MEDITZ U P DAT E JOHN CHARLES MEDITZ COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY | FALL 2026
MEDITZ UPDATE | FALL 2026 i
ON THE COVER:
Message from the Dean
Elizabeth Stone, PhD, assistant professor of chemistry, at work in the lab with a student researcher.
Contents
Photo by Fairfield University Media Center
W
e are living through a moment when people are seriously asking what makes us truly human in the age of AI. Every week brings another claim that a machine can do our work and our thinking. My response to this moment, and the reason I am confident about what our students and
our graduates will be walking into, is that the arts and sciences have always trained the one capacity no system can automate: judgment about what is worth doing. That conviction shapes everything we are building this year in the John Charles Meditz College of Arts and Sciences. We are backing faculty whose research reaches beyond the academic journal and into the larger world. We are pushing students through active learning: into labs, archives, clinics, studios, and spaces
“...the arts and sciences have always trained the one capacity no system can automate: judgment about what is worth doing.”
where the work is unscripted and the stakes are real. And we are keeping all of it rooted in the Jesuit insistence that intelligence without conscience is merely clever. Fairfield graduates have never been trained to just answer the simple question. We
MEDITZ U P DAT E Richard Greenwald, PhD Dean & Professor of History Olivia Harriott, PhD Associate Dean & Associate Professor of Biology Jason Smith, PhD Associate Dean & Assistant Professor of the Practice, Philosophy Dawn DeBiase, LCSW, EdD’26 Senior Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs & Enrollment Planning Colby Lemieux, MA’11, EdD’26 Senior Assistant Dean for Student Success Edlira Curis Director of Development
accompany them to ask if the question is the right one. They continue to be called
Sara Colabella ’08, MA’11, EdD’26 Associate Director of Integrated Marketing
to do more, to reach for the Magis, and to bring intelligence, sophistication, and our
Kiersten Bjork ’21 Associate Director of Integrated Marketing
Jesuit values to the world. The world needs what we do more than ever.
Jeannine (Carolan) Graf ’87, MFA’25 University Editorial Director
With gratitude,
R ichard A. Greenwald, P h D Dean and Professor of History, John Charles Meditz College of Arts and Sciences
Nancy (Gelston) Dobos ’91 Designer Send Inquiries to: John Charles Meditz College of Arts and Sciences Fairfield University 1073 North Benson Road Fairfield, CT 06824-5195 203-254-4147 fairfield.edu/meditz Follow us on social media: FairfieldMeditz @MeditzFairfield
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Kevin Kuczo Memorial Fund Learning With AI Research With Impact Fulbright Honors Fieldwork in Action Global Pathways Big River The Art of Counting Education in Action Year in Review
Fairfield University John Charles Meditz College of Arts and Sciences ii FA L L 2 02 6 | MEDITZ UPDATE
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BY THE NUMBERS
#5
Most Selective Catholic University in the Nation
TOP 1%
Return on Investment Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce
97%
Placement Rate Six Months After Graduation *Class of 2025 First Destination Report
A SAMPLING OF COMPANIES THAT HIRE FAIRFIELD MEDITZ GRADUATES
Philanthropy Spotlight
Kevin Kuczo Memorial Fund
Alison Brod Marketing AmeriCorps
#109
Best Colleges U.S. News & World Report
Amplify Marketing Bank of America Beau Monde Media Biohaven Boys and Girls Village CBS Sports
TOP
“Dream School” New York Times bestselling author and higher education expert Jeffrey Selingo
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Department of Defense Fox News Henkel Hospital for Special Surgery Memorial Sloan Kettering NBCUniversal
“The heart of what our faculty does is connect students to hands-on research experiences that engage them and lead them into careers in mental health, counseling, and behavioral neuroscience.” Richard Greenwald, PhD Fairfield Meditz Dean
Razorfish
#27
for Career Success LinkedIn 2 FA L L 2 02 6 | MEDITZ UPDATE
Stamford Hospital Teach for America Unilever
LEFT: The Kevin Kuczo Memorial Endowment Fund
will support student achievement and faculty-student research. Photo by Fairfield University Media Center
focused on scholarships, but the research component is important too.” Kevin Kuczo struggled with depression during the Covid-19 pandemic, at a time when communities across the country faced shortages of psychiatric care. That experience inspired his parents’ mission to expand the pipeline of clinicians and researchers and increase access to mental health care. They were encouraged to hear that the department is growing and that students are taking more of an interest in psychology. “This is the department that has the pipeline,” M said James. “Thank you for making a difference.” l BELOW: During the celebration, the family met faculty
members and toured lab spaces. Photos by Fairfield University Media Center
