Spring 2005
Fairfield's Calling
Tech Time
In Service to Others
Parents' Fund Climbing Steadily Toward $500,000 Record Goal
What's New at Fairfield U?
by The Rev. Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J.
 As the new President of Fairfield, I feel a strong and daily sense of gratitude. That gratitude is for the University, where the hopes and dreams, the hard work and sacrifice, of many people over the years are realized in an institution where young people come to find purpose and meaning in their lives. It is a privilege and a blessing from God to have the responsibility of teaching and guiding young men and women in making the critical transition to adulthood. As parents, however, you may well understand how such responsibility requires clarity in terms of who we are and what we have to offer. What does Fairfield offer students to give them hope in this world as well as a sense of who they are, to give them more than just information and skills but a sense of values and direction? How do we offer hope and self-confidence born not of illusion or of self-deception, but of knowledge and the discernment of their deepest, truest selves?
As is the case with our students, Fairfield University itself is in a state of transition. We enter a new chapter in Fairfield's history and the obvious question, "Where do we go from here?" presents itself to all of us. To this end, I want to share with you some of the thoughts I communicated on the occasion of my formal investiture on Oct. 7, 2004. In my inaugural address, I announced three goals for Fairfield that I believe should define this institution and its place in Jesuit and Catholic higher education today. With the support of the entire University community - students, parents, faculty, administrators, alumni, and friends - the accomplishment of these goals will help Fairfield realize its deepest, truest identity.
The first goal is to make Fairfield a leader in the renewal of Jesuit liberal arts education. One doesn't need to look very far beyond the 28 Jesuit colleges and universities and a relatively small number of other schools, to realize how distinctive and special the kind of education we offer already is. Beyond these, few colleges have retained the commitment to a broadly educated person that inspires the core curriculum in Jesuit institutions. It is a common experience to have students tell me that while they didn't see the point of the core when they started, they did when they finished. As important, our alumni frequently cite their exposure to the broad range of human learning as one of the most valuable aspects of their education. But even something as excellent as general education in the Jesuit liberal arts curriculum stands in need of improvement. There is much more to be done in integrating the core, especially at the level of comparative methodology. Understanding the methods by which a discipline seeks knowledge helps students see the relationship among the various disciplines that they are studying and their limitations. I will be challenging my colleagues on the faculty to rethink the connectedness and the integration of the core, so as to make it as meaningful an experience for our undergraduate students as possible.
The second goal for which I would like to see Fairfield pursue leadership in Jesuit education is the integration of life and learning. Anyone who has spent as much time as I have not only working at universities but also living in student housing, cannot help but be deeply concerned about the dissociation between living and learning in the lives of undergraduates today. While the great majority of students with whom I've lived over the years have behaved like ladies and gentlemen and are a credit to their upbringing, even among these students there is often no clear sense about how their studies connect with their living and their other activities: extracurricular, athletic, service, and social. Upon graduation, this dissociation between living and learning simply gets replicated in the compartmentalization of professional, family, and public life that characterizes all of our existences today. Such disconnection between learning and living transforms into a daily struggle to balance work and life. A Jesuit university like Fairfield, with an ideal to educate the whole person, should not be satisfied with this state of affairs while our students are here or after they leave. And, once again, a place like Fairfield, because of its size and closeness, can and should be a laboratory for experimenting with new solutions to this problem. As a matter of fact, it already is. The Ignatian Residential College here at Fairfield is one of the most successful and imaginative experiments at integrating life and learning that I know of, and we will have to see how we can expand its benefits to more students. But I believe that there are other initiatives that we could take to improve campus culture. The integration of life and learning will require new models of collaboration between divisions at Fairfield, and we may need to rethink some of our structures in order to accomplish these goals. But unless we can come up with new ways of helping our students toward an integration of their lives now, ways that will be a model for their lives as adults, we are not realizing our goal of educating the whole person.
The final goal in which I see Fairfield taking a leadership role is instilling Jesuit values in our graduate and professional education. Given our location in a region rich in resources, opportunity, and need, Fairfield as a comprehensive university can and should be a leader in integrating Jesuit values of service and practical justice to the needs of this particular community.
