Michael Paradise '94
Men's Lacrosse
Managing Director and Private Wealth Advisor at Merrill Private Wealth Management
Why did you choose to attend Fairfield University?
During my college search, a lot of schools tried to recruit me to join their men's lacrosse teams. At the time, Fairfield did not have a Division 1 (D1) program, they only had a club and were not on my radar. However, Coach William Hall reached out to me and asked me to come to Fairfield to help build a D1 program. That appealed me. Since an early age, I always gravitated to opportunities that allowed me to build and improve things. Coach Hall explained that he wanted me to look back in 20 years and say "I helped start that program." Two years after I joined the Fairfield men's lacrosse program, Fairfield fulfilled the promise they had made me and we were officially a D1 program by my junior year. I am very proud that I took a chance on Fairfield, of what I have helped build for our student-athletes, and where the program is today.
What is your favorite Fairfield memory?
My favorite Fairfield memory took place my first year at the University. During spring break, we went to Fort Lauderdale for a men's lacrosse exhibition and it was such a wonderful experience. The team was able to strengthen our bond, and the entire trip was filled with fun and competition. It really helped solidify our team dynamic and was one of the best experiences of my life.
I also had a lot of fun experiences at Fairfield outside of men's lacrosse. I was able to spend time with my now wife Sonja '95 who I actually knew from high school, I met my lifelong best friend Kevin Holtz '94 and his wife Jennifer '94, had great classes, great professors, and great classmates. I just had a really great experience throughout my entire time at the University and that's why my connection to Fairfield remains strong today.
In what way are you still connected to Fairfield University, Fairfield Athletics, and/or your sport?
I am proud to give back to the University's men's lacrosse program because of the wonderful experiences I had, but I am also involved in other ways. I have two daughters who also play lacrosse and who I coached from kindergarten through high school. Watching them inspired me to also give to Fairfield Women's Lacrosse to help bolster that program, and give student-athletes access to experiences such as international trips for competitions and service. When one of my daughters developed an interest in volleyball, our family began attending Fairfield Volleyball matches which also motivated me to support that program.
In addition to donating my treasure to initiatives I am passionate about, I also contribute my time and talent to help our student-athletes thrive. As a managing director and private wealth advisor at Merrill Private Wealth Management with over 25 years of industry experience, I have a lot of expertise I enjoy sharing with student-athletes to help prepare them for successful careers and lives after Fairfield. I have hosted job shadows, participated in resume writing workshops, and conducted practice interviews with men's lacrosse student-athletes. I am also part of a mentorship program and provide student-athletes with guidance to help them make the most of their Fairfield experience.
All I ask is that when our coaches recruit prospective student-athletes, they tell them that there are alumni like me who will support them in every way to help them succeed. This is the type of community they will be a part of at Fairfield.
What inspires your support for Fairfield University/Athletics?
My support for Fairfield is inspired by the great coaches, the great Advancement staff, and our student-athletes. All of these people have just been outstanding. They all want to help, and they all want to succeed.
I am also inspired because I want to pay it forward. Being a student-athlete at Fairfield prepared me to succeed professionally. During my career, I have had to build and support teams. Fairfield helped me excel at this, as well as showed me the importance of asking for help when needed, and giving your help when asked. Both of these acts are tremendous signs of strength.
Most importantly, I am inspired because I went to Fairfield on a promise, and that promise was fulfilled. I want to fulfill that promise for others.
Why did you choose to be an Arena 100 donor and support the construction of the new Mahoney Arena?
The Leo D. Mahoney Arena is going to be a major focal point of the University. I supported the its construction because I believed in the University's vision for this new venue. It was important to me that the new Arena not just be for sporting events, but something that anyone at the University could use. I also liked that Fairfield wanted to involve the greater Town of Fairfield community to use the new Arena. The fact the University was involving the community caught my attention because the surrounding area is very important to campus life, so including them would only strengthen our relationships.
How did your time at Fairfield help prepare you for life after graduation?
Interestingly, my career experience has been very similar to my Fairfield experience. After I graduated from Fairfield, I had an opportunity to build a new team at Merrill Private Wealth Management. The organization was trying something new in our competitive industry, and wanted us to build a group of people who work together to do more for our clients, instead of working individually. At the time, my boss had no idea if this idea would work, but he knew he wanted me to be a part of it. My desire to continue building things led me to jump at this opportunity. Now, I am a Managing Director for a 50 member team at Merrill Lynch.
In addition, Fairfield's dedication to caring for the whole person and developing men and women to be for others prepared me to overcome and achieve anything. I have worked with people all over the world, from different backgrounds, and different interests. I can talk to and connect with anyone because of my liberal arts education from Fairfield. I also continue to care for and strengthen my mind, body, and spirit, a practice advocated by our Jesuit and Catholic University. I am motivated to continue challenging my mind, keeping my body healthy, and dedicating myself to others and my spirituality.
