Fairfield University retains high rankings in college guidebooks

Fairfield University continues to be among the top ranked universities in the national college guidebooks. Published just this week, the U.S. News and World Report 2012 edition of "America's Best Colleges, " lists Fairfield as #2 in the category of Best Regional Universities in the Northeast. In addition, the publication ranked the institution as #8 in its regional listing of Great Schools, Great Prices.

Commenting on the U.S. News and World Report rankings, Paul J. Fitzgerald, S.J., senior vice president for academic affairs at Fairfield, said, "We are pleased by our movement up into 2nd place this year. Fairfield has long been among the top ranked institutions in a number of guidebooks for many years, and this is reflective of our overall academic excellence.

"This further recognition leads us to rededicate ourselves to our mission as a national leader in Jesuit higher education, providing a holistic living and learning environment for our students. We do so, thanks to a dedicated faculty of very successful teaching scholars, integrative and innovative programs of study, strong support for study abroad and internships, all within a diverse community bound together in mutual respect and inclusive excellence," Fitzgerald continued.

Last month, Princeton Review published its annual guide and Fairfield was included among The Best 376 Colleges, a listing based on the company's survey of 122,000 college students. Fairfield also appears in other national guidebooks including Barron's Guide to the Most Competitive Colleges, the Fiske Guide to Colleges, Colleges of Distinction, and Wintergreen Orchardhouse.

For the third consecutive year, Fairfield has been named a "Cool School" by Sierra Magazine, a publication of the Sierra Club - the oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization in the country. The list is featured in Sierra Magazine's 2011 September/October issue, which profiles schools committed to sustainability. David Frassinelli, associate vice president of facilities management, who chairs the Campus Sustainability Committee said, "Fairfield believes caring for the environment is part of its mission. From fiscal year 2009-2010, the University reduced its carbon footprint by seven percent, and plans call for that number to only increase."

Posted On: 09-14-2011 11:09 AM

Volume: 44 Number: 41