Clearly these are important goals to be realized and projects to be accomplished in the years ahead that will transform Fairfield. But, for Fairfield, just as important as anything we do is how we do it, for that, too, will determine the kind of institution, the kind of community we are. I have designated three task forces to address each of these goals in a Strategic Planning Process that is designed to engage the entire University community. Already underway, the Strategic Planning Process is a collaborative and thoughtful exercise in shaping the next stage of Fairfield's growth. For my own part, I promise to listen and consult and to work collaboratively with all who care for this great institution. By working together as a university community, Fairfield will realize its best and truest self and move forward into a bright future - right alongside the students it is privileged to serve.
 Save the Date...
55th Commencement Exercises
Sunday, May 22, 2005
10 a.m.
Bellarmine Lawn
Commencement 2005
Location Hotline: (203) 254-4222
Personalized Graduation
Announcements: (800) 353-5299
or www.shop.jostens.com
StagCard Off-Campus Merchant Program
Fairfield University and local merchants have embarked on a partnership for the benefit of all. Beginning this semester, students may now use their StagCards (University ID cards) to purchase items from area businesses. While the StagCard has long doubled as a debit card to make purchases on campus at the bookstore, vending machines, on-campus dining venues, and more, it now will work as such at participating businesses outside of the University. This arrangement is made possible through a contracted vendor, BbOne, a subsidiary of Washington D.C.-based Blackboard, Inc. So far, two pharmacies, three food establishments, and one bowling alley have signed on to the program. Liquor stores and businesses that primarily operate as bars are not eligible to participate, and cards may not be used to purchase tobacco or lottery tickets at any establishment. The University and BbOne will monitor all network members and reserve the right to discontinue the contract with any business found in violation of the terms. For more information on the StagCard and its related programs, please visit: www.fairfield.edu/stagcard
 Turks and Caicos
Once again, Parents' Committee members Britt and Diane Newhouse, P'06 donated a one-week stay at their vacation home in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Parent donors who increased their Annual Fund giving by $1,000 or more, and new parent donors who joined The President's Circle prior to Dec. 31, 2004, were entered in a drawing for meeting the Newhouse's challenge. Richard and Maureen Brennen, P'06, parents of junior Richard Jr., were the lucky recipients of the vacation homestay this year.
Stags Compete and the Community Reaps
Women's Basketball teammates encourage Girl Scouts to stretch
their athletic abilities at the All-Sport Clinic on Feb. 6, 2005.
by Lisa Roberts
Kate Roche '06 of the women's swimming team helps dreams come true at the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Eddie Meyer '06 of the men's soccer team hammers nails for Habitat for Humanity. Cathy Dash '07 of women's basketball reads to elementary school students and builds awareness of breast cancer risks. These young "men and women for others" are among the scores of student-athletes who volunteer in the community at these and other organizations, including Prospect House, Walk for Diabetes, Read-A-Loud, sports clinics, Hunger Cleanup, and much more.
This year, the community service activities of Fairfield's student-athletes are being further expanded through the Stags Compe-tition, initiated by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). The Stags Competition consists of student-athletes from all 19 varsity sports competing against each other for points in a variety of categories. Points are awarded for team efforts, such as attendance of one team at another's game, and individual efforts, such as GPA improvement and community service.
"It's competition that's pure fun," says Alison Sexton, senior associate director of athletics. "Plus it's another way to develop cura personalis -the development of the ‘whole' person - because it encourages our student-athletes to support each other in their athletic pursuits and academic accomplishments. And, by giving back to others, it makes them role models in the community." Meghan King '05, co-president of SAAC, explains that the desire to launch the Stags Competition came about because "Fairfield's student-athletes are an amazing resource whom we felt could be put to greater use both on campus and off."
While some student-athletes already volunteer, others have discovered the personal rewards of community service for the first time. "In addition to building school spirit among the athletes," says Lindsey Bakum '06 of women's softball, "the Stags Competition has helped many of us make time for other things besides our sport. A number of us have learned about new service activities and are participating for the first time not just as a team but as individuals." Adds King, "Several student-athletes have started with small projects and have become immersed in an organization or cause, whether it is in Bridgeport or Africa."
More popular than anticipated, the Stags Competition is on a roll. With a $500 award as the prize for the winning team, student-athletes are collecting official signatures to verify participation at various events and activities, tallying up points as they go. To date, four teams have risen to the top and are competing heavily for the highest score by spring. On their way to victory, they are touching the lives of many in the local community and beyond. Now that's a competition that's win-win for all!
