FAIRFIELD, Conn.—Sacred Heart University and Family Centers (FC) have entered an agreement that will help meet the workforce development needs of the community and provide educational opportunities in placement, internship and academic work.
FC is a nonprofit organization that offers quality health, education and human service programs to residents in Stamford, Greenwich, Darien and New Canaan. It serves more than 26,000 residents per year and its programs include preschool and early care programs for young children, mental health, bereavement and family counseling services, primary medical and dental services, vocational and self-sufficiency support, English language and basic literacy education and more.
Through the collaboration, qualified SHU students will benefit from internship and clinical placements in FC’s community programs. FC staff will mentor, coach and train students. The partnership also provides FC staff with a 20% SHU tuition discount and leadership and workforce development.
“We are thrilled to enter a partnership with Family Centers,” said Karen Daley, dean of the Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing. “Sacred Heart and Family Centers’ mission are closely aligned. We know that when our students are working a clinical they are getting exceptional hands-on experience from professionals who believe in compassionate and heartfelt health care. We are also pleased to offer services to qualified Family Centers staff.”
“This partnership is a win-win,” said Louis Josephson, chief executive officer at FC. “We are thrilled to mentor SHU students who represent the future of the workforce here in lower Fairfield County. By offering internships and clinicals, it is our hope to encourage more students to consider careers in health care or human service programs.”
The agreement will be formally announced at a ceremony on May 27, at 10 a.m., on the second floor of the West Building at SHU’s West Campus.
About Sacred Heart University
As the second-largest Catholic university in New England, and one of the fastest-growing private doctoral institutions in the U.S., Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century. SHU offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs on its Fairfield, Conn., campus. Sacred Heart also has a campus in Dingle, Ireland, and offers online programs. More than 10,000 students attend the University’s eight colleges and schools: College of Arts & Sciences; School of Communication, Media & the Arts; School of Social Work; School of Computer Science & Engineering; College of Health Professions; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development; the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology and the Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing. Sacred Heart, a Laudato Si’ campus, stands out from other Catholic universities as it was established to be led by the laity. This contemporary Catholic university is rooted in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts, and at the same time cultivates students to be forward thinkers who enact change—in their own lives, professions and in their communities. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its Best 390 Colleges: 2025 Edition, and Best Business Schools: 2024 Edition. Sacred Heart is home to the award-winning, NPR-affiliate station, WSHU Public Radio, a Division I athletics program and an impressive performing arts program that includes choir, band, dance and theatre. www.sacredheart.edu