Letter From the President

Dear Friends,

As we begin the academic year, there is an unmistakable energy as new students arrive and our community comes together for learning and discovery.

We are reminded every fall that each incoming class brings fresh perspectives, new questions, and extraordinary promise.

This summer, I joined fellow presidents from the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities in Rome for an audience with the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, as well as meetings with the Very Rev. Arturo Sosa, S.J., Superior General of the Society of Jesus, and others in the Vatican and the Curia. It was a remarkable and humbling experience that reaffirmed our shared belief in the work of Jesuit, Catholic higher education and its critical importance. The Holy Father focused his remarks on the pursuit of truth, the formation of young people, and the responsibility of our institutions to cultivate hope through inquiry, dialogue, service, and faith. His message wasn’t a call to do something different, but rather a confirmation of the work already underway: helping students prepare not only for meaningful careers, but for lives of purpose, service, and leadership.

At Fairfield, this understanding shapes everything we do. We have long believed that education is about more than the acquisition of knowledge; it is about helping students discern who they are, who they are called to become, and how their gifts can be used in service to others. That commitment is borne out in the success of our graduates. Fairfield was recently ranked No. 27 in the nation on LinkedIn’s list of 2026 Top Colleges for Long-Term Career Success and No. 9 nationally for job placement, which recognizes the percentage of graduates who begin a job or enroll in graduate school within the same year they earn their degree.

It is with this shared sense of purpose and confidence in Fairfield’s future that we look ahead to the important work before us. There is a collective belief in the trajectory of this University, and together, blessed with certainty in our mission and strength in our operating position, we continue to build on Fairfield’s remarkable trajectory and turn our sights to the long term, imagining Fairfield University upon its 100th anniversary in 2042.

Our momentum is visible across our campus. This fall, we welcomed sophomores into the new E. Gerald Corrigan Residence Hall, a thoughtful repurposing of the former Center for Financial Studies that, when I arrived, housed our Dolan School of Business. In the spring, students will move into newly built graduate housing at One Post Road. As we open the new Outdoor Dining Pavilion, we are preparing to break ground on Innovation Hall, which will serve as a hub for interdisciplinary teaching, learning, and discovery. These projects represent far more than an investment in facilities; they are investments in our students, our community, and the future of Fairfield University.

Building upon our work and reflecting upon our time this summer, we approach this fall with ever greater optimism. My conversations with Jesuit colleagues from across the globe reflected a quiet confidence that our higher education institutions are well-equipped to meet this moment. As we return to campus, I remain deeply grateful for the Fairfield community.

Together, we continue the important work entrusted to us: pursuing truth, forming leaders of character, and preparing the next generation as they discern who they are called to become.

With utmost gratitude and very best wishes,

Mark R. Nemec, PhD
President

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