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

  • 10/19/15

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.

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