Academics
Fairfield University is a private Jesuit Catholic school offering its 4,800 undergraduates the choice of more than fifty majors and two dozen interdisciplinary minors as part of a comprehensive education that addresses the student as a whole. Classes feature “lots of interactive approaches to learning with other students due to the emphasis on group work and interaction.” Some lauded academic examples include “classes co-taught by professors in different disciplines” and a “structure of classes that revolves around the success of the students rather than how easy it is to teach a topic.” Additionally, “there are many great service learning and internship opportunities” and an “alumni network [that] cannot be complimented enough. If there is ever a major that I am curious about, there is an alum that is more than happy to discuss the opportunities… [of that] major.”
Professors “are wonderful and supportive people who encourage students to think critically about the world” and “are very knowledgeable about their fields and are easily accessible outside of class.” They “teach in engaging ways,” meaning that they don’t assign busy work so much as they “create lessons that are valuable and seem to care about teaching and the students.” Outside of class, teachers offer avenues for career exploration: “[There are] job opportunities that I never would have known about without them.” Classes then bolster and encourage those experiences “with simulations and interesting cases that really let you put what you learned into practice” as well as “countless research studies that are going on at any given time.”
Student Body
The student body at Fairfield “consists of many people that come from similar upbringings” or “the surrounding areas and are either nursing, bio, or finance majors.” But students note “a mix of international and west coast students” and how they “can see how the student body over the past few years has been changing.” The size of the school “allows everyone to know everyone, which helps to create a supportive student body,” and “it is apparent how much Fairfield University students love where they go to school and love the environment of this university.” This is a group of “well-rounded individuals who for the most part are dedicated to succeeding in their studies [and] also to making meaningful connections during their time in college.” A student summarizes: “We are like one giant family; the student body is constantly looking out for one another.”
Campus Life
Fairfield is located on the Connecticut coastline just sixty miles “north of” New York City, providing “a good geographical advantage” for those looking for cultural or internship opportunities. That location also means that “No matter the time of year, winter or summer, EVERYONE goes to the beach—most seniors live on the beach.” It’s the best of both worlds for some attendees as there are “many beautiful views in the campus” but also plenty to do outside of it, like how “shopping near the campus is convenient.” Students say “there are always a handful of events or activities running on campus any given day, whether it be professional opportunities or programs for fun,” including a “disc golf setup around campus that people use year-round.”
While the “work-life balance is great within campus culture,” students keep busy. During the week, students “are on a constant grind studying and completing assignments, applying to jobs and internships, meeting with their career counselors, going to the Rec Plex (gym), attending basketball games, volunteering, and engaging with the Fairfield community through their clubs and activities.” Since “community service is a big part of Jesuit values,” many here partake in activities and classes that feature “community-engaged learning.” Many also participate in the New Student Leader program, wherein they “help students transition to a new community and environment.” In short, there is “so much opportunity for involvement in so many different areas.”
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