Community Engagement
EMPOWERING PARTNERSHIPS. ROOTED IN PLACE. INSPIRED BY JUSTICE.
Community Engagement at Fairfield Bellarmine
At Fairfield Bellarmine, we are committed to engaging in ways that reflect our Jesuit mission and values—solidarity, service, social justice, and care for our common home. We believe that higher education is most meaningful when it is responsive to the communities it serves. Through Fairfield University’s Center for Social Impact, our Bellarmine Campus cultivates deep, place-based relationships with the East End and Mill Hill neighborhoods of Bridgeport, Conn. Whether through mentoring youth, collaborating on community-engaged research projects, or supporting neighborhood events, our students, community partners, and faculty work together to advance shared goals and foster collective well-being.
MAKE AN IMPACT—RIGHT HERE IN BRIDGEPORT.
Bellarmine Students Serve, Learn & Lead
Fairfield Bellarmine students are invited to participate in meaningful opportunities that deepen their faith and help them grow as ethical leaders while serving our neighbors. Explore ways to get involved through two campus hubs:
Center for Social Impact
Engage in hands-on work that connects your education with real world impact.
- Community-Engaged Learning Courses: Enrich the academic experience through community-engaged learning courses that apply classroom learning to real-world projects.
- Community-Engaged Research: Develops real-world research experience and leadership skills through impactful, community-centered projects and paid fellowships.
- Humanitarian Action: Takes on issues like climate justice, migration, poverty, and global emergencies through fellowships, internships, crises simulations, and campus initiatives.
- Community and Youth Engagement Opportunities: Offer volunteer roles and paid positions with local schools, nonprofits, and community partners.
Learn More About the Center for Social Impact
Campus Ministry
Find a welcoming space for reflection, connection, and spirituality—no matter your background. Check out our Campus Ministry listing on the Student Life page, or contact the Campus Minister for Justice and Immersions, Julia Murphy.
Fairfield Bellarmine students gain leadership experience while giving back to their communities.
Build trust, create change—together.
Connection with Community Partners
At Fairfield Bellarmine, we believe strong partnerships are built on trust, shared vision, and a commitment to the common good. We welcome opportunities to partner with schools, churches, nonprofits, neighborhood associations, government offices, and community organizations working to support youth, families, and community development in Bridgeport’s East End and Mill Hill neighborhoods.
Interested in building a new partnership or collaborating on a project? Contact Manager, Community Partnerships, Joel Espada.
Fairfield Bellarmine hosted the East End’s NRZ visioning session for Mt. Growmore, a hydroponic farm and wellness campus coming to the East End.
Joel Espada (back row on right) connects with East End elected officials, residents, and members of a local youth boxing gym.
Community-engaged faculty & staff.
Teaching and Research with Purpose
Fairfield Bellarmine faculty and staff play a critical role in building mutually beneficial partnerships with our community neighbors. The Center for Social Impact supports initiatives to:
- Develop community-engaged learning courses
- Identify local organizations for research, service, or project collaborations
- Apply for internal or external funding to support engaged scholarship
- Engage with the community through local events, immersion experiences, and more
Want more information on how to connect with the community through teaching and research? Contact Senior Associate Director for Community-Engaged Learning, Andrea Canuel.
Opportunities for research, service, and project collaborations are plentiful at Fairfield Bellarmine.