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Members of the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ community are committed to respecting and valuing one another, finding the common good rooted in us all, and working collaboratively to achieve our potential as a modern Jesuit Catholic institution. We aspire to be an inclusive, welcoming community that is representative of an ever-changing and diverse global populace. The Jesuit tradition of cura personalis – care for the whole person – animates our mission. We educate men and women who serve for and with others within the rich tapestry of cultures that comprise our contemporary world.

By encouraging dialogue, communication, community partnerships, and a culture of understanding, we foster in our students, faculty, and staff the capacity and desire to build a better world through productive citizenship and societal stewardship.

Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Narrative

How We Advance Diversity and Inclusive Excellence

Through radical hospitality, we welcome and invite all into our learning community. We are committed to pursuing shared standards of excellence. In these ways, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ strives for the magis (“the more”) in a way that defines modern Jesuit Catholic education.

Employee Demographics

As a modern Jesuit Catholic University, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆwas built on the principles of outreach and social justice and a 500-year tradition dedicated to the life-transforming power of education. Following a call and mission to serve, Jesuits often established academic institutions in under-served communities that were otherwise ostracized and denied access to education.

In 1942, Fairfield’s founding allowed the Jesuits to serve the often marginalized local Catholic population of Bridgeport, Conn. and the surrounding areas, providing new educational opportunities for many first generation immigrants and returning WWII veterans. The same founding principles have guided our community over time as we continue to work towards a more inclusive and diverse campus.

Pictured Above: A. Rev. William C. McInnes, S.J., President of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ, congratulates a graduate of the F.U.R.S.T. program in 1968. B. UMOJA in 1982. C. Barlow Road entrance, 1942. D. University Faculty, 1947.

We embrace diversity as a distinguishing hallmark of Jesuit education. The Office of Undergraduate Admission is committed to recruiting a more diverse community of students including (and not limited to) students of color, students from under-represented backgrounds, and first generation students.

Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ believes that when people feel valued, respected, and empowered, they work together for the common good. When each unique point of view is heard, honored, and celebrated, true learning begins.

Bennet Center for Judaic Studies

Established in 1994, the Center for Judaic Studies was developed to enrich Fairfield’s intellectual, cultural, and spiritual life with Judaism through lectures, programs, and other special events that serve the broader community.

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Black Studies Program

The Black Studies program was established in 1995 to provide students with a comprehensive study of the origins and experiences of people of African descent and explores the social, political, and economic roots of contemporary problems by examining them in the context of the wider world.

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Center for Social impact

Connecting community and campus to create high impact academic opportunities, the Center for Social Impact addresses local, national, and global challenges and develops individuals committed to creating a more just and equitable world.

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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program

Available to all students regardless of their major, the minor in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) was designed for students who are passionate about social justice. The goal of the minor is to provide students with the economics and social justice knowledge to work effectively in any organization in pursuit of DEI goals.

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Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Inclusive Excellence 3 Initiative

A team of science and mathematics faculty members has been awarded a prestigious grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) to transform the introductory experience for STEM students, with the goal of improving retention and success for all students, especially for students of color and others who have been traditionally excluded from these disciplines.

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Magis Core Curriculum

The Magis Core Curriculum weaves three “signature elements” throughout the disciplinary-based core courses: an interdisciplinary element, a writing intensive element, and a social justice element that incorporates a focus on race, gender, and class. The curriculum was introduced starting with the Class of 2023.

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Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Established in 1993, the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program challenges the cultural, intellectual, social, and political assumptions about sex, gender, and sexuality systems.

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Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆempowers students to work together to build community, lead ethically, and value differences in one another. Whether on or off campus, we always strive to integrate intellect with action for justice.

Learn more about our Racial and Social Justice Resources, the Office of Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, Diversity in Action, Services & Initiatives for students and more!