The Parsons College Alumni Hall is located in the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts lobby located within the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center. Parsons College was a four-year liberal arts college founded in 1875 by General Lewis Baldwin Parsons. The college remained as a small school until the mid-1950’s when a new direction by the board of directors was found. They hired Dr. Millard G. Roberts from upstate New York to guide the college’s future growth. When Dr. Roberts arrived total enrollment was 500 students. In the fall of 1966 total enrollment exceeded 5,500 students. The college closed with its final graduation, June 3, 1973. The spirit lives on with our alumni and a focal point is our Parsons College Alumni Hall.
The students, faculty and friends of Parsons College have donated in excess of $200,000.00 to have the naming rights for this portion of the reception area of the Center. John Blackstock, class of 1964, provided the challenge and vision to establish a “Parsons College Wall of Honor” at the dedication of the Alumni Hall in 2008. October of 2009 found the inaugural class being inducted. The students and alumni of Parsons College have gone on to make their mark in society, locally, nationally and internationally. This provides us a way of honoring and remembering the nurturing and education the students and alumni of Parsons College received during their time attending classes in Fairfield.
The Alumni Hall allows for rotating displays highlighting the accomplishment and memories of various activities of the college. Two display cabinets were donated as a memorial from a deceased student’s family. The east wall provides an area for displaying photographs, highlighting some of the distinguished visitors to the college during the 1950’s – 1960’s, the hay day of Parsons College. Entertainers, guest speakers and many notables were invited to Fairfield to educate and entertain the students, faculty and community.
October 2013 found over 128 students, alumni and friends of the college attending the fifth annual Wall of Honor Dedication. This weekend also included an all-class reunion, which brought alumni and friends from all areas of our country to return to Fairfield and become grounded again in their roots. The two organizations leading the way with these projects are the Parsons College Alumni Association lead by Nancy Wirtanen ([email protected]) as president and the Parsons College Foundation Fund with David Neff ([email protected]) as president. The Alumni Association’s web site is www.parsonscollegealumni.com. Parsons College memorabilia is still available through Fairfield Line, Inc. via their web site www.fairfieldlineinc.com and clicking on the Parsons tab.
In the words of the legendary alumni, Lee T. Gobble, “There will always be a Parsons College.”
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