As we prepare our campus for annual Commencement activities, we take time to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of the graduating Class of 2026 at Quinnipiac. This is a meaningful moment to extend our heartfelt thanks, congratulations and best wishes to our graduates as they prepare for their next chapter.

The end of the academic year is always filled with activity. My calendar is packed with events hosted by our many clubs and organizations, all recognizing the students who have contributed so much to our community. One particularly notable event was The Big Event last weekend, when students, alumni, faculty and staff came together to participate in community service projects throughout Hamden and surrounding areas. This is the largest one‑day, student‑run service project at Quinnipiac.  

As I often remind students, “120 weeks of college (for traditional four‑year students, and 90 for our accelerated students) goes by very quickly! Be sure to attend programs, engage with peers and leave your legacy.” It is incredibly rewarding to see our students embody this spirit at Quinnipiac. A few cherished annual traditions still to come include the late‑night breakfast I host each semester, the Undergraduate Awards Ceremony and the Toast to the Class of 2026. Families should be proud of the impact their students have made during their college experience — one that will continue to serve them well in the next phase of their journey. And for those returning, we look forward to your continued participation and engagement on the campus.

Happy spring. I wish you a relaxing and enjoyable summer and the opportunity to spend meaningful time with your students. 

As always, if you have any questions or need support as you assist your student, please reach out to us at QUParents@qu.edu

Tom Ellett 
Chief Experience Officer (cxo@qu.edu)

Student Experience and Engagement 

The Student Programming Board will host its annual Wake the Giant concert on Sunday, April 26, featuring Zeddy Will with headliners The Driver Era. The show begins at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online through the student ticket portal. This is just one of many ways to enjoy our final weeks of the spring semester.

Fraternity and Sorority Life

The Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life is a vibrant piece of campus life where more than 20% of students chose to become members. Membership offers community, avenues for service and philanthropy, lifelong friends and fun. The all-FSL GPA is consistently higher than the all-Undergraduate GPA, and our members have performed more than 9,323 hours of hands-on service so far this academic year. They also raised an impressive $202,344.11 for philanthropic causes locally and across the country so far this year. 

April has been such a fun month in the fraternity and sorority community. We had the best time celebrating our individual members, chapters and community this past week at FSL Awards. To see our list of winners, please visit our Instagram at @qufsl. We also hosted our 12th annual Greek Week with a fun theme of Keeping Up with Greek Week where each team represented a reality TV show! Check out the recap on Instagram at @qu_greek_week!  

Panhellenic Primary Recruitment registration for sororities will be live beginning at 9 a.m. on May 1. If your student is interested, please direct them to @quinnipiacpanhellenic on Instagram to register. The primary recruitment process occurs over Labor Day Weekend. There is a 99% chance of participants receiving an invitation for membership if they maximize their options by attending and listing all available sororities.  

Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. will be joining the FSL community this fall. It is the first multicultural sorority in the country and is looking for founding members at Quinnipiac. Please direct any interested students to their Instagram at @quinnipiac_msu. Additionally, Sigma Chi fraternity will be joining us this fall. Any interested members should reach out to our team on Instagram at @qufsl or complete our interest form on Bobcat Central.

If your Bobcat wants to find their home away from home, establish a community of peers with similar values, participate in service/philanthropy events and have fun, feel free to direct them our way for information about joining. Please direct your student to QUFSL on Instagram or via email to fslife@qu.edu.

Health & Wellness

One last Wellness Wednesday will be on April 29 from 1:15-3:15 p.m. Stop by for a puppy hug and destress goodie bag in the RecWell lobby. 

Counseling Services

Counseling Services Availability 

Counseling Services is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both the Mount Carmel and North Haven campuses. Students can also speak with a licensed professional 24/7 by calling 203-407-4020, option 3.  

We provide confidential, student-centered support for emotional, social and mental health concerns. Students can schedule appointments in the way that is most convenient for them: 

• By phone: 203-407 4020, option 1 

• By email: QUCounseling.General@hhchealth.org

• Online: Schedule an appointment online

Fitness and Recreation

Recreation

Last month, Quinnipiac intramural basketball celebrated a big win at this year’s Elm City Extramural Tournament. Championship teams from Central Connecticut State University, Connecticut State Community College, Southern Connecticut State University, the University of Bridgeport, the University of New Haven and Quinnipiac all competed for the Extramural Champion title, and we brought home the win!  

April has been an exciting month for Campus Recreation. Our department received a Campus Rec Innovative Programming Award at this year’s 2026 NIRSA + IDEA World Conference & Expo in Maryland for our Student QFO (Qualified Food Operator) Certification Program. This student-driven initiative provides participants the opportunity to earn a nationally recognized food safety certification at no cost while leading hands-on culinary workshops in our demonstration kitchen-building practical life skills, fostering community and promoting wellness across campus. 