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his spring, Fairfield Meditz celebrated a transformative $100,000 gift from James and Kristen Kuczo to establish the Kevin Kuczo Memorial Endowment Fund in honor of their son who died in February 2021. Made through the Kuczos’ non-profit, Kevin’s Afterglow, the new endowment will support an annual student award and fund faculty and student research in mental health. On May 20, faculty from the John Charles Meditz College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences gathered to thank the Kuczo family and celebrate the opportunities their generosity will make possible for undergraduate research, experiential learning, and academic programming focused on mental health. “The heart of what our faculty does is connect students to hands-on research experiences that engage them and lead them into careers in mental health, counseling, and behavioral neuroscience,” said Fairfield Meditz Dean Richard Greenwald, PhD. “The research the students do under faculty supervision and mentorship actively improves the discipline itself.” For the Kuczos, conversations at the gathering affirmed the value of their gift. “We want to thank you,” James said. “Hearing the faculty talk about empathy and social situations reinforced how important this work is. We originally
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A
rtificial intelligence is often framed in extremes. It is either the technology that will revolutionize education and work or the tool that will replace critical thinking and creativity. At Fairfield Meditz, faculty and students are exploring a more nuanced reality: AI is neither a shortcut nor a substitute for learning; it is a tool that requires thoughtful engagement, ethical consideration, and human judgment.
LEARNING WITH
AI
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“The age of AI promises us more of everything. Meditz College exists for the harder work: not having more, but being more—and knowing the difference,” said Dean Richard Greenwald, PhD. Across disciplines, Meditz faculty are asking important questions about how AI can enhance learning without diminishing students’ critical thinking and intellectual engagement. Their work recognizes a new reality: today’s students will enter a world in which AI is commonplace, making AI literacy as essential as digital literacy became a generation ago. In the Biology Department, Christine Rodriguez, PhD, assistant professor of the practice, is using AI to bring clinical reasoning into introductory microbiology through an initiative called The Patient Project: Exploring AI Conversations with Disciplinary Context. Using a Blackboard-embedded AI tool that builds individualized patient scenarios, students practice how to interpret symptoms, explain infections, and respond to patient questions in a guided, reflective environment. With an emphasis on participation and iterative learning, Dr. Rodriguez’s program helps strengthen communication skills and reduce anxiety around clinical decision-making, while encouraging students to thoughtfully consider the ethical use of AI in healthcare settings. M. Covadonga Arango Martín, instructor of the practice in modern languages and literatures, uses AI to help students create and critique learning activities, encouraging them to evaluate information rather than accept it at face value. Jay Rozgonyi, associate vice provost for pedagogical innovation
and effectiveness, uses AI-powered historical simulations in his film courses to help students better understand the social context surrounding 1920s silent films. In journalism courses, Associate Professor Lei “Tommy” Xie, PhD, has created an AI-driven interview environment that challenges students to ask precise, evidence-based questions while investigating a fictional controversy. Last spring, students participated in Fairfield Meditz’s first-ever Vibe Coding Hackathon, designed to introduce liberal arts students to AI-assisted software development. Unlike traditional coding competitions that often favor experienced programmers, the event emphasized creativity, communication, and problem-solving. Participants used AI tools to transform ideas into working prototypes, despite many having little or no coding experience. The resulting projects addressed issues ranging from nonprofit management and career readiness to habit formation and dementia care. More importantly, the hackathon demonstrated that technology development is becoming increasingly accessible to people whose strengths lie outside computer science. “What this program demonstrated is that the traditional prerequisite for building software—knowing how to write code—is no longer the barrier it once was,” said Dr. Xie. “The new prerequisites are compassion, creativity, critical thinking, domain expertise, and the judgment to direct AI M responsibly.” l
ABOVE: Fairfield Meditz hosted its first-ever Vibe Coding
Hackathon, bringing together students from across disciplines to engage with artificial intelligence through a liberal arts lens. Contributed Photo
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RESEARCH WITH IMPACT
From uncovering the genetic mechanisms that influence fertility to examining how misinformation shapes memory, Fairfield University students are tackling complex questions with real-world implications. Guided by faculty mentors, undergraduate researchers presented projects spanning biology, climate science, neuroscience, and animal behavior, showcasing the depth and diversity of research opportunities available at Fairfield Meditz.
