Access and Achievement Financial Aid
For the social dimension of Fairfield's Jesuit beliefs to be lived fully, it is imperative that its doors open more widely to students from varied cultural, ethnic, and economic backgrounds which are more reflective of our global society. Students best able to maximize their Fairfield experience and contribute to the community will be those who are intellectually curious, eager to learn in a diverse atmosphere, and concerned about the world around them. Fairfield's goal is to provide 100 percent of the demonstrated need of these students - just as St. Ignatius Loyola did in his day, when he taught the wealthy in the morning and the poor in the afternoon so that all may have equal access to a Jesuit education. In today's world, financial aid involves a complicated packaging of federal, state, private, and institutional funding. Currently, the University is meeting 69 percent of the average demonstrated need of its students, but the gap between means and need is growing wider as federal and state aid decreases. Unfortunately, the cost of attending Fairfield after need-based institutional grants have been distributed is significantly higher than its peers, due to an endowment that reflects the institution's youth. Gifts of any amount toward financial aid are critically important to support the University in attracting need-based students during the admissions and enrollment process.While Fairfield endeavors to keep its doors open to all, some of the most promising simply will not walk over the threshold if the aid is not there.
Student Scholarships
Perhaps no other gift transforms a student more directly than the gift of a scholarship. The honor of being recognized for one's academic achievement and potential, coupled with the financial aid needed to make a quality education possible, is a lifelong gift. It's a powerful way to make a personal difference in a Fairfield student's life. At Fairfield, endowed and restricted scholarships are ongoing gift opportunities. Endowed scholarships are established with a minimum corpus of $50,000 and remain in perpetuity to provide deserving young men and women with equitable access to a high-quality Jesuit education, generation after generation. Scholarships may be endowed for a particular school or academic program, or to honor or memorialize a friend or relative. In addition, a memorial scholarship gift of any amount may be donated to the University's communal memorial endowment fund.
Community Scholars Program
The Community Partnership Scholarship program responds to the financial aid needs of inner-city students who are academically prepared to attend college. Through this program, the University develops collaborations with ten selected Bridgeport, Conn., New Haven, Conn., and New York City high schools, helping to provide their students with important information about attending college. In addition, one Community Partnership Scholar per partner school receives a full tuition scholarship each year, plus a computer and post-admission academic and social support. Since the program's inception in 1999, inquiries from low-income students have increased by nearly 65 percent, applications by 82 percent, admissions by 71 percent, and enrollments by 30 percent. To date, the Program has been fully funded by the University, an annual grant from the William Pitt Foundation, and a recent endowment gift from the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. Going forward, the establishment of a permanent endowment for this program is a critical component of Fairfield's long-term fundraising priorities, as keeping this door securely open to local deserving students in need remains a high priority.
Charles F. Dolan School of Business Study Abroad Scholarship Fund
From a career planning perspective, traveling overseas has emerged as a priority for college students everywhere. With nearly every industry impacted by the ease of commerce and communication through electronic technologies, job preparation has come to include an awareness of and respect for cultural differences in more courses of study than ever before. In addition, even the smallest companies can be global in this day and age. With more and more companies looking for such experience on job applicant's résumés, providing financial resources at the undergraduate level for students to participate in study abroad and international exchange programs will better equip them to land a job in their chosen field and function in a global business environment. Unfortunately, those whose families are less financially able miss this increasingly important aspect of a college education. By establishing a Dolan School of Business Study Abroad Scholarship Fund, worthy business majors who want the international experience but do not have the financial resources will have an option. This fund will allow selected students to cover travel and living expenses for study abroad that are not covered by their financial aid packages. |
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