Another recent win comes from our esports program which was recognized for being this year’s MAAC esports Program of the year! Alongside this recognition, our Rocket League and Overwatch teams both took home this year’s MAAC Championships; we couldn’t be more proud!  

Looking ahead, our outdoors program has just one more trip this semester where students will travel to Groton, Connecticut for a Bluff Point hike and submarine tour.  

Upcoming Programs

On Friday, May 1 at 1 p.m., RecWell will be hosting “Puppy Pause & Play” as a destress event before finals. More information on this event can be found on recwell.qu.edu under programs.  

Fitness Center summer hours will go into effect Monday, May 11 and can be found on recwell.qu.edu.

Fitness and Wellness 

Free Fitness Classes

The spring fitness class schedule ends on May 2. We will then have a small exam week list of classes running from May 3 to 6. 

Sign up 24 hours prior to the class start time at recwell.qu.edu or on our QU RecWell app.

For anyone staying local to Quinnipiac this summer, we will have a small fitness class program during Summer 1. We will keep the sign-up website up to date and should list all classes by May 20. 

Division I Athletics  

Individual game tickets

Get your tickets

Season tickets

Get your season tickets

News and Updates

Visit GoBobcats.com

Housing and Residential Life

Enhanced Room Selection Process

Warm spring greetings to you, Bobcat Parents and Families!  

We are proud to share the results of our newly enhanced room selection process, which has just concluded and delivered meaningful outcomes for our students. By the end of the regrouping round, 93% of rising juniors and 92% of rising sophomores had the opportunity to choose their housing assignment for the upcoming academic year, a significant level of student participation. 

The momentum continued beyond selection. Less than two hours after sophomore selection concluded, all remaining sophomores were assigned and we were able to keep matched roommates together, reinforcing our commitment to group cohesion and student experience. The assignment process for rising juniors is ongoing — more than 50% of the remaining juniors have been assigned, and we anticipate having all students placed in the near future. 

This year's process was redesigned with clear goals in mind: stronger group cohesion, increased communication, greater transparency and more time and flexibility for students who needed to adjust their original housing plans or roommate groups. To support these goals, we significantly expanded outreach and engagement opportunities. Information sessions increased from one in 2025 to four in 2026 and roommate social opportunities grew from one to four as well and we introduced a new virtual roommate finder. 

We also strengthened family engagement by hosting a parent information session on Zoom, which drew 270 parents live and has since been viewed an additional 300 times. 

As we reflect on this cycle, we remain committed to continuous improvement. We have sent out a student assessment survey to get feedback that will help us build on these successes and further refine the housing experience for our community. 

Residence Hall Closing Information

Looking ahead to the end of the semester, we would also like to highlight some important residence hall closing information. Students who are not participating in Commencement are expected to vacate their residence hall within 24 hours of their last exam and no later than Saturday, May 9 at 10 a.m. Please note that Commencement will take place on the Quad on May 9, so students departing that day are strongly encouraged to plan for an early departure to avoid delays related to Commencement traffic. 

For students who need additional time on campus, Late Departure Request forms and Summer Housing applications are now available on MyHousing. 

Move-In Crew

We are also excited to share that we are now accepting applications for the Move‑In Crew. We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers who are eager to help welcome our newest Bobcats to campus this fall. The application can be found on MyHousing, and we encourage interested students to apply. 

Questions

Additional information about residence hall opening and fall move‑in will be shared with students and families over the summer. 

Thank you for your continued partnership. We wish you and your Bobcat a restful, safe, and wonderful summer, and we look forward to welcoming students back to campus soon!

If you or your student have any questions, we are available in the Office of Housing in the Student Affairs Center behind the Bobcat Den. We are open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Dining Updates

Learn more about meal plans

Highlights from QU Dining 

In March, we focused on helping students fuel and recharge ahead of midterms with refreshing, seasonal offerings as the weather warmed. April highlights fresh farm to table meals and the sustainable impact dishes have on the environment. 

End-of-Semester Reminders 

As the semester comes to a close, please note that meal points do not roll over to the fall semester. Students are encouraged to use remaining dining dollars through bulk purchases, Starbucks merchandise such as mugs and coffee, and apparel at On the Rocks Pub & Grill. Food trucks ended April 22, and Heritage Kitchen in Café Q will be open through April 24. For those who are running low on meal points, students can add Q-Cash to their Transact account or Quinnipiac offers the Bobcat Food Share Program. This program was established to address food insecurity among students. Arrangements will be made for pick up at one of the three campuses. This program is a collaboration between Student Affairs, Chartwells, and a volunteer network of student groups, faculty and staff. 