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iology students Andrew Brino ’26, Kelly De Bow ’26, Lily Joyce ’26, and Therafi Lin ’27 explored the genetic factors that contribute to fertility using the microscopic worm C. elegans, a model organism frequently used in biological research. Working with Anita Fernandez, PhD, associate professor of biology, the team investigated how specific genes interact to support reproductive health. Their findings suggest that two genes, npp-16 and dhc-1, work together to promote fertility, advancing scientists’ understanding of the cellular processes involved in reproduction. Seeking to better understand the impacts of climate change, physics major Ethan Chow ’27 analyzed how snowfall patterns across mountain regions may shift in the coming decades. Under the mentorship of Robert Nazarian, PhD, founding director, Center for Climate, Coastal, and Marine Studies and associate professor of physics, Chow used global climate models to examine future trends in extreme snowfall events. His research suggests that while heavy precipitation may become more common overall, most mountain ranges
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are expected to see significant declines in snowfall. The exception lies in the world’s northernmost mountain regions, where snowfall is projected to increase, revealing important regional differences in how a warming climate may affect communities and ecosystems. Behavioral neuroscience student Olivia Bonacci ’26 examined how misinformation can alter memory and decision-making. Working with Jessica Karanian, PhD, associate professor of psychology, Bonacci used electroencephalography (EEG) to measure brain activity as participants recalled details from a witnessed event after being exposed to misleading information. Her findings revealed distinct neural patterns associated with accurate memories, forgotten information, and false memories, offering new insight into the cognitive processes behind memory distortion and the reliability of eyewitness testimony. At Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, biology students Nina Sangiuliano ’28, Nathan Crawford ’28, and Mia Barlanti ’28 investigated how social interactions influence problem-solving in North American river otters. Guided by Ashley Byun, PhD, associate professor of biology, the students observed two otters as they worked through a series of food puzzles both independently and in competition with one another. Their research found that one otter consistently performed better when competing for a reward, suggesting that social dynamics may play a key role in revealing cognitive abilities M that might otherwise go unnoticed. l LEFT: Undergraduate students had the opportunity
to present faculty-mentored research projects at the annual Student Research Symposium. RIGHT: Research topics spanned a variety of disciplines
in the sciences and humanities. Photos by Joe Buglewicz
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FULBRIGHT HONORS
Caroline Cossman ’26
Michelle Leigh Farrell, PhD
Shannon Harding, PhD 8 FA L L 2 02 6 | MEDITZ UPDATE
Fairfield Meditz alumna Caroline Cossman ’26 and faculty members Michelle Leigh Farrell, PhD, and Shannon Harding, PhD, have each been awarded prestigious Fulbright honors for the 2026–27 academic year. Through their grants, the three scholars will travel abroad to teach, conduct research, and pursue academic and professional goals in Cyprus, Spain, and Ireland. Caroline Cossman ’26, who majored in politics and minored in business law, ethics, and sociology, earned a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Cyprus. While in Cyprus, she will be placed in a school setting to aid in English classes as well as teach students about U.S. history and American values. Her selection reflects Fairfield’s continued commitment to global learning and cross-cultural engagement. “Being a Fulbright recipient is a surreal feeling. In an extremely competitive applicant pool, I am beyond honored to have been selected,” said Cossman. Dr. Farrell received