FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Fairfield University celebrated its 75th Commencement ceremonies, honoring nearly 2,000 graduates earning associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs from all five of its academic schools. The three days of ceremonies included a historic milestone: the inaugural Commencement exercises for Fairfield Bellarmine, recognizing the first graduating class of the University’s two-year associate’s degree program.
Undergraduate Ceremony: May 18 on Bellarmine Lawn
Under bright skies on Sunday, May 18, graduates from the College of Arts and Sciences, the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing & Health Studies, and the School of Engineering & Computing, gathered on Bellarmine Lawn for a day filled with pride, reflection, and purpose.
The Commencement address was delivered by Timothy Shriver, PhD, chairman of the Special Olympics International Board of Directors, who received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in recognition of his leadership in promoting dignity, inclusion, and global education.
Joining Shriver on stage was Rev. John F. Baldovin, S.J., a distinguished professor of liturgical theology at Boston College’s Clough School of Theology and Ministry, and a longtime former member of Fairfield’s Board of Trustees. Fr. Baldovin was also honored with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in recognition of his leadership and contributions to theological education and the Church.
Drawing from his decades of experience with the Special Olympics, Shriver shared a moving story from the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Torino, Italy, where athletes from 150 countries marched in joyful celebration. He said, “They carried labels with them like Down syndrome or autism or Fragile X, intellectual disability, developmental disability, and more.” One police officer witnessing the scene remarked, “I just saw the whole world pass before my eyes, and it was beautiful.”
Shriver encouraged the Class of 2025 to “see” from the “inside out,” honoring dignity — their own and that of others: “If you give your heart a chance to see... you can meet people without an agenda... We can meet just as we are. Just beautiful. All of us. No exceptions.”
He closed with a challenge: “If you see injustice, oppose it. If you see someone who’s left out and humiliated…bring them in. If you see despair, awaken hope.” And continued: “The way you make a difference determines the difference you make. Make your way the way of dignity.”
Shriver echoed the words of the Torino police officer: “When you walk by, up here, I hope your parents and your friends and your teachers and your fans—I hope they'll join me in saying, in the Class of 2025, we see the whole world passing before our eyes — and it is beautiful.”
Reflecting the voice of the student body, undergraduate speaker Zachary Christian Maloy captured the spirit of the day and the lasting impact of the Fairfield experience: “We often hear: College is the best four years of your life. I disagree. College is the four years that teach you how to live the best years of your life. Because what we built here—these relationships, this community, this Fairfield family—it’s not just nostalgia; it’s foundation.”
University President Mark R. Nemec, PhD, also addressed the Class of 2025, concluding his remarks with a charge to graduates: “I would remind you one last time…never forget the world needs what you do. Fairfield is blessed to have an approach, a commitment to value-based, student-centric, outcomes-focused education, which calls us to be a model for others, to be a model of modern excellence, to be a model of the modern Jesuit Catholic University. Members of the Class of 2025, as graduates, you are now stewards of this model.”
Graduate Ceremony: May 17 in the Leo D. Mahoney Arena
On Saturday, May 17, Fairfield’s graduate Commencement exercises were held at the Leo D. Mahoney Arena, recognizing advanced degree recipients from the University’s five schools—the College of Arts and Sciences, the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing & Health Studies, the School of Engineering & Computing, and the School of Education and Human Development.
In her remarks, she reminded graduates of their responsibility to remain actively engaged citizens: “With your new degree comes some responsibilities. A major one is the need to engage in and understand what is going on around you in the larger world.”
An additional honorary degree was awarded during the graduate ceremony to Robin Bennett Kanarek ’96, Fairfield alumna, philanthropist, and former trustee, who was honored for her enduring contributions to health care and education.
Fairfield Bellarmine Ceremony: May 15 at the Regina A. Quick Center
The Commencement weekend began with a historic milestone on May 15, as Fairfield Bellarmine celebrated the graduation of its inaugural class. Thirty-five students were honored at a moving ceremony held at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts, recognizing their completion of Fairfield University’s new two-year associate degree program offering tracks in business, computer science, health studies, and liberal studies. As part of the University’s 75th Commencement celebrations, the event marked a significant step forward in Fairfield’s mission to expand access to Jesuit Catholic higher education.
Established to serve students from the Greater Bridgeport area, Fairfield Bellarmine is rooted in the Jesuit tradition of social justice and academic excellence. The Class of 2025 set a precedent for academic achievement, leadership, and opportunity, laying the foundation for generations of future scholars to follow.
With an 80% two-year graduation rate, Fairfield Bellarmine significantly outpaces Connecticut’s three-year graduation rate for community colleges, which remains below 20%. Approximately 90% of Fairfield Bellarmine graduates plan to continue their studies toward a bachelor’s degree at Fairfield University.
Student speaker Scarllet E. Lopez reflected on the strength of the Bellarmine community: “What we experienced here wasn't just academic learning. The professors and the Bellarmine staff made sure our time here was about more,” Lopez said. “They pushed us to be better. They believed in us even when we didn't believe in ourselves. They encouraged us when we felt overwhelmed...They reminded us that we were capable of more than we ever imagined.”
She also acknowledged the legacy this inaugural class leaves behind: “We are Cohort 1. The very first class of Bellarmine...We set the standard. And I know deep in my heart that the path we walked will open doors for others.”
Rev. Kevin O’Brien, S.J., Fairfield Bellarmine vice provost and executive director, recalled a formative moment early in the program, when a student asked upon seeing the newly renovated campus, “Is this all for us?” Fr. O’Brien answered then — and again at the ceremony: “Yes, Fairfield Bellarmine is for you, because you are a child of God, worthy of an education rooted in excellence that forms the mind, heart and spirit.”
He concluded with a call to service: “Your diploma... means little unless it is a summons to service. In this way, you are messengers of hope.”
For livestream recordings of Fairfield University’s 75th Commencement, undergraduate and graduate ceremonies, visit fairfield.edu/commencement.
For a livestream recording of Fairfield University's Inaugural Fairfield Bellarmine Commencement, visit fairfield.edu/bellarmine/commencement.
Fairfield University is a modern, Jesuit Catholic University, rooted in one of the world’s oldest intellectual and spiritual traditions. More than 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students from 44 states, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and 46 countries, are enrolled in the University’s five schools. In the spirit of rigorous and sympathetic inquiry into all dimensions of human experience, Fairfield welcomes students from diverse backgrounds to share ideas and engage in open conversations. The University is located in the heart of a region where the future takes shape, on a stunning campus on the Connecticut coast just an hour from New York City.