A Letter from the President

The anticipation of what lies ahead — for all of us — is so energizing! As we come together as a Quinnipiac community to unload cars and help our newest Bobcats and their families feel welcome, I’m reminded why I’m so happy and so honored to be here.

It’s the people as much as the place. Quinnipiac is wonderful that way. It always has been.
During move-in week, faculty and staff gather for Convocation, the annual kickoff to the academic year. It’s a chance for us to celebrate our accomplishments, set goals for the coming year and be bold in the process.

A year ago, I was still learning about our Quinnipiac community. I honestly can’t count the number of alumni, faculty and staff, students and parents, our neighbors in Hamden and North Haven, members of our Board of Trustees — everyone — who made me feel special and made me feel welcome.

I still have much to learn, of course, but I no longer feel like I need a map of campus. I feel like I belong here because you’ve gone out of your way to make me feel that way with your kindness, your encouragement, your greetings on the Quad, your spontaneous selfies and your heartfelt support.

As I said to everyone in the auditorium at Convocation in August: “This is the kind of place where people say hello on the sidewalk. I love that.”

There’s a lot to love about Quinnipiac, after all.

It’s been that way for nearly a century now, from Samuel and Irmagarde Tator’s audacious dream to open the Connecticut College of Commerce in New Haven in 1929 to breaking ground in Hamden in 1966 as Quinnipiac College and becoming Quinnipiac University, a national institution with nearly 10,000 students and three campuses.

In fact, we’re already making plans to celebrate our Centennial in 2029, a milestone that belongs to everyone who has contributed to the legacy of learning at our great university.

As I look back at nearly 100 years of unabashed grit, a relentless focus on student success and a signature DNA that drives us to be innovative, ambitious and brave, I’m excited about the future of Quinnipiac.

Really excited!

As we prepare our graduates for the workforce of tomorrow, we must include experiential learning opportunities for every student. No exception. We must continue to advance our national reputation for preparing students for interdisciplinary careers, including those in healthcare and healthcare-adjacent fields.

And those careers that don’t even exist yet.

It’s an exciting time for Quinnipiac as we approach our Centennial. We continue to be at the forefront of teaching and technology in all that we do. We continue to earn high marks in national rankings among our peers. And we continue to dream, excel and achieve as a leader in higher education and a leader in our community.

So go ahead, dream big with us. And remember, it’s the people as much as the place. Quinnipiac is wonderful that way.

It always has been.

Marie Hardin, President