the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to Spain and will spend four months at the University of Madrid working alongside faculty while advancing her research. Her work examines how media representations influence public perceptions and shape social understanding. She is also partnering with UC3M’s TecmerÍn research group, an internationally recognized collective studying media, memory, and representation. “This is a truly unique opportunity for me to combine research and teaching while expanding my international community of colleagues and students,” Dr. Farrell said. “There are few fellowships that enable such meaningful exchange of expertise and knowledge.” Dr. Harding’s appointment to Galway, Ireland, builds on a 12-year partnership that includes sharing behavioral functions and tissue collected in her Fairfield laboratory with partners abroad. She is partnering with the University of Galway to enrich graduate student education as part of a neuropharmacology course and continue research to advance the understanding of changes in the brain that happen with M adolescent social isolation. l
ETHAN CHOW ’27 NAMED RECIPIENT OF THE PRESTIGIOUS BARRY GOLDWATER SCHOLARSHIP Ethan Chow ’27 has been named a recipient of the prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship, one of the nation’s top honors for undergraduate students pursuing careers in STEM fields. Awarded through the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, the scholarship recognizes students who show exceptional promise as future researchers in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics. Chow, a physics major with a minor in mathematics, conducts research on extreme precipitation under the mentorship of Rob Nazarian, PhD, associate professor of physics and founding director of Fairfield’s Center for Climate, Coastal, and Marine Studies. He plans to pursue a PhD in climate and atmospheric physics. “Receiving this scholarship changes the way I see my future research—as a form of motivation to publish my work and to share it with the academic community,” said Chow.
Ethan Chow ’27 (right) conducts research on extreme precipitation under the mentorship of Rob Nazarian, PhD, (left) associate professor of physics.
Fieldwork in Action In the Master of Science in Industrial/Organizational Psychology program, fieldwork invites students to apply classroom learning in healthcare, consulting, and high-performance environments. Gabrielle Funari ’25, MS’26, was based at St. Vincent’s Medical Center within Hartford HealthCare’s People Team. As a workforce coordinator, she supported HR operations including onboarding, compliance, workforce data management, and employee records. She also facilitated orientation programs for new hires and contributed to system-wide onboarding efforts. “I am able to contribute to the systems that ensure employees are effectively integrated and supported in their roles to be able to deliver high-quality patient care,” Funari said. A key component of her work includes analyzing survey data to improve local orientation programming. Drawing on I/O psychology coursework, she applies concepts such as survey design, employee engagement, and data analysis to enhance the preparation of new employees for their roles. She also emphasized the importance of HR precision and consistency in healthcare settings, where processes directly influence organizational effectiveness and patient care delivery. “Even processes that seem administrative, such as onboarding or compliance verification, require coordination across multiple parties to operate efficiently and effectively and have direct downstream effects on organizational performance,” she noted. In HR consulting, Luke D’Andrea MS’26 completed his fieldwork with Culpeo HR, where he assisted in the implementation of a new customer relationship management (CRM) system. His work included building forms, document templates, and automated workflows designed to streamline client services. He also supported recruiting efforts, including résumé screening and candidate sourcing.