Upcoming Events

• Student Appreciation Event: April 30, featuring a special soft-serve promotion and a guest appearance by Boomer the Bobcat from 5 to 6 p.m. for photos. 

Now Hiring Student Positions 

QU Dining is hiring across multiple campus locations, including On The Rocks Pub & Grill, Shake Smart, Waking Giant Café, as well as marketing and nutrition internships within student-run operations. 

Complete the student operations interest form

Email resumes for internships to QuinnipiacDining@qu.edu 

Additional positions are available in Café Q, York Hill, Bobcat Den and North Haven for cashiers and food service workers: 

Learn more about Chartwells jobs

Benefits include a free meal during every shift, flexible scheduling, free uniforms and safety shoes, and the opportunity to receive a recommendation letter after graduation. These roles are non-federal work study positions.     

Meal Point Balances

As we are coming to the close of the academic year, students should be especially mindful of their meal points.  All students are encouraged to check their meal points at least once a week by installing the Transact app on their mobile device or accessing the Transact website. Comparing the actual meal point balance to the week-by-week guidelines will help students to stay on track.  

Too many points  

Any leftover meal points will roll over from the fall to the spring semester. However, spring semester points will expire if they are not used at the end of the term.  

Students with too many points have three options available to them:  

• Consider transferring points to another student. 

  • Learn more about the meal point transfer process

  • Log into Quinnipiac's meal point transfer system

• Participate in the Tap Out Hunger program and donate meal points to charity. 

  • This program opens in April.  

• Purchase food or beverages in bulk quantities directly from the dining hall to bring home.

  • Dining services offer limited items based on cost value at the end of each year. 

Too few points  

Students who have fewer points than the budget recommends can:

• Negotiate a transfer of points from another student. 

  • Learn more about the meal point transfer process

  • Log into Quinnipiac's meal point transfer system

• Supplement with Q-Cash.

  • The dining facilities accept Q-Cash and credit cards. Q-Cash acts as a debit account separate from the student's meal plan, and students may add Q-Cash to their account at any time by making a deposit on the Transact page. Parents and guardians can also make guest deposits. In addition to each dining location on our three campuses, Q-Cash is accepted at numerous establishments in the surrounding area.  

Track Your Points

It is important that students check their balances regularly to ensure that they are not over- or under-spending their meal points. Visit the Meal Plan Budgets and Staying on Track page of our website to: 

• Download the Transact app to your mobile device or log into the Transact website to check meal point balances. 

• View the average budget considerations and week-by-week guidelines

• View tips for staying on track, and what to do if you are off track

Spiritual and Religious Life 

April has been a season of celebration in the Office of Spiritual and Religious Life. Students have gathered for Easter egg dyeing, a belated Eid celebration, and a mini-Seder held for interfaith educational purposes, which combine as a wonderful reflection of the diverse faith traditions represented and supported on our campuses. 

Our OSRL student leaders also took part in the university-wide Student Government Association's Allyship event, engaging their peers in meaningful conversations about how to support and respect people of different religious backgrounds. 

We are proud to share that religious and spiritual program attendance has grown 62 percent compared to this time last year, with continued growth across our Catholic, Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities. The energy and commitment of our students has been truly inspiring. 

We are delighted to welcome Keren Ayalon (pronounced eye-ALONE) to the team! Keren joined us on March 30 as our new coordinator of Jewish Life. A seasoned leader in Jewish communal life, she has served at Hillel chapters ranging from Tel Aviv University to the University of Oklahoma. Keren is also a passionate Hebrew language educator and will be teaching Hebrew 101 at Quinnipiac this fall. We are so glad to have her. 

As the semester winds down, student worship services will be held on May 1 and May 3, offering students a meaningful opportunity to center themselves in faith before final exams begin. All students are welcome at any religious event, regardless of their own tradition. We encourage you to remind your student to take advantage of these gatherings. 

To stay connected and up to date on all upcoming events, follow our communities on Instagram: 

• Office of Spiritual and Religious Life: @QUOSRL

• Catholic Chaplaincy: @qu_catholic_chaplaincy

• Christian Fellowship: @quinnipiacchristianfellowship

• Jewish Community: @qujewishcommunity 

• Muslim Student Association: @msa_quinnipiac

• Nisa: @nisa_quinnipiac

International Students and Scholars 

Work authorization

F-1 students graduating in May are eligible to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) and should review the instructions on the OPT website. Continuing F-1 students wishing to engage in an internship in the U.S. during the summer, must be eligible for and enrolled in a course requiring work and approved for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) prior to engaging in work.   

