Endowed and Special Lectures

Bank of America Lecture in Judaic Studies

Bank of America sponsors the Bank of America Lecture in Judaic Studies, which is a program of the Carl and Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic Studies. Formerly the Fleet Bank Lecture series, the lecture has brought renowned speakers to the University, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel and the series most recent lecturer, Tom Freidman, a veteran foreign affairs columnist for the New York Times and an expert on issues related to the Middle East.

Bellarmine Lecture Series by Distinguished Jesuit Scholars

The Bellarmine Lecture series was set up to bring distinguished Jesuit Scholars in a variety of disciplines to deliver a public lecture at Fairfield. The first lecture took place in 1988 by John W O'Malley, S.J. Weston School of Theology. The intent was to provide the Fairfield University community an opportunity to interact with and hear a public lecture by a Jesuit Scholar. This lecture series is part of the programming sponsored by the Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J. Chair in Catholic Studies, The current chairholder is Dr. Paul Lakeland.

Charles F. Dolan Lecture Series

Charles F. Dolan is the founder and chairman of Cablevision Systems Corporation, one of the nation's leading telecommunications and entertainment companies. The Dolan School of Business was named in 2000 in recognition of Charles and Helen Dolan's service and philanthropic contributions to Fairfield University. The Charles F. Dolan Lecture series, featuring highly accomplished, visionary and internationally recognized business leaders, was inaugurated in 2001 with Jack Welch, then-chairman and chief executive of General Electric. Geoffrey Colvin, editorial director at Fortune magazine, moderated. C. Michael Armstrong, then-chairman and chief executive of AT&T, delivered the second Dolan Lecture with Charlie Rose. Other speakers have included Alan C. "Ace" Greenberg, chairman of the Executive Committee of The Bear Stearns Companies Inc., the parent company of Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc., Karen Katen, president of Pfizer Global Pharmaceuticals, and Anne Mulcahy, president and CEO of Xerox Corp.

Ignatian Residential College Lecture

A generous gift from the Lilly Endowment funded the establishment of the Ignatian Residential College, an academic program for selected Fairfield University sophomores. Students in the program live together in Loyola Hall, enroll in specially designed Ignatian College courses, and engage with adult mentors in small mentoring communities. In addition, they have opportunities to participate in special lectures, cultural events, communal worship and partnerships with local faith communities. The lectures cover a wide variety of topics from religion to everyday college life situations.

Jacoby-Lunin Humanitarian Lecture

The Jacoby-Lunin Humanitarian Lecture is sponsored by the Frank Jacoby Foundation. Frank Jacoby was a Jewish immigrant from Hungary, who settled in Bridgeport, Conn., where he became a successful businessman. Recognizing that people were often treated unfairly due to their race and religion, he founded the lecture series bearing his name to promote the cause of humanity with the goal of promoting peace and understanding among the many peoples and ethnic groups. The first lecture took place in 1951, and some of the early speakers included Eleanor Roosevelt, Ralph Bunch and Martin Luther King, Jr. Mr. Jacoby passed away a year after he founded the lectureship, but his son-in-law, Arthur Lunin, carried on his vision, directing the lectureship during his lifetime and the lecture now bears both of their names.

Judaic Studies Scholar in Residence Lecture

The Judaic Studies Scholar in Residence Lecture is made possible by an annual gift from David and Edith Chaifetz of Fairfield, Conn. This lecture series began in 2001 with speaker Dr. Arnold Eisen, Koshland Professor of Jewish Culture and Religion, Stanford University, author of The Jew Within: Self, Family, and Community in America; Rethinking Modern Judaism: Ritual, Commandment, Community. The purpose of the program is to bring a well-known scholar onto the Fairfield campus for two days. While at Fairfield, the scholar addresses a number of different audiences, including students, faculty and staff, local rabbis and clergy of all faiths, Jewish and non-Jewish community leaders, and well as the general public. Since the start of this lecture series, six other speakers have visited the campus. Since the start of this lecture series, other speakers include: Dr. Jonathan Sarna, in the Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History, Brandeis University, and author of American Judaism: A History; Dr. Kenneth W. Stein, a noted author and Emory University professor in Middle Eastern history and Israeli studies; Dr. Reuven Firestone, professor of Medieval Judaism and Islam at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles; Rabbi Professor Elliott Dorff, University of Judaism; Rabbi David Saperstein, the Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; and Dr.mMoshe Bernstein, Yeshiva University.

Lucille Lortel Series of Distinguished Lecturers and New Plays

Lucille Lortel, affectionately called the "Queen of Off-Broadway" for paving the way for successful Off-Broadway theatre, opened the White Barn Theatre in Westport, Conn., in 1947, where she provided young playwrights with a place to showcase their work. In 1987 she received an honorary degree from Fairfield for her devotion to the theatre. She was well known for her support of the theatre, especially when it came to new and struggling artists. As a gift to Fairfield University, she donated the funds to establish the Lucille Lortel Series of Distinguished Lecturers and New Plays.

Christopher F. Mooney, S.J., Lecture in Theology Religion and Society

The Christopher F. Mooney, S.J., lecture is an annual event sponsored by the Office of the Academic Vice President and the Department of Religious Studies. The lecture honors Fr. Mooney, a former Fairfield University academic vice president who died in 1993. Fr. Mooney was the author of eight books, including "Teilhard de Chardin and the Mystery of Christ," (Collins and Harper & Row) which won the National Catholic Book Award in 1966, and "Public Virtue: Law and the Social Character of Religion" (University of Notre Dame Press), which won the 1987 national award of Alpha Sigma Nu. Before joining the Fairfield faculty, he was president of Woodstock College and was assistant dean of the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Anne Drummey O'Callaghan Lecture On Women in the Church

The Anne Drummey O'Callaghan Lecture On Women in the Church began in October of 2001 with speaker Elizabeth A. Johnson, C.S.J., Ph.D. This lecture honors the memory of O'Callaghan, formerly of Norwalk, who dedicated herself to religious education, especially as it relates to liturgy. She served as youth minister and director of religious education at both St. Jerome and St. Joseph parishes in Norwalk. Active on numerous catechetical boards and committees of the Diocese of Bridgeport, she was chair of BRED, the professional association of Bridgeport Religious Educators. She was particularly interested in church history and was passionate about the role of women in the church. This lecture series is designed to acknowledge the advanced role of women in the church and provide a forum to converse on other important religious issues.

Adolf and Ruth Schnurmacher Lecture in Judaic Studies

The crucial funding provided by the Schnurmacher Foundation has helped to make a variety of Judaic Studies programs possible to Fairfield University students and the community at large, such as the Annual Holocaust Remembrance Service. The Schnurmacher funding has also helped bring several lecturers to the University each year. Speakers have included news correspondent Yossi Klein Halevi; Abe Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League; Dr. David Elcott, executive director, Israel Policy Foru; and Dr. Deborah Dash Moore, Frederick G. L. Huetwell Professor of History, and Director of the Jean and Samuel Frankel Center for Judaic Studies, University of Michigan.

William and Mary Stack Lecture in Irish History and Culture

The William and Mary Stack Lecture in Irish History and Culture is made possible by a gift from William M. Stack of New Canaan, Conn., who serves on the University's Trustees Advisory Council. His gift is in memory of his father, who was born in County Waterford, and also honors his mother. The funds for this program have provided the Fairfield community with several distinguished lecturers, including Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, as well as the accomplished singer Ronan Tynan, M.D., a member of the famous Irish Tenors.