“A large part of my role has been implementing systems that help streamline how Culpeo HR delivers services to clients,” D’Andrea said. “It has shown me that even small operational changes can have a noticeable impact on overall efficiency and effectiveness.” For Lanyon Henwood ’25, MS’26, fieldwork with Pro Athlete Community (PAC) connected directly to his experience as a former athlete on the Fairfield men’s crew team. PAC supports professional athletes transitioning beyond sport through leadership development, coaching, and structured career programming. Henwood contributed to initiatives such as leadership frameworks, member experience design, and organizational development projects. He also helped build systems that incorporate feedback loops and coaching models. “I’ve been able to apply so many I/O psychology concepts,” Henwood said. “Especially in leadership development, motivation, behavior change, and program evaluation.” His work is personal, shaped by his own transition out of competitive athletics. “I know how difficult it can be to transition from a life centered entirely around sport,” he said. “Being able to support athletes through that transition M is especially meaningful to me.” l
RIGHT FROM TOP: Gabrielle Funari ’25, MS’26 completed
her fieldwork at St. Vincent’s Medical Center while Luke D’Andrea worked at Culpeo HR. Contributed Photos
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GLOBAL PATHWAYS
Fairfield Meditz’s bespoke study abroad tracks are reshaping the international education experience by intentionally aligning global learning with students’ academic and professional goals, allowing them to remain on track within their degree programs while gaining immersive international experience.
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or Emily Alt ’27, a behavioral neuroscience major, the structured pathway made studying abroad in Galway, Ireland, both accessible and academically seamless. “As a STEM major,” she noted, the specialized track “was essential to ensuring that I could study abroad without falling behind academically.” Alt’s time in Galway reflected the balance the program is designed to achieve, with a daily rhythm that blended coursework, routine, and cultural immersion. A typical day in Galway often started with studying at a local café, followed by lectures, time outdoors, and evenings cooking with her roommate and exploring the city, she said. She described the experience as both grounding and transformative, noting that teaching styles and course structure in Ireland “highlighted important differences in educational approaches and helped me better understand psychology within a global context.” For Fiona Wagner ’27, a digital journalism major and marketing minor, studying abroad in London provided an opportunity to deepen her understanding of media and communication through an international lens. At the AIFS Abroad Global Education Center in London, she enrolled in courses closely aligned with her academic path, including “British Media” and “Fashion Marketing.” 10 FAL L 2 02 6 | MEDITZ UPDATE
“I took mostly all major and minor courses that I believe advanced my education deeply,” Wagner said. These classes, combined with field trips and walking tours, helped her explore how culture shapes media and branding. An optional weekend trip through the Scottish Highlands and Isle of Skye proved to be a valuable outside-the-classroom experience. “This was the best trip I went on the entire time I was abroad because it allowed me to form close friendships while also experiencing a completely different side of the U.K., outside of London,” she said. “The trip taught me the importance of building relationships, stepping outside your comfort zone, and seeing the world.” Last summer, associate professor of biology Shannon Gerry, PhD, led students in an immersive field course at the Shark Lab in Bimini, Bahamas. Over the course of a week, students studied tropical marine ecology through lectures, snorkeling excursions, and hands-on exploration of coral reef, mangrove, and seagrass habitats. A highlight of the experience was observing juvenile lemon sharks in their natural nursery habitat. Dr. Gerry said, “The students were in awe of how much they were able to experience in a single F week. They were constantly engaged and excited to learn.” l
LEFT: Fiona Wagner ’27 studied abroad in London, England.
