Creating Waves of Generosity

It's as natural as the tides. College students graduate and go on with their lives, often returning years later to share wisdom and good fortune. But some, like Nancy Clegg Altobello '80, go against the flow and forge a place for themselves in the world while keeping a seamless connection to their alma mater.

Of course, Altobello never really planned it that way. An accounting major, she went right to work after graduation for Ernst & Young, and 21 years later she's a partner in the New York-based firm. Traditionally, Ernst & Young sends its youngest new hires back to college campuses to recruit. This role gave Altobello the unique opportunity to stay in touch with the college scene while developing her own career. Then came service on Fairfield's Trustee Advisory Council and various other committees.

Such involvement solidified her commitment to Fairfield's future. She and husband Joel Altobello have pledged $125,000 to the Our Promise Campaign, in hopes of helping the University continue to build its reputation across the country.

The gift represents a major increase in Altobello's giving. She attributes it not only to her desire to see Fairfield prosper, but also to the Jesuit ethic that helped shape her early learning.

"Early in my education, one of my Jesuit teachers told us that it's good to be successful financially, as long as you give back. That statement rang true with me," she says. It prompted her, while still a student, to get involved in volunteer activities such as working on fundraisers, visiting area psychiatric hospitals, and tutoring Bridgeport students in math. "I'd also like to see Fairfield stay supportive of diversity. I think that's very important to everyone's learning," says Altobello.

Altobello attributes much of her professional success to the well-rounded education she received at Fairfield. She sees now how all those English and fine arts courses were helping to develop her thinking and communication skills as she learned accounting concepts.

"Those programs stretch you in a different way. They take you out of your comfort zone, which is a good experience," she says.

One person who has taken inspiration from Altobello's commitment to Fairfield is her husband, also an accountant, who graduated from Bentley College and now runs his own technology business. He was one who had lost touch with his school but has reconnected in recent years and is now in Bentley's President Circle.

Says Altobello with a chuckle, "They're benefiting from my connection to Fairfield."

Call it a ripple effect.