Dear members of the Bobcat family,

I hope this message finds you well and rested after the summer. We’re full of energy and optimism as we begin the 2024-25 school year and welcome new members of the Quinnipiac community.

Today, I write to share some personal news that I announced at this morning’s Convocation. I will step down from my role as President of Quinnipiac University next summer following the 2024-25 academic year. This was a difficult and emotional decision for me because serving in this role over the past six-plus years has truly been the privilege of my life. Timing for such decisions is never ideal — there is always more to do, plans that are not yet completed. However, Quinnipiac’s upward momentum is heartening, and I have every confidence in the institution’s continued successes.  

Over the past six years, we have made substantial progress because of our work together. We’ve confronted institutional setbacks and overcame — with grace and resourcefulness — the unprecedented challenges of teaching and living with a pandemic. We are enjoying strong enrollments at both undergraduate and graduate levels despite major headwinds. Over the last six years, we added 59 new academic programs and dual degrees, 16 certificate programs and 12 badges that address emerging market needs, hired ~170 faculty that have brought cutting-edge expertise and pedagogy into our programs, and attracted over 600 staff members who have recruited fabulous students, built rich extracurricular programming, and improved systems and services within our community. 

We’ve helped our students become life and career ready, and have been recognized by Zippia as the college with the best employment outcomes in the nation for five straight years. We worked to become a more inclusive community — among faculty, students and staff, and made explicit commitments to advance the values that unite us. We collaborated with, and supported surrounding communities, and demonstrated the importance and benefits of civic engagement.

Our Board of Trustees and Alumni Board were restructured around new priorities, and we raised substantially the levels of engagement and philanthropy among alumni, parents, donors and friends. We opened two stunning buildings — the Recreation and Wellness Center and The Grove, and will soon complete two more — the SITE and the new building for the School of  Business. These buildings are enablers of more advanced pedagogy and research, a new living-learning model, greater community connections, and healthier living. We created a comprehensive wellness ecosystem and forged deep and wide corporate partnerships that have impacted faculty research and teaching opportunities, student learning and immersions, and the range of services we deliver. 

We basked in the thrilling accomplishments of our students and student-athletes in the classroom, lab, in communities around the country and world, on the court, field and on the ice. Yes, Tampa! We won the national championship in men’s hockey, and celebrated joyously, even ringing the bell at the NYSE. And we attracted and promoted outstanding new senior leaders whose impact is felt throughout the institution.   

There are many reasons for all of us to be bursting with pride — these accomplishments were achieved because of the collective power of the Bobcat family.

I am indebted to our Board of Trustees, and to the three chairs under whom I have served — Bill Weldon, Art Rice and Chuck Saia. Our Trustees have supported and guided Quinnipiac with wisdom, care, and a bold vision. Each Trustee brings unique expertise and forms of commitment to different parts of the institution, and together they have encouraged and enabled us to make inspiring strategic investments in our future. I am most grateful for the thoughtful advice and warm encouragement of the Board. Our Board has been vital in building the foundation that will assure the continued successes of the university.

Higher education truly molds generations through path-breaking scientific research, by nurturing critical thinking and emotional robustness among young people, and as a forum for discourse of ideas and technologies that shape societies and our planet. I have been rewarded every day by the privilege of engaging in the enterprise of higher education, the joy and intellectual challenge of engaging with our fabulous students, faculty, staff, and leadership team, the admiration I feel for the creativity and commitment to the purposes of learning and research among our faculty and staff, and the genuine devotion to our students and to each other within the Bobcat family. Our students make me smile every day, and they give me every reason to be filled with hopefulness about our future.

My husband Pete and I plan to maintain a presence in Connecticut because we intend to remain very engaged with QU. Your warmth and hospitality have made us feel welcomed and attached to this Bobcat community, for which we will be eternally grateful. I plan on a full and busy year ahead in continuing to advance our plans through the finish line. We have much to accomplish, and I am committed to assuring the strongest possible transition to my successor. The Board of Trustees will soon communicate details about the search process for the next president. 

I am immensely proud of what we've become, and see enormous opportunities ahead. Our trajectory is one of upward momentum, and I am confident this will continue. We have all of the elements in place: an extraordinary team of leaders, deans, department and unit heads, our supportive and visionary Board, loyal alumni, friends and families, and our students, faculty and staff who embody a thirst to embrace and improve our futures.  

Thank you for all you do for Quinnipiac, and for offering me such deep personal fulfillment in serving as president. I look forward to continuing our good work, together, over the next year.

Warmly, 

Judy Olian
President, Quinnipiac University