Her experience included travel, cultural exploration, and new friendships. Contributed Photos ABOVE: Students observed juvenile lemon sharks in one of
the nursery habitats. Photo by Wyatt Albert RIGHT: The group spent a week at the Bimini Biological Field
Station in the Bahamas. Photo by Wyatt Albert
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Big River T
he Fairfield University Glee Club, Theatre Program, and Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts, in partnership with the Greater Bridgeport Symphony and professional actors from Broadway and beyond, presented a first-of-its-kind campus performance, Big River: In Concert, on April 17 and 18, 2026. The American classic was chosen in honor of America250— recognizing 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Based on Mark Twain’s beloved novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and set along the mighty Mississippi, Big River follows the daring journey of Huck Finn and his friend Jim as they escape into freedom. The Fairfield production was a staged concert, complete with elaborate backdrops, period-specific costumes, projections, and onstage scenic elements. Sean F. Edgecomb, PhD, associate professor of theatre, served as director. Michael A. Ciavaglia ’04, DMA, director of choral music and professor of the practice in music, served as music director and conductor. The concert featured nearly 90 Fairfield University student singers, professional actors from Broadway, Off-Broadway, and national tours, and a full symphonic orchestra including Greater Bridgeport Symphony musicians. 12 FAL L 2 02 6 | MEDITZ UPDATE
“This inaugural project represents a dynamic new benchmark for collaboration, student learning, and pre-professional training at Fairfield,” said Dr. Edgecomb, who also teaches women, gender, and sexuality studies and serves as director of Fairfield’s Arts Institute. “It has been genuinely exhilarating to witness our students engaging so thoughtfully with our guest professional actors and musicians, and I am confident that this experience will leave a lasting and meaningful impression on our Stags.” Dr. Ciavaglia described the staged concert as an unprecedented opportunity for students. “They performed with Broadway actors and professional musicians, right on the stage of our campus home at the Quick Center for the Arts,” he said. “The music was thrilling for the performers and the audience alike—it’s the only stage work by the American country composer and performer Roger Miller, so there was a real sense of authenticity as we created the world of the American South. Miller uses the musical language of country and Southern Black American music to create a dramatic, exciting, and unique show in that other great American genre: musical theatre.” Katharine Gutkoski ’26, a featured performer and Theatre Program veteran, embraced the chance to work with professional actors and collaborate with the Glee Club and Quick Center. “I am so grateful for the chance to work with
so many talented people,” she said. “I have learned so much from watching the professional actors practice their craft.” “I’ve really enjoyed this experience and the opportunity to work alongside professional actors,” agreed featured actor Caroline Sullivan ’29. “It was incredible to watch them jump into the material. It’s a beautiful, painful, and important story to tell.” “This unique production has been one of the most enjoyable shows I’ve ever been part of,” said Class of 2027 Fairfield Bellarmine student and featured actor David Ilagan. “It has allowed me to form a greater understanding and appreciation for the intricacies involved in collaborating on a M professional production.” l LEFT: Tony Perry* as Jim, Ethan G. Davis as Huck, and the
cast and orchestra of Big River: In Concert. ABOVE FROM LEFT: Olivia London* as Alice, Ren
Thompson* as Alice’s Daughter, and the cast of Big River: In Concert; The cast of Big River: In Concert, featuring Devin Johnson* as Tom Sawyer (left center) and Ethan G. Davis as Huck (right center); and Tony Perry* as Jim, Alexander Ferguson* as The King, Ethan G. Davis as Huck, and Justin Duval* as The Duke in Big River: In Concert. Photos by Patrick Sikes
“It has been genuinely exhilarating to witness our students engaging so thoughtfully with our guest professional actors and musicians, and I am confident that this experience will leave a lasting and meaningful impression on our Stags.” Sean F. Edgecomb, PhD Associate Professor of Theatre
*The Actor or Stage Manager appears through the courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
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Students from the John Charles Meditz College of Arts and Sciences are taking their education to the next level, building upon foundational skills learned in the classroom and putting them to the test during internships at major companies and foundations.
