of the Murphy Center.
This is also at the heart of the Murphy Center’s ministry of spiritual direction for students, faculty, staff, and members of the larger Bridgeport community who enroll in the 10-week “Encountering the Living God” program. During one-on-one meetings with a spiritual director, participants are guided along an adapted version of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, designed to deepen their relationship with God. The program, Fr. Donoghue said, “encourages seekers to grow in the light of faith.”
Since opening in 2015, the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality has welcomed more than 1,500 “seekers,” from all faith traditions, through its doors. This includes as many as 50 undergraduates each semester who sign up to take courses based on the “Encountering the Living God” program.
The Murphy Center also runs a two-year Spiritual Director Formation program, which trains participants as guides through the Ignatian exercises of discernment. A total of 26 spiritual directors were certified in 2017 and 2019; in December 2021, 13 more will receive their certificates, bringing the total number to 39.
The Center’s spiritual directors create a sacred space for their directees, allowing as much freedom for the expression of God’s grace in another’s experience as possible. “We don’t lead or proselytize. We notice and affirm,” said Marcy Haley, assistant director of the Murphy Center. “We have been formed and trained to recognize grace and to discover how that grace is being accepted, resisted, or responded to in prayer and action.
“We then offer that grace back to the directee without expectation, trusting God will lead the way.”
Spiritual direction remains the most popular initiative the Murphy Center offers. Other popular offerings currently include: the “Aging With Grace” Zoom webinar series run by Rev. John Murray, S.J.,’76; annual student-athlete retreats for every sports team on campus; an “Integrating Spirituality Into Nursing” course for nursing students; and a Virtual Retreat Series which draws attendees from as far away as Canada and the Philippines.
“During this Ignatian year, as declared by the Society of Jesus,” noted Fr. Denis, in every Murphy Center program, “we desire evermore to be available to journey with people to help them, as Ignatius would say, ‘find God in all things.’
“Fr. Allen and St. Ignatius remind us to trust the invitation from God to see all things new in Christ, by accepting and embracing who we are uniquely called to be. This is the gift of ‘finding God in all things.’ Fr. Allen’s ministry and the work of the Murphy Center is God’s work.” l F Please visit the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality’s website at fairfield.edu/mcis to learn more about its programs and to view highlights from the celebration for Fr. Allen.
Above from top: Fr. Charles Allen holds the Bowler Award, on stage with Fr. James Bowler and Peter Harding, FP’87. Janet Canepa ’82 offers remarks about her dear friend, Fr. Charlie; Rev. Paul Rourke and Fr. Allen are entertained by a young child at the luncheon.
Left: Fr. Allen, surrounded by his beloved sisters and brother-in-law, (l-r) Lorraine Paulino, P’13,’09; Lisa Allen; Stephen Paulino, P’13,’09; and Andrea Knutson.
OPEN SPACE
New meeting places, learning areas, and lounges have transformed the Fairfield student-life experience.
by Sara Colabella ’08, MA’11 and Robby Piazzaroli
With 220 acres and nearly 2 million square feet of building space, Fairfield’s campus can feel like its own little city; but through proper planning, the University has managed to create various intimate spaces across campus to better serve its students’ social and academic needs.
Drawing upon feedback from students on what they would like to see on campus, and informed by the University’s “Fairfield 2020: The Way Forward” strategic plan launched in 2014, Fairfield has added a number of spaces over recent years that foster collaborative and social experiences, while also carving out quieter spaces for studying and personal improvement.
“The residential quad renovations provide ample space for students to gather for social and curricular activities, serving as a bustling and scenic environment for them to grow as students and young adults,” said Karen Donahue ’03, vice president of Student Life. “From meeting with faculty, to watching a movie with floormates, students are coming together to learn and grow. The well-lit lounges highlight the vibrant community created by our diverse body of students.”
Over the last five years, the University has completed a number of projects, which include collaborative spaces in the Academic Commons in DiMenna-Nyselius Library, communal first-year lounges in residence halls, the brainstorming hub known as the Fredrickson Family Innovation Lab, additional dining options to the Barone Campus Center, gathering spaces in the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing & Health Studies, and both graduate and undergraduate student lounges in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, the newest building on campus.
“We have received a lot of positive feedback from both students and faculty on the collaborative spaces we have created in just about every new facility we’ve built,” said David Frassinelli MS’92, vice president for Facilities Management. “At one point, it seemed as if we were creating too much space, but it’s great to see that they are being utilized at all hours of the day, every day of the week. More students are looking for academic support to enhance their successful academic experience, and these spaces we’ve created facilitate a flexible environment in which they can do so, one-onone or in groups of 3 to 10.”
