Fairfield University (USA)

Fairfield University is a Jesuit institution in Fairfield, Connecticut. Founded in 1942, the University has grown from an initial class of 303 undergraduate male students admitted to the College of Arts and Sciences in 1947 into a coeducational university of more than 5,000 undergraduate, graduate, and continuing studies students enrolled in six schools. Fairfield prepares students for leadership and service in a constantly changing world. FU’s mission statement recognizes that it has a “further obligation to the wider community of which it is a part, to share with its neighbors its resources and its special expertise for the betterment of the community as a whole.” Fairfield University’s website>>

Campus Ministry

Campus Ministry has served as the primary coordinator of community service and domestic and international service and immersion programs for over 20 years. Some of the areas addressed by Campus Ministry include afterschool programs, animal welfare, daycare, combating hunger, mentoring, and urban revitalization. Campus Ministry has organized alternative spring breaks in areas such as Appalachia and New Orleans. Through the Ignatian Solidarity Corps, FU also runs International Service and Immersion Programs such as a program with the Working Boys’ Center in Quito, Ecuador. Learn more>>

The Office of Service Learning

Housed within the Center for Faith in Public life, the OSL is guided by an advisory committee of faculty, staff, students, and community partners. It facilitates connections between focused academic learning that meets disciplinary standards for rigor, with meaningful and appropriate service that addresses needs identified by and with communities. The OSL offers: Faculty Professional Development and Course Design Support; Course Logistical Support; Student Learning Support; Community Partnership Development. Learn more>>

Grant and Proposal Writing Service-Learning Course

This course is offered in the English department every semester. Student teams provide grant writing services for several local non-profit organizations. Students increase their skills in writing clear, coherent prose that meets the specific needs of their audiences, and in doing so learn about the culture of a local community-based organization and the population it serves; and provide a meaningful service to the organization. Since the course began in 2008, several grants written by students have been awarded to their partner organizations. Learn more about SL courses offered at FU>>