The Art of Counting Some mathematical questions are surprisingly easy to ask—and remarkably difficult to answer. That tension is what first drew Zhanar Berikkyzy, PhD, associate professor of mathematics at Fairfield Meditz, to combinatorics—a field that examines counting, patterns, and structure. “Counting is often considered easy, even boring; we learn to count before we start school. But I would argue that counting is one of the most profound and humbling activities in mathematics,” said Dr. Berikkyzy. Her research focuses on anti-Ramsey theory, an area that explores colorful mathematical rainbow structures. While traditional Ramsey theory investigates when order must appear in large systems, Dr. Berikkyzy examines the conditions under which differently colored elements are guaranteed to exist. Supported by a National Science Foundation grant, her work investigates rainbow substructures in graphs and equations. Recent research conducted with students was presented at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in Washington, D.C., one of the nation’s largest mathematics conferences. This year, Dr. Berikkyzy and her collaborators will also host a workshop on anti-Ramsey theory at Carnegie Mellon University, bringing together researchers from across the country. At the center of her scholarly work is a commitment to involving students in authentic research experiences. “I work with undergraduates on open research problems, meaning nobody knows the answer. Not me, not anyone,” she said. This summer, Dr. Berikkyzy’s students looked at a challenging problem in anti-Ramsey theory. They are researching how many colors are needed to guarantee a
LEFT FROM TOP: During the summer research program,
mathematics students worked with Zhanar Berikkyzy, PhD, on anti-Ramsey theory. Photos by Fairfield University Media Center 14 FAL L 2 02 6 | MEDITZ UPDATE
rainbow solution to the nonlinear equation x+y=z^k in Z_n, where n is a positive integer. The students have already established part of the result and are now working toward proving a matching upper bound. The problem is advanced enough that researchers at other universities are currently studying a related nonlinear equation x-y=z^k, highlighting the level of mathematical research Fairfield students are conducting. In June, the group traveled to Jane Street Math Day in New York City to give a poster presentation and to the Yale Research Experiences for Undergraduates Conference to give a talk on their results. Students will be giving a talk at a joint math meeting in Chicago in January 2027 and are currently writing a paper that they hope to submit to a journal. “This is what typical summer research with students looks like to me,” Dr. Berikkyzy said. “Two months wrestling with a problem nobody has solved: some days the whiteboard is covered in ideas, other days it is stuck on a single step. That is exactly the point—students get a real experience of what it means to do mathematics. We are navigating unexplored territory together.” Over the years, Dr. Berikkyzy has watched students transform through their involvement in research. Many have gone on to graduate programs at institutions including Michigan, Pittsburgh, Colorado Boulder, Nebraska Lincoln, University of Connecticut, Notre Dame, Indiana University, and Rutgers. Students have also co-authored peer-reviewed publications and won presentation awards at national conferences. For Dr. Berikkyzy, however, the greatest reward is witnessing students grow in confidence and discover their own potential. “The moment something clicks—that M particular smile—it never gets old.” l
T EDUCATION
IN ACTION
his past fall, Emily Ellinger ’27, a public relations major with a minor in management, spent her time as a social media and marketing intern at the lifestyle brand Roller Rabbit. In her position, she created in-house content, sourced influencers, engaged with followers on social media, and supported campaigns. Ellinger gave a shout-out to Fairfield’s Sophomore Success program for providing her with early support in navigating the internship world. “It taught me the importance of not just asking questions, but asking the right questions,” Ellinger said. “I wasn’t expecting to be given so much responsibility as an intern, but I learned how to trust myself.” Charlie Sweeney ’26, a biology major with minors in health studies and economics, spent his spring semester working with the Hopper-Belmont Foundation (HBF) as an intern. In his role, he helped manage its prestigious Career Development Award given out to researchers and developed weekly content for the Foundation’s social media and website, aimed at the general public. “This was actually a project that I came up with,” Sweeney said. “It involved finding information from peer-reviewed journals and other credible sources like the National Cancer Institute.” Sweeney also had the opportunity to interview a pancreatic cancer specialist about the challenges with detection and surveillance, as well as current research. “One of the biggest takeaways from my internship experience has been that communication is key,” Sweeney said, “whether communicating progress updates to fellow interns and supervisors via email or sending messages out to science majors regarding the HBF’s new Student Impact Award.” Alexa Sewell ’26, a film, television, and media arts major with a minor in communication, spent her spring commuting by train to New York City for an internship with Warner Bros. Discovery as a CNN Podcast Operations and Marketing intern. Sewell tracked CNN podcasts, pulled data for audience analytics, and monitored promotional soundbite metrics across platforms. “I think the biggest benefit of my internship was the knowledge I gained,” Sewell said. “Nowadays, so many media industry roles overlap. Skills can easily be translated, and I now have skills that I can apply to other opportunities in the future.” Sewell also found that her classroom experiences were vital to navigating the work of her internship. “The organizational skills, time management, and cross-collaboration on school projects that my classes emphasize helped me prepare well,” she said. Over the M summer, Sewell continued building her skills as a video editor intern at David Yurman. l MEDITZ UPDATE | FALL 2026 15
FAIRFIELD
MEDITZ YEAR IN REVIEW
ADVISORY BOARD
America250
Tenement Museum
America Media Lecture
The University celebrated America250—the semiquincentennial of the United States—with programming across campus, including the History Department’s “America 250: History Edition,” a student-centered lecture and discussion series, and the Theatre Program’s collaborative production with the Glee Club and Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts, Big River: In Concert.
