Fairfield University | Commencement 2018

2018 Commencement Speakers

Undergraduate Commencement Speaker — Brother Guy Joseph Consolmagno, S.J.

Brother Guy Joseph Consolmagno, S.J., is the director of the Vatican Observatory and president of the Vatican Observatory Foundation. Since 1993, his research at the Observatory has explored connections between meteorites, asteroids, and the evolution of small solar system bodies. His work has taken him to every continent on Earth, and in 2000 an asteroid was named after him. Along with more than 200 scientific publications, he is the author of a number of popular books including Turn Left at Orion (with Dan Davis), and most recently Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial? (with Paul Mueller). He also has hosted science programs for BBC Radio 4, been interviewed in numerous documentary films, appeared on The Colbert Report, and for more than a dozen years he has written a monthly science column for the British Catholic magazine, The Tablet. Br. Consolmagno will be receiving an honorary Doctor of Science degree during the undergraduate ceremony.

Graduate Commencement Speaker — John R. Mitchell

John R. Mitchell is chairman of the Mitchell Stores.

Mr. Mitchell joined the family business after completing his MS at the University of California-Berkeley and grew it to be a business known for employee engagement and longevity of service. In 2003, he launched a “second career” as a speaker and author. His first book, Hug Your Customers: The Proven Way to Personalize Sales and Achieve Astounding Results, was a Wall Street Journal bestseller and received rave reviews in the New York Times. Mr. Mitchell has become known as a passionate enthusiastic public speaker, keynoting at over 200 events for corporations, and has national television and radio shows. He shares with his family a number of community leadership awards including awards from the Anti-Defamation League, The Menswear Division of UJA-Federation of New York, and Sacred Heart University. He is on the Yale Cancer Board, is a trustee at the Greenwich Hospital, and is an executive in residence at the Columbia University School of Business. Mr. Mitchell also offers hugging workshops for corporations. Mr. Mitchell will be receiving an honorary Doctor of Laws degree during the graduate ceremony.