Fairfield University the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions. In 1941, Rev. James H. Dolan, S.J., Provincial for the New England Province of the Society of Jesus, received written permission from Bishop Maurice F. McAuliffe of the Hartford Archdiocese to establish a Jesuit high school and college in the southwestern area of Connecticut. Fairfield University was officially founded in 1942 when the Jesuits acquired the two contiguous estates of the Brewster Jennings and Walter Lashar families. Upon its founding, it became the 26th Jesuit college/university in the United States. In the same year, Rev. James H. Dolan, S.J. appointed the Rev.
Commencement at Central Connecticut State University George H. W. Bush (LL.D., 1999), and George W. Bush (LL.D., 2001) received honorary CCSU degrees. József Antall, Jr., Prime Minister of the Republic of Hungary (LL.D., 1991); Brian Mulroney, Prime Minister of Canada (D.S.Sc., 1994); Helmut Schmidt, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (L.H.D., 1993); and Lech Wałęsa, President of Poland (L.H.D., 1996) also received honorary CCSU degrees. Each of these was a former head of state of the conferral of his degree except for Antall and George W. Bush. Commencement at Central Connecticut State University Central Connecticut State University's annual undergraduate commencement exercises are held each May