Meditz and Egan students traveled to New York City for a learning experience at the Tenement Museum. Led by faculty in public health and the arts, the visit explored how historical research and lived experience intersect.
The annual America Media Lecture featured Kim Daniels, JD, director of Georgetown University’s Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life. Dr. Daniels discussed concerns for the poor and renewed urgencies in a world increasingly shaped by automation and AI.
Spring Writers Colloquium
Frankl Symposium
Stags in LA
Cinefest
The MFA in Creative Writing Program invited writers, readers, and literary enthusiasts to the Spring 2026 Writers Colloquium at Fairfield’s campus in Austin, Texas, for a full day of readings, discussion, and handson writing workshops with award-winning authors Phil Klay and Matt Gallagher.
The Viktor Frankl Symposium explored the life, ideas, and continued relevance of Jewish intellectual and psychiatrist Viktor Frankl through lectures, performance, and conversation, bringing together scholars, medical practitioners, religious leaders, artists, and others for interdisciplinary and interfaith dialogue.
For the first time ever, 13 Fairfield Meditz students spent spring break in Los Angeles, Calif., where they visited Warner Bros., The Walt Disney Company, Paramount, Netflix, Paradigm Talent Agency, Picture Shop, and the creative studio MakeMake. Students participated in studio tours, panel discussions, and networking opportunities with professionals across film, television, law, and media.
Fairfield Meditz’s Film, Television, and Media Arts program students showcased an impressive lineup of original short films at the annual juried film festival, Cinefest. Films were selected by a jury of industry professionals and Fairfield faculty members, who looked for submissions with creative storylines and strong character development.
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We would like to extend our appreciation to the members of our Advisory Board for their unwavering commitment and generous support of the John Charles Meditz College of Arts and Sciences. Launched in 2005, this leadership board works closely with the dean to develop and champion Fairfield Meditz’s strategic direction. Their contributions empower much of the meaningful work we undertake in Fairfield Meditz, and we are profoundly grateful for their vision, leadership, and partnership. We look forward to continuing this inspiring collaboration and shared success in the years ahead. CHAIR
Kevin Cassidy ’90 MEMBERS
Renee Appelle ’03 Jorge A. Chiluisa ’89, MBA’06, P’21,’19 Ismael Colon ’72, PhD Joellin Comerford ’74 Robert Feigenson Steve Flanagan ’84 Thomas A. Franko ’69 Scott Frederickson ’82 Paul V. Grecko ’86 Anne Harris, P’18 Robin Kanarek ’96, RN, BSN
Patrick Kelley ’76, P’12 Jason LaRue ’99 Timothy Lynes ’81 John Mancini ’86 Carol Chamberlain McCabe ’81 Patrick McCabe ’80 Stuart McGuigan ’82 Matthew O’Connor ’92 Patty O’Connor ’89 Jason Smith, PhD Cindy Stack ’80 Edmund J. Sybertz ’72, PhD David Wakefield ’99 Cheryl Wiesenfeld
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1073 North Benson Road Fairfield, Connecticut 06824-5195
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