The Town of Fairfield Connecticut

PREFERRED VENDORS n Sacred Heart University www.sacredheart.edu In a time when some colleges and Universities are struggling, looking for new partners or even failing, Sacred Heart University (SHU), a private Catholic university in Fairfield, Connecticut, is thriving. A case in point: This year the University was elevated to the national listing of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges. According to the U.S. News website, “Schools in the National Universities category offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus masters and doctoral programs, and emphasize faculty research or award professional practice doctorates.”  The second-largest Catholic university in New England, behind Boston College, SHU was recently called one of the “fastest-growing Catholic colleges in the country” by the Chronicle of Higher Education. The university consists of six colleges: the College of Arts & Sciences, which includes the School of Communication & Media Arts and the School of Social Work; the Jack Welch College of Business, which includes the School of Computer Science and Engineering; the College of Health Professions; the Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing.; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education; and St. Vincent’s College. It is rooted in the liberal arts and the Catholic intellectual tradition, providing students with a strong base in the skills (leadership, teamwork, flexibility, communications, interpersonal, work ethic) that are increasingly sought by today’s employers. According to the Princeton Review, “Sacred Heart students are among the happiest and most engaged in community service compared to other U.S. colleges and universities.” In fact, more than 1,200 students and members of the faculty and staff volunteer in excess of 100,000 hours each year—mostly regionally, but also nationally and internationally. One example is the annual student-run Thanksgiving turkey and food drive for families in Bridgeport. This year, the students purchased 1,300 turkeys—shattering previous records. Fifty-seven years after its founding as the first lay-led Catholic University in the wake of Vatican II, Sacred Heart continues to exemplify the spirit that led to its nickname of Pioneers. This can be seen it its purchase of the former GE world headquarters to establish an innovation campus and its plans to take over the long-dormant Community Theater in downtown Fairfield. SHU will turn the facility into the Sacred Heart University Community Theater, an arts and education site that will provide a wide range of events. Stay tuned for the grand reopening of the theater next year just in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its original opening in 1920. n Fairfield University www.fairfield.edu A modern, Jesuit Catholic university rooted in a storied intellectual and spiritual tradition, Fairfield University embraces a liberal humanistic approach to education, fostering critical thinking and religious values to over 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The University’s five colleges prepare students for success after graduation through innovative learning aimed at educating the whole person. n Aquarion Water Company www.aquarionwater.com