Center for Social Impact

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Center for Social Impact Connecting community and campus to create a more just and equitable world through teaching, research and action.

Grounded in Fairfield University's Jesuit, Catholic mission to share its intellectual resources for the betterment of the community and to educate students to be socially and morally responsible, the Center for Social Impact connects community and campus to create high impact academic opportunities that address local, national, and global challenges and develop individuals committed to creating a more just and equitable world. We do this through three programs: Community-Engaged Learning, Community-Engaged Research, and Humanitarian Action. The Center serves three main functions in support of each program – 1) we provide professional development for faculty; 2) we create and sustain community partnerships; and 3) we develop students as leaders.

We would like to extend our congratulations to our Director, Dr. Melissa Quan, for her well-deserved recognition at Cata...
09/29/2026

We would like to extend our congratulations to our Director, Dr. Melissa Quan, for her well-deserved recognition at Catalyst CT during the annual “Above and Beyond Awards.” Her unwavering dedication to supporting local communities like Bridgeport truly sets her apart. With numerous publications highlighting community engagement, institutional change, and community-engaged teaching and learning, Dr. Quan exemplifies a profound commitment to social justice and is someone who truly lives it out daily.

We are proud and grateful to have her as our leader at the Center!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our special film screening and conversation with the remarkable maggiedoyne H’26...
09/26/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our special film screening and conversation with the remarkable maggiedoyne H’26, founder, humanitarian, and visionary of BlinkNow Foundation, and the inspiring documentary “Between The Mountain & Sky.”

A special thank you to Maggie Doyne for sharing her life's passion and story with us in such a vulnerable, heartfelt way—through the lens of her own life.

If you weren’t able to attend the screening, you can still view the documentary on her website. Her memoir, “Between The Mountain and Sky: A Mother’s Story of Love and Hope,” is also available on Amazon (links in bio).

Have you ever dreamed of making an impact in your local community as a student-researcher? It's possible! This summer, a...
09/25/2026

Have you ever dreamed of making an impact in your local community as a student-researcher?

It's possible! This summer, at the Center for Social Impact (CSI), a dedicated and passionate group of Fairfield students embraced that dream and took action through our Community-Engaged Research (CEnR) Summer Fellowship Program. They dove into impactful projects tackling pressing issues—from enhancing climate resiliency to supporting English language acquisition for immigrant youth in Bridgeport. Most importantly, they led with the very essence of community-engaged research—making sure community voices were at the center, guiding the way.

We celebrate these inspiring students who embody our mission to cultivate leaders dedicated to a more just and equitable world. 🌎🕊️

If we're honest, sometimes our work can feel stressful, challenging and overwhelming (compassion fatigue and burnout is ...
08/06/2026

If we're honest, sometimes our work can feel stressful, challenging and overwhelming (compassion fatigue and burnout is real!). But our team retreats have a special way of bringing us back to our purpose and God-given mission of being men and women for others. And we are just grateful to do this alongside a team we love and can have fun with!

The movement continues, and exciting opportunities are on the way.

Stop waiting to make an impact on your campus and community—reach out and join us this year!

Our mission simply wouldn’t be possible without our dedicated, passionate students! 🌟A HUGE thank you to our Marian work...
07/17/2026

Our mission simply wouldn’t be possible without our dedicated, passionate students! 🌟

A HUGE thank you to our Marian work-study interns, Jezliana and Amanda! This spring, they stepped up to support all three of our core programs. From community-engaged research to humanitarian action initiatives—including creating our 20th-anniversary tribute videos—their impact has been incredible. 🙌

We are grateful for our partnership with and can’t wait to welcome our next group of changemakers!

Fun times at this year’s inaugural Water Filter Build Event at ! 💧Students from both campuses joined together as one to...
05/29/2026

Fun times at this year’s inaugural Water Filter Build Event at ! 💧

Students from both campuses joined together as one to build water filters for communities lacking access to clean water.

Fun fact: Each water filter built can provide clean water for a family for up to 10 years! 😮

If you missed it, be sure to join us next year!

🌎Shout-out to this year's graduating Humanitarian Action minors! These amazing students participated in a capstone semin...
05/11/2026

🌎Shout-out to this year's graduating Humanitarian Action minors! These amazing students participated in a capstone seminar this spring semester led by Dr. Julie Mughal, Senior Associate Director for Humanitarian Action. This community-engaged learning course partnered the HA students with Afghan women learning remotely through Afghan Female Student Outreach . Separated by thousands of miles, the students were still able to build a community of learners and share experiences across cultures. As one of the HA students shared, "In other classes, we are just students. In this course, we were all humanitarians."

ICYMI: On April 22, CSI hosted its 20th annual celebration of excellence in community-engaged learning, research, and ac...
05/08/2026

ICYMI: On April 22, CSI hosted its 20th annual celebration of excellence in community-engaged learning, research, and action. We honored the exceptional students, faculty, and community partners that fuel our mission to create positive change in our local and global communities. Here's to the next 20 years! 🎉

📰Read more here: https://www.fairfield.edu/news/2026/may/center-for-social-impact-awardees-for-excellence.html

🏆Outstanding Community Partner: The Center for Family Justice, Inc.
🏆Jeffrey P. von Arx Award for Excellence in Community Engagement: Dr. Betsy Bowen
🏆Newman Civic Fellow: William Ehlers '27
🏆Humanitarian Action Leadership Award: Mia Van Mater '26
🏆Peace Corps Prep Certificates
🏆Community-Engaged Learning Course Development Grants
🏆Class of 2026 Student Fellows

Congratulations to Dr. Julie Mughal, Senior Associate Director for Humanitarian Action, for the recent publication of "D...
05/07/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Julie Mughal, Senior Associate Director for Humanitarian Action, for the recent publication of "Digital Immigration Lab: Integrating Ignatian Pedagogy and Immigration and Refugee Research" co-authored with colleagues Sabnam Ghosh and Danushka Bandara from Fairfield University School of Engineering & Computing in Volume 6.1 of Best Practices in Jesuit Higher Education. The issue focused on essential theme of "Formation Programs, Initiatives, and Mechanisms in Jesuit Identity and Mission." The Digital Immigration Lab introduces students to immigration policy, counters misinformation through data-driven research, and fosters advocacy for systemic change.

📖Read the article here:https://kirchernetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Best-practices-Magazine-vol-6.1-v1.pdf

05/05/2026

Dr. Will Johnson, Dean of Students

In honor of the Center for Social Impact's 20th anniversary, we asked our friends and supporters what CSI means to them - and their answers say it all. Here's to 20 years of community, impact, and with a purpose.

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1720 Post Road
Fairfield, CT
06824

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9am - 4:30pm
Friday 9am - 4:30pm

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