Fairfield University Partners with Bassick High School to Create a College Learning Environment Simulation

Fairfield, Conn. — Fairfield University’s Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions (GSEAP) welcomed 80 Bassick High School students to campus starting September 4, 2015.

Throughout the academic year, Bassick High School teachers will hold their regularly scheduled Friday classes in Fairfield University classrooms.

The partnership between Fairfield’s GSEAP and Bassick High School was formed with the goal of introducing Bridgeport high school students, some of whom may not have plans to attend college, to learning in a college environment.

“We are pleased to be hosting Bassick students as a way to open our doors to local high schools and give students the opportunity to experience learning on a college campus," said Robert Hannafin, Ph.D., dean of the School. “Through this partnership we’re hoping to encourage students to rethink their plans after high school, and see higher education as a path they can pursue. And our faculty and the Bassick teachers have already found ways to collaborate, which is very exciting."

Nicole Survilla recently hosted her mathematics class in Canisius Hall and is thrilled to be on campus: "Being able to learn at Fairfield is a unique experience for my students because it allows them to see the opportunities that exist beyond Bassick High School,” she said. “It’s difficult for my students to envision a life in college. For them, higher education can seem far off or even unobtainable, but being at Fairfield and sitting in the seats of college students allows them to envision themselves attending college in the future." 

University's Graduate School of Education & Allied Professions offers a nationally accredited education with programs including Early Education, School Counseling, and Marriage and Family Therapy. Utilizing engaging classrooms and specialized programs, GSEAP is accommodating to schedules and a variety of field experiences.

Featured

  • Nashville Elementary School Receives LEED Gold Certification

    Goodlettsville Elementary School, part of Metro Nashville Public Schools in Nashville, Tenn., recently achieved LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), according to a news release. The 81,750-square-foot school opened in 2023 and was designed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC).

  • Cal Poly Humboldt Starts Construction on Healthcare Education Hub

    California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt in Arcata, Calif., recently announced that work has begun on a renovation project that will turn the Stewart Building into a new Healthcare Education Hub, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Sundt Construction Inc. for construction services.

  • Big Horn Academy

    Big Horn Academy

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Big Horn Academy has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • GeoCam and UCLA: Modernizing Campus Accessibility Mapping

    In early 2025, UCLA partnered with GeoCam to capture and modernize its pedestrian infrastructure data. The goal was ambitious but clear: to produce a high-accuracy, imagery-backed digital map of every sidewalk, pathway, ramp, and ADA-related feature on UCLA’s 419-acre campus.