Travel

Students with international travel plans should consult the Travel Guidance on the OISS website. Students must obtain a travel signature from the OISS office prior to reentry into the U.S. If students have concerns about travel, they can email oiss@qu.edu or schedule an appointment with an advisor.   

Summer Resources

Students can find helpful resources for local summer storage, airport transportation options, and more on the OISS MyQ page for current students.

More Information

Students and families can review the international website at international.qu.edu for helpful information and upcoming events. New and continuing students can access their immigration documents and requests in the ISS Portal. 

You can reach us by email at oiss@qu.edu or visit our office in the Arnold Bernhard Library 122S, across from One Stop. You can also follow us on Instagram at @qu.oiss and @quglobalpartners.

Financial Aid

Assistance in Paying Your Summer Invoice

Student and parent loans are generally very good options for paying a summer invoice. While most private lenders, and the Federal Parent Plus Loan, require a student to attend the summer term on a half-time basis (6 or more total summer credits) for loan eligibility, there is a handful of private lenders who do not have the same summer credit requirement. Please refer to the private lending guide, elmselect.com, for a comprehensive, unbiased, website housing many of the private lenders historically used by Quinnipiac students.

Parent Plus Loan applications are located on the studentaid.gov website.   

The summer loan term is May 18-August 21.  

Returning Students

Be sure to file your 2026-2027 FAFSA on the studentaid.gov website for financial aid consideration for the new academic year. 

One Stop

Check Your Email  

Consistent with the university policy, One Stop uses email as our official means of communication with students.  We send frequent emails to students and to their proxies with important information that is time sensitive.  All students are required to check their emails regularly.  

January and Spring payment late fees

Students with unpaid balances who are not on payment plans from the January and Spring terms will have late fees applied monthly. In addition, these students have holds on their accounts which will prevent them from registering for the Summer and Fall 2026 terms. Students and their proxies should access Self-Service to check for outstanding balances and pay accounts in full.   

Please consult the Resolve a Balance Due page of our website for assistance as needed.  

Tax forms available   

As required by the Internal Revenue Service, Form 1098-T is available to all students with qualified tuition and other related educational expenses paid during the previous calendar year. 1098-T forms are available through Self-Service when students login with their Quinnipiac credentials. Click on Tax Information and select 1098 Information to access your 1098-T statements.   

Summer and Fall 2026 tuition and fees due dates announced  

The billing dates and payment due dates for Summer and Fall 2026 have been announced. Please visit the When is tuition due for Summer and Fall 2026 FAQ on our website.  

Payment Information  

• Summer 2026  

  • Billing for Summer 2026: Notices that invoices are available will be sent around Thursday, April 23, 2026. Look for an email when your bill is ready for review.  

  • Payment due date: Friday, May 15, 2026. Be sure to settle your account by this date to avoid any holds or late fees.  

  • No payment plans are available for the Summer Term.  

• Fall 2026  

  • Billing for Fall 2026: Notices that invoices are available will be sent around Monday, June 15, 2026. Look for an email when your bill is ready for review.  

  • Payment due date: Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Be sure to settle your account by this date to avoid any holds or late fees.  

  • Fall 2026 payment plan: You must enroll in a plan by Tuesday, July 14, 2026 if you'd like to use this option.  

  • Fall 2026 Payment Plan Installment Dates:

    • July 15, 2026  

    • August 15, 2026  

    • September 15, 2026  

    • October 15, 2026 

    • November 15, 2026

More Information  

Please reference the following for assistance as needed:  

Payment Options: A complete list of payment options including one-time payments, payment plans, international payments, and making payments on behalf of a student as a proxy or a third-party. 

Self-Service Student Finance Guide: Provides complete instructions on using Self-Service to set up a proxy, view and pay invoices and set up a payment plan. 

Managing Student Finances: Shows cost of attendance and financial aid options.  

One Stop Website: Answers many common questions. The frequently asked questions page is a particularly useful resource. 

Contacting Us  

Email is the best way to reach us. Please allow one to two business days for a response, and we look forward to assisting you.

Registrar

Registration

Registration for Summer and Fall 2026 will reopen on April 27. For more registration information and FAQs, please visit the registering for classes page. 

The Registrar’s Office and the College of Arts & Sciences are piloting a new waitlist system. If a course section that is part of the waitlisting pilot is full, your student will now be able to add themselves to its waitlist within self-service. They can view the list of courses included in this waitlist pilot. 

