Fairfield University
Fairfield, Connecticut 06430
(203) 254-4100
http://www.fairfield.edu
Fairfield University
Fairfield, Connecticut 06430
Multicultural Profile
Founded in 1942 by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), Fairfield University is
located on a 200-acre campus in the suburban town of Fairfield, Connecticut.
The campus overlooks Long Island Sound, and is about 1 hour from New York
City and three hours from Boston. There are 33 majors available within four
undergraduate schools (College of Arts and Sciences, Dolan School of
Business, School of Nursing and School of Engineering). Among the most
popular majors are English, Marketing, Biology, Psychology and Nursing.
As a Jesuit institution, Fairfield University is devoted to educating the
whole person. Students acquire a broad foundation through the strong liberal
arts core curriculum. With a faculty-to-student ratio of 1:13, and an
average class size of 24 students, Fairfield is committed to an intimate
learning environment. No teaching assistants or graduate students teach any
of the undergraduate courses. Experiential learning is also an important
tenet in the overall academic structure. Internships, research projects and
service learning opportunities are widely available. With over 90 affiliated
programs for study abroad, over 15% of the students take advantage of this
opportunity.
The Center for Multicultural Relations sponsors a variety of group and
individual activities to promote leadership development. The AHANA Student
Council, TEAM and the Young Scholars Program focus on fostering leadership
through service. Other activities include an annual multicultural retreat
and various student leadership conferences. The primary source of cultural
identification and celebration for AHANA students is through ethnic
organizations such as ASA (Asian Students Association), Umoja (African
American and Caribbean Students Association), SALSA (Latin American Students
Association), and NASA (Native American Students Association). These
organizations provide a forum for strengthening ethnic pride, heritage and
awareness within the student body and the campus community. These
organizations are the cornerstone of the multicultural college experience.
In addition, students of color participate in the over 80 active clubs and
organizations that include: Division 1 athletics, intramural sports, student
government, Dance Ensemble, Glee Club, Literary Magazine, and Debate Team,
to name a few.