By Jim and Denise Paul, P'05,'03, Parents' Committee Co-chairs
We would like to thank the parents who have contributed so far this year to the Parents' Annual Fund. Your gifts are already at work, helping to provide some of the resources enjoyed by our sons and daughters every day, such as the latest in library databases, the campus shuttle service, and state-of-the-art technology in the classroom.
The Parents' Fund Committee set an aggressive goal to raise $500,000 for the Annual Fund by June 30, 2005. Reaching this goal would establish a new record for parents' annual giving. As of publication time, parents have contributed $413,124 (82 percent of the goal) - more than $68,410 ahead of what was raised this time last year. This is a terrific beginning, and we need your participation now to achieve the remainder of our goal.
To contribute, please call the Annual Giving Office toll-free at (877) 748-5123, visit www.fairfield.edu/give to make your gift via credit card, or send your check to:
Office of Annual Giving
327 Bellarmine Hall
Fairfield University
1073 North Benson Road
Fairfield, CT 06824.
To find out if your company will match your gift, go to: http://www.hepdevelopment.com/Fairfield/
Stock Gifts:
Many parents have taken advantage of Fairfield's ability to accept gifts of appreciated (or depreciated!) stock. For information on making gifts of stock to the University, please e-mail parentties@mail.fairfield.edu or call Claudia Nielsen at (203) 254-4004.
Senior Giving
The Senior Giving Program serves as an important step in the transition from students to alumni. It teaches seniors about the Jesuit ideal of philanthropy and lays the groundwork for a lifetime of giving back. All seniors were invited to a reception on Feb. 22 with University President, the Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J. Fr. von Arx spoke to those in attendance about the power of participation and encouraged each senior to take part in the program. We ask your help as parents in encouraging your seniors to participate and to continue the tradition of giving that has allowed Fairfield to become what it is today. Seniors can contact Jessica Colligan '03, assistant director of annual giving, at (203) 254-4004 or jcolligan@mail.fairfield.edu.
A Site for More Eyes
by Lisa Roberts
 Great things are happening at Fairfield University. Just log on to www.fairfield.edu and see for yourself. A newly redesigned website features a rolling précis of the people and programs that make Fairfield such a "personal and powerful" place to transition into adulthood. And the home page feels more like home now, whether you're a parent, a current student, a prospective student, or other member of the Fairfield community, through portal pages designed for each. Parents, for instance, can now access their most useful links after one click off the home page. So whether you're looking to see when the next varsity game is, need to transfer money into your son or daughter's StagCard account, or are interested in parent volunteer opportunities, the answer to your question is just a couple of clicks away. In addition, the new website features:
- Fresher Content. Many areas of the University, like the Parents' Fund, have all new information for your use and reference. Better yet, new technology behind the website allows for a content management system that invites a network of web liaisons across campus to update pages as needed. This turns the site into a dynamic communication vehicle and a "work in progress" that better serves first-time and repeat visitors.
- Enhanced Tools. Searching for information just got a whole lot easier on many fronts. A more interactive University calendar now allows you to search for events such as Parents' Weekend and Siblings Weekend by interest area (Campus Events) and by date (day, week, or month). If you met a staff or faculty member at a University event, you can now search for their contact information. And keywords plugged into the general search engine pull up more targeted pages than ever.
- Easier Navigation. In addition to the portal pages designed with the user in mind, the entire site is organized for easier navigation throughout the information presented.
- Sharper Design. With a new look, more photos, and less text per page, the "Great Things About Fairfield" are much easier to find. See for yourself today
The Advancement Division of Fairfield University publishes Parent Ties three times a year for parents of undergraduate students. Letters to the editor, address changes, and correspondence should be sent to:
Parent Ties
Bellarmine Hall Room 307
Fairfield University
1073 North Benson Road
Fairfield, CT 06824-5195
e-mail: parentties@mail.fairfield.edu
Editor
Lisa M. Roberts
Photojournalist
Jean Santopatre
Editorial Committee
Claudia B. Nielsen
Eileen Bossone
Jim and Denise Paul P'03, '05
Clare (Carney) Schimpf '76 | 
