Fairfield University Resources and Opportunities
Financial Aid
Investing in yourself is an exciting opportunity, but it can also be difficult to navigate on your own. Thankfully, Fairfield has some excellent folks who can help you make the best choices about how to pay for graduate study. For questions, contact Kim Fetko at kfetco@fairfield.edu in Fairfield’s Office of Financial Aid.
Graduate Assistantships
Most of our graduate students are also working, either full-time or part-time. If you’re interested in additional part-time work, consider one of Fairfield’s graduate assistantships. These opportunities are typically 10-15 hours per week and are compensated through tuition remission.
I recommend checking out the positions in: Dept. of Psychological and Brain Sciences; Kirby Family Literacy Program; Institutional Research; Center for Social Impact; Graduate Admission; Office of Research and Grants; and Frederickson Family Innovation Lab.
Career Guidance
Our program is an applied psychology, so we are focused on your career success from Day 1. In addition to one-on-one meetings with your program faculty, I recommend that you take advantage of the Career & Professional Development offices in both the College of Arts and Sciences and Dolan School of Business.
Student Life and Events
Graduate Student Life office provides all kids of useful information for new and continuing graduate students. Visit this page to learn about “getting started” at Fairfield and the different services available to our students. For those who are interested, you can learn more about becoming part of the Graduate Student Senate.
Wellness
Life can be stressful, and graduate school is no exception. Fairfield recognizes the importance of mental health and wellbeing for student success. All graduate students are eligible for a free premium subscription to the Calm app and free teletherapy through UWill. You also have access to the Fairfield RecPlex (gym) and the DiMenna-Nyselius Library.
Organizations you should know about
Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology (SIOP)
SIOP is the leading organization for both practitioners and academics. Their website hosts valuable information about graduate study and careers in I/O psych. I recommend exploring their website and considering joining as a student member.
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
Students are often interested in a career in (or related to) human resources. Our program doesn’t have a required course in HR, so I recommend that students explore SHRM’s website to learn more about the field, especially strategic human resources. Check out the local chapter (SHRM-SOCT) for educational events and networking opportunities!
Association for Talent Development (ATD)
Are you interested in employee development, training, or coaching? If yes, you should familiarize yourself with ATD. They have some nice information materials on their website and some continuing education opportunities as well. For all students, the local chapter (ATD-SCC) has excellent events (some online, some in-person), which are usually free if you register with a “.edu” email address. Check them out!
International Coaching Federation (ICF)
Is coaching in your future? If yes, then definitely check out ICF. They have information about obtaining ICF certification and (my favorite part!) they host an International Coaching Week (ICW) each year in the spring, that includes free educational opportunities, discussions, demonstrations, and even pro bono one-on-one coaching sessions. It’s a great community and is well-respected if you’d like to work in the coaching space.
New York Metropolitan Association of Applied Psychology (METRO)
Based out of New York City, this organization is a great way to connect with other graduate students and practitioners in the metropolitan area. They also have monthly and annual events that are great opportunities for learning more about I/O psych and networking.