According to the Stagmates page on Fairfield’s website, 10% of Fairfield alums marry fellow Stags. I wanted to reach out to a Stagmate who introduced me to Fairfield University: My high school principal, Evan Bishop ‘03, the head of Hopkinton High School in Mass.
Bishop attended Fairfield from 1999-2003, when the student population was substantially smaller than the number of Fairfield students now. 4,000 students attended to be exact. Bishop noted that “it felt like the perfect size” and said that it was “strong enough for a small community but big enough to meet new people.” And back then, Fairfield had a football team, and that’s how he met his Stagmate, Lindsay (Sampson) Bishop. While he was in the training room for a broken hand, she was there for a torn ACL – as coincidence would have it, the two injured at the same time. They got married in 2010 on campus, and their reception was at nearby Westport. Their wedding had over 30 former Stags in attendance.
“Fairfield has always been a huge part of our story,” Mr. Bishop reflected.
With social media, and even pressures from Fairfield, many students face stress finding their potential Stagmates. Bishop’s advice for fellow Stags is, “Don’t overthink it – enjoy the process, meet great people, and let things happen naturally.”
Mr. Bishop also encourages Stags to not put pressure on themselves, noting that, “Some people will find their person at Fairfield, some don’t… as it’s all part of ‘the journey’”.
Now, Mr. Bishop is the principal at Hopkinton High School, in Hopkinton Mass. Mrs. Bishop works as a partner at KL Gates, an international law firm that has an office in Boston. Together, the two have twin daughters who are twelve years old and live in nearby Southborough, Mass. When asked about his life now, Mr. Bishop said, “Life is busy but great.” In addition, Mr. Bishop and his family try to return back to campus as often as possible, and describes it as, “A fun and nostalgic trip.”
And lastly, Mr. Bishop finds it especially meaningful when he sees Hopkinton High grads choose Fairfield, because Bishop knows “firsthand what an amazing experience they’ll have.”
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