Bay Path University

e Honorary Degree Honorary degrees are bestowed by colleges and universities on persons of special merit and accomplishment. Acknowledging that life itself is the ultimate examination, honorary degrees are a way of recognizing these individuals who, through achievement and service, have distinguished themselves in their career or community. honarary doctorate of humane letters recipient eileen stern Eileen Stern shares a deep and enduring connection with Bay Path University that reflects both family legacy and personal commitment to student success. Her father, Henry S. Stern '39, graduated from the Bay Path Institute (BPI). roughout his life he remained profoundly grateful for the opportunity BPI provided to earn a degree. Over the decades, he remained an active alumnus proudly passing on his love for his alma mater to his daughter. In the spirit of paying it forward, Eileen's parents established the Henry S. and Ann S. Stern Scholarship in 1990, and in 2005 Eileen further strengthened the fund with a significant gift in their honor. Continuing her parents' legacy of generosity, Eileen has made a lasting impact on Bay Path students through sustained philanthropic support of STEM education and undergraduate research. She later created and continues to grow the Eileen Stern Science Research Endowed Fund, ensuring ongoing support for Stern Scholar student research projects each year. She also underwrites the Stern Science Research Lab/Equipment Fund, which provides resources for laboratory expenses, faculty stipends, student research support, and essential research supplies. Recognizing her transformative commitment to hands-on scientific learning, Bay Path University dedicated e Eileen C. Stern Science Research Lab in her honor in 2017 as part of the It Begins Here campaign. It was followed by the naming of e Eileen C. Stern Biology Laboratory and e Eileen C. Stern Vertebrate Anatomy Lab—all spaces whose renovations she generously funded to ensure students benefit from modern, up-to-date learning environments. In December 2025, Eileen further demonstrated her enduring dedication to the University by creating the Eileen Stern Charitable Annuity Trust, a planned gift that was established to perpetuate her legacy through supporting a research science faculty member in a leadership role. Eileen remains closely connected to the University community. She comes to campus several times a year to meet with Stern Scholars, welcome and inspire new cohorts of student researchers, attend Academic Achievement Day, and witness firsthand the importance of faculty mentorship and experiential learning opportunities made possible through her philanthropy. In her professional career, Eileen served for eleven years as a clinical nutritionist at Bridgeport Hospital in Bridgeport, Connecticut, specializing in oncology nutrition. She earned her bachelor's degree from Russell Sage College, pursued additional study at University of New Haven, and received her master's degree in nutrition from University of Bridgeport. A resident of Trumbull, Connecticut, Eileen enjoys a wide range of interests including reading, gardening, martial arts, and fencing, however, she candidly admits that her greatest joy comes from watching students go on to graduate school or step confidently into meaningful and rewarding careers in the sciences.

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