“I find it very motivational and inspiring to watch experienced nursing students working in their scrubs in the ‘sim lab.’ The study rooms provide us with the tools we need to be prepared. The spaces are really useful for small and large groups.” — Caroline Katovitz ’24, Nursing Major
above from top: Students in Egan study space; Spikeball on the Quad; and roommates in Langguth Hall. left: Students converse on the steps of the DiMenna-Nyselius Library.
TULLY DINING COMMONS
Located on the fourth floor of the Barone Campus Center, “The Tully” offers students a modern dining experience with a taste of community. The dining hall offers a fun and engaging experience featuring farm-to-table meals, hydroponic gardens used for fresh greens, a rotating global food station, chef demos, an allergy-free zone, and community tables and booths. This open space allows students to socialize with their friends and meet new people while also expanding their food palates. Nothing brings people together like great food.
MARION PECKHAM EGAN SCHOOL OF NURSING & HEALTH STUDIES
With expansive simulation labs that make you think you’ve stepped into a real hospital, open spaces for socializing, enhanced clinical learning environments offering hands-on experience, and plenty of natural light, Fairfield Egan is a popular place for nursing students to meet for study groups and project collaborations.
CHARLES F. DOLAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Fairfield Dolan opened for business in the fall of 2018. The fully modernized Fairfield Dolan features innovative labs and centers, interactive learning spaces, an event hall, a graduate student lounge, a convenient Dunkin’ coffee bar, and more.
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“I use the graduate student lounge every day. I get a lot of studying done and we can use the space for group projects. There’s a kitchen in the lounge if we need to grab something to drink or prepare a snack while getting ready for a big presentation.” — Ryan Tyldesley, Graduate Student
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BARONE CAMPUS CENTER
Nestled in the heart of campus, the Barone Campus Center is the hub for student activities. The Campus Center is home to The Stag Snack Bar, Stag Spirit Shop, student clubs and organizations such as the Fairfield Mirror student newspaper and radio station WVOF, a commuter lounge, collaborative spaces to meet or study, Dunkin’, and The Tully. The recently updated food courtstyle space, The Stag, now features a weekly rotating local restaurant and a build-your-own meal option called Sally the Salad-Making Robot, alongside the deli, grill, and sushi bars.
FAIRFIELD FUEL
Located in the Walsh Athletic Center varsity weight room, Fairfield Fuel is a state-of-the-art fueling station designed to provide healthy post-workout snacks for Fairfield’s varsity student athletes. Grab-and-go snacks provided by Stop & Shop are perfect for varsity student athletes with busy schedules and help them achieve their nutritional needs for peak performance. Snacks include fruit, granola, protein shakes, nuts, yogurt, and more.
ACADEMIC COMMONS
Located in the DiMennaNyselius Library, the Academic Commons is a technology-rich academic hub for support services. Geared to ensure student success while at Fairfield, Academic Commons space includes Academic Support & Retention, the Center for Academic Excellence, the ITS Help Desk, the Fredrickson Family Innovation Lab, the Math Center, the Office of Accessibility, and the Writing Center.
FREDRICKSON FAMILY INNOVATION LAB
Equipped with mobile workstations, seminar rooms, and HDTV screens, this state-of-the-art lab provides students with a physical and digital gathering space for interdisciplinary research, collaboration, and instruction. Established through the generosity of Fairfield alumni Scott and Susan Fredrickson ’82, the lab also hosts workshops and classes throughout the academic year.
42 LANGGUTH HALL
Home of the Ignatian Leadership Residential College, 42 Langguth Hall opened in fall 2019. Offering the comforts of home, this residential hall features a spacious and light-filled atrium facing The Quad, expansive meeting spaces, student lounges, and suite-style living arrangements for more than 200 sophomore students.
THE LEVEE
Tucked away in the woods on the northeast side of campus, The Levee offers students a downtown restaurant feel, just a quick stroll from their residence halls. The recently renovated facility offers a menu filled with pizza, sandwiches, frozen or on-the-go meals, and grocery store items, in an intimate and relaxed atmosphere. A refresh of the interior plays nicely off of the prime location, surrounded by Fairfield’s athletic fields, RecPlex, and Walsh Athletic Center.
THE QUAD
Home to Fairfield’s first-year student residence halls and the Sophomore Residential College program, the Quad is a popular spot for students to get together and engage in the Fairfield community. From QuadFest, to New England Day, to Fairfield Arts Fest, the Quad is always buzzing with activities and live stage performances. This outdoor space features picnic tables and inviting circles of red and white Adirondack chairs.
CAMPION HALL AND JOGUES HALL LOUNGES
Located on the Quad, first-year residence halls are a home away from home. In the last few years, Campion and Jogues debuted their newly renovated lounge spaces. With expansive windows, students can study or have a movie night while overlooking the Quad. l F
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“I use the lounge during the day while studying. At night, the floor watches tv. It’s nice that it’s both academic and used for fun as well.” — Claire DeMarco ’25
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A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR FAIRFIELD
Former Executive Vice President and COO Kevin P. Lawlor ’79, P’21,’19,’17 on the Success of the Strategic Plan
by Alistair Highet
Fairfield’s campus has been dramatically modernized over the last few years, and that is the result of a campus master plan that was developed in tandem with the broader strategic plan, “Fairfield 2020: Building a More Sustainable Future,” launched in January of 2014.
For 17 months, more than 200 members of the University community — faculty, students, staff, administrators, and alumni — served on one of 11 task forces examining ways that the University could build a new business model, grow graduate programs, harness technology, lead in pedagogical innovation, and enhance the total student experience, among other goals. The overall management of the process was led by former Executive Vice President and COO Kevin P. Lawlor ’79, P’21,’19,’17, who joined Fairfield after more than 25 years in senior executive roles at United Technologies Corporation. He served the University from 2013 until the summer of 2021.
Changes were crucial, Lawlor said, because the University found itself at a historic inflection point.
“When I joined in 2013 we were still in the shadow of the financial crises of 2008, when the economy sent a shock wave through higher education,” he said. “That shook everyone up.”
The University would have to be betterprepared for the future — a future that was going to be competitive and demand new academic programs, a more sophisticated financing structure that would enhance the University’s capacity to borrow economically, the introduction and development of new teaching models, a better harness of resources, and more.
“We probably could have written that strategic plan quicker than we did,” he continued. “But it was important to get input and support from the campus community. So we had task forces working on everything from the dining hall, to athletics, to academics. It required a very broad sweep of people working together for quite a long time to make it happen.
“Then on a parallel track, we knew that if we were going to get the growth in enrollment we needed, and the growth in our reputation, we needed to revitalize the campus. There was a tremendous amount of need. But our goal was to make a showplace. And I think we have come a long way with that.”
To be more sustainable, the University was going to have to get a little bigger: “We couldn’t continue as just an undergraduate school. We needed to pay attention to our graduate offerings both online and in-person.” More emphasis was placed on the unique brands of the Charles F. Dolan School of Business and the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies.
“They needed to be promoted in their own right. We also knew we needed more scale. We needed to achieve about 4,000 undergraduate students to generate the revenue we would require. So we needed to get bigger and that meant new housing. And we needed some ‘wow’ factor,” he continued. “We needed to be a destination kind of school.”
And so the master plan was put into effect, resulting in new facilities for both the Egan and Dolan Schools, the remodeling of Donnaruma Hall, the construction of the new Barnyard Manor residence, the addition of the Langguth Hall residence, renovations to Jogues and Campion Halls, the complete overhaul of the Barone Campus Center, the refurbishment of laboratories, the creation of Rafferty Stadium, the expansion of the Aloysius P. Kelley Center, and the renovation of the RecPlex — which, Lawlor noted, “was opened the year I graduated in 1979 so, yes, it was time for some changes there” — as well as other new buildings and facilities.
“There was no piece of the University’s operations that we didn’t try to address,” he said.
The extensive planning process and the close relationships formed during the period had an additional benefit: the core working team that implemented the plan was, in large part, called back into action to work efficiently together again when the Covid-19 epidemic took hold. “We had to pivot quickly and successfully” to a University that worked virtually,” Lawlor said. “And we did it.”
Coming back to his alma mater as executive vice president and COO was kind of a dream job in itself, Lawlor said. “In some ways my career until then had prepared me to come and sit in that chair. So it is one of the highlights of my professional career. When I saw all of the talent at Fairfield that was brought to bear — it was one of the most rewarding periods of my life. I’m immensely proud of what we accomplished. I think Fairfield is on a trajectory now that you could only imagine in 2013. I think it was ‘mission accomplished’ in terms of the goal, which was to build a more sustainable future for the University.” l F
