Fairfield College Preparatory School

Fairfield College Preparatory School (Fairfield Prep) is a Jesuit Prep School located on the campus of Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States. It is an all male school of about 900 students. It was first founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942. Operating with the approbation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, Fairfield Prep is self-sufficient with no diocesan or government financial assistance.

In 1942, the Provincial of the New England Province of the Society of Jesus was invited by Bishop McAuliffe of Hartford to establish a Jesuit high school and college in Fairfield County. The Provincial, Father John McEleney, (later Archbishop) purchased of land overlooking Long Island Sound in the town of Fairfield. The original Jennings mansion became McAuliffe Hall, the first classroom building, and the Lashar mansion became Bellarmine Hall, the first Jesuit residence. The first graduating class of 1943 consisted of eleven young men.

By 1946, the school's enrollment was approaching 800 and two new buildings, Xavier and Berchmans, were on the drawing boards. 1947 also marked the establishment of Fairfield University.

Through the fifties, enrollment remained by design between 800 and 900 students. In the meantime, the University expanded rapidly and the original campus of two buildings and fifty students grew into the campus of today, with twenty-four buildings and over 3,000 students.

Today, Fairfield Prep has an enrollment of over 900 students. It...
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