Final Exams 

The final exam period begins at 3:30 p.m. on May 4. Student can view Exam Schedule on their MyQ page.  For questions, please email registrar@qu.edu. 

Commencement 2026 

Commencement is quickly approaching. For more information about Commencement, please visit commencement.qu.edu. For questions, please email registrar@qu.edu. 

Parking and Transportation

The Parking Rules and Regulations will continue to be enforced. Please note the following reminders:   

• First-year students may not bring their vehicle to campus for the spring term. 

• Sophomores must park their vehicles in the York Hill Garage.   

• Juniors, seniors and graduate students should consult the maps which show the parking permit types permitted to park in each lot.   

• Public Safety enforces all parking rules and regulations and will be ticketing and towing as needed.   

• Students with three or more unpaid parking violations will have a hold placed on their account and will be subject to towing until the violations are paid in full. 

We will be in touch over the summer concerning parking for the next academic year. Generally, an email is sent in early August with this information.

Student Conduct

Supporting a Safe and Positive End to the Semester

As we head into the final weeks of the semester, there is a great deal of excitement across our campuses. It’s a meaningful time as students wrap up their academic work, celebrate accomplishments and look ahead to what’s next. We share in that excitement and are grateful for the role you play in supporting your student’s success. 

With this increased activity, we encourage students to make safe and responsible choices. Large or disruptive gatherings, especially those involving alcohol, are not permitted and may result in serious consequences, including suspension or, for seniors, impacts to Commencement participation. Certain behaviors may also have implications under Connecticut law. 

We also remind students living off campus that, under the Good Neighbor Policy, they are responsible for their guests and the overall environment of any gathering they host. 

For more information on university policies, including the Student Code of Conduct and Good Neighbor Policy, please visit the Student Handbook.

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting a safe and successful end to the semester. If you have questions about the Student Code of Conduct or university expectations, please contact the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards at studentaffairs@qu.edu. 

Wishing you and your student a joyful and celebratory finish to the academic year.

Community, Assessment, Response and Evaluation (CARE) Team

Here at Quinnipiac, Spring CARE is in the Air.  While students are prepping for finals and making plans for summer break, the CARE Team is continuing to be hard at work making sure our Bobcats are connected and supported. 

Students can also join us outside of the Student Center Starbucks on April 28 or April 30 to add their go-to comfort or study songs to a shared QU CAREs playlist.  In addition, our CARE Media and Communications intern is finishing up an informational video that will feature student volunteers to increase awareness of CARE resources and the referral process.  Some highlights from this semester have been fine-tuning the CARE referral form and internal systems, as well as increasing our presence on all three campuses.  One of our biggest focuses this year has been strengthening collaborations between campus partners in an effort to streamline and boost student support. 

Since the start of the current academic year, CARE has recorded 1,037 CARE referrals, representing a 22% increase compared to 847 referrals during the same period, the year prior. Referral volume continues to trend higher than previous years (2023-2025), suggesting an increased awareness and utilization of CARE services. 

The highest proportion of referrals remains among underclassmen, particularly first-year students (32%), followed by sophomores (21%). This trend aligns with continued collaboration across campus partners to provide coordinated, early intervention support for students. Collectively, the most common patterns presented in CARE forms include concerns related to mental health and well-being - particularly stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms - as well as challenges with academics, illness or injury and/or situational stressors. 

Common questions and concerns from parents and students center around how to access CARE support, including how to submit a referral and what occurs after submission. Once our CARE informational video is finished, we look forward to sharing it with everyone. In the meantime, to access additional information about the nature and purpose of CARE, how to submit a referral, and CARE team contact information, please visit qu.edu/CARE.   

We look forward to helping your Bobcats finish the year strong.

Graduating Students / Commencement

The countdown to Commencement is on!  

The cap and gown pre-order period has closed, however, all graduates are guaranteed a cap and gown and have received information on how to obtain a cap and gown if they did not pre-order.  

A reminder that our Saturday and Sunday ceremonies take place outdoors on the Mount Carmel Quad. Tickets are not required. In the event of severe weather, we will move the ceremonies indoors to the M&T Bank Arena and tickets will be required. Graduates will receive 3 tickets to the basketball arena, where the ceremony is held, and three tickets to the hockey arena, where the ceremony will be simulcast. Graduates will be receiving information on this as we get closer to May.  

Please remind your graduate to keep an eye on their Quinnipiac email and to open emails coming from quevents@qu.edu, as this is the address Commencement information is sent from. 

More information on Commencement is available at our Commencement website.

Office of Development for Parents & Families  

Our goal is to help facilitate your connection to Quinnipiac throughout your student’s time at Quinnipiac and beyond. From events, to fundraising, career networking to