Jay R. DeGioia ’80

Special Recognition

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Jay R. DeGioia ’80 first came to Fairfield University as an undergraduate eager to play soccer and to embrace the formative experience of a Jesuit Catholic education. After graduating, he returned to campus to serve as an assistant coach of men’s soccer for two years, working alongside his former coach and close friend, Jim Coleman. His career later led him far beyond Fairfield, but the relationships and values formed here continued to shape him—and eventually drew him back.

DeGioia’s path in the food and restaurant industry took shape early. Growing up in Orange, Conn., his first job was running the concession stand at a miniature golf course—an experience that sparked a lasting appreciation for the hospitality business. That early interest later became a profession when he and fellow soccer alumnus Joe Sandolo ’81 opened their first restaurant in Bridgeport. The success of their initial collaboration led to the opening of multiple restaurants across Connecticut.

In 1994, DeGioia relocated to Florida to work in catering services at Walt Disney World, launching a professional journey that would span some of the nation’s most recognizable venues. Over the next decade, his work took him to the Indianapolis Zoo, the NCAA National Headquarters and Hall of Champions, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Florida’s Harmony Golf Preserve. He was later recruited by food service providers Aramark and Sodexo, where he spent many years advancing the standards of university catering services at institutions along the East Coast.

When the opportunity arose to return to Fairfield, DeGioia did not hesitate. For nearly a decade, he has worked to reimagine and elevate the foodscape on campus, through initiatives such as the expansion of Food Truck Village, broadened meal plan options, updates to the Tully Commons, and the introduction of courier robots on campus.

DeGioia now lives in Harmony, Fla., with his wife, JoMarie, near their children and grandchildren. As director of Aramark’s Stags Hospitality, he continues to draw on decades of experience to shape a campus dining program that reflects the University’s values. “I feel really blessed to have been able to use the knowledge and experience I’ve gained throughout the years to come back to Fairfield and help, and to hopefully contribute to the school’s continuing growth in national prominence,” he said.

Through his expertise, commitment to quality, and enduring Stag spirit, DeGioia has helped shape the Fairfield of today.