Our Jesuit Values
The Jesuit mission in education began in 1548, when the people of Messina, Sicily, asked St. Ignatius of Loyola to build a school for their children, the Collegio di San Nicolo. Within 200 years, the Society of Jesus operated the largest international educational network the world had ever seen.
From the earliest period, a Jesuit education has been characterized by "cura personalis" or "care of the whole person." At Fairfield University, you'll find an educational environment that is person centered, attuned to the unique talents of each student, and attentive to the needs of the whole person - mind, body and spirit. The heart of Jesuit education is the belief that it is of the utmost importance for everyone to attain personal freedom through the development of their intellectual and moral capacities, so that they will be free to pursue what they have a desire to achieve.
Finally, a Jesuit education is one that is dedicated to the service of the common good, global and pluralistic in perspective, with an outlook that transcends the boundaries of culture and nationhood, and has as an overarching goal the promotion of justice and the defense of human dignity.
Our Jesuit values inform not only our undergraduate programs, but are integral to our graduate and professional programs as well. A professional education at Fairfield stresses professional competence, scholarly and research contributions to the advancement of the professions, service to the community and the promotion of social justice.
