Purpose & Mission

Welcome to the School of Education and Human Development. Our School is committed to preparing professionals to serve children, youth, adults, families, communities, and organizations. Our range of program offerings originates from a combination of faculty expertise and a commitment to the needs of our community partners.

Work across all disciplines within the School of Education and Human Development aligns perfectly with Fairfield’s Jesuit mission, where intellectual growth in service to others and social justice are primary. The School has a rich history and renewed commitment to racial justice and education in service of equity, diversity, and inclusion. We work closely with our students and community partners to cultivate a spirit of social responsibility and values-based decision-making. Our School’s rich history of commitment to community engagement and our strong alumni network allow our faculty and students to engage in meaningful internship and clinical experiences shaped by evidence-based practice.

Whether your goal is advancement in your current field, a change in career, professional certification, or an advanced degree, we invite you to learn more about what the School of Education and Human Development has to offer.

Evelyn Bilias Lolis, PhD
Interim Dean
Associate Professor

Purpose

Guided by the belief in the inherent worth and dignity of each person, respect for diversity, and a commitment to equity and inclusion, we prepare compassionate and forward-thinking education and mental health leaders committed to service to others, who empower those who have been marginalized to transform individuals, families, organizations, and communities.

Mission

The School of Education and Human Development advances the mission of Fairfield University through the education and training of professionals who teach, counsel and serve the wider community. All of our various courses of study share a commitment to empower and ennoble the whole person through recognition of the Jesuit values of social responsibility and the affirmation of diversity.

Together, the departments of the School encompass a variety of perspectives which include preparing educators, psychologists and allied mental health professionals who:

• believe in the inherent worth and dignity of each person
• promote the well-being of individuals, couples, families and communities
• commit to serve a diverse society
• understand human behavior at individual, organizational and community levels
• understand the impact of information technologies on the individual, the family, the community, the nation and the world
• uphold the highest standards of professional conduct

The School strives for excellence in education, not only seeking knowledge for its own sake, but the application of that knowledge to the betterment of all. The overarching goal of the School is to promote and support our graduate students in the professional attributes of intellectual rigor, personal integrity, collaboration, informed decision-making, self-reflection and social responsibility in their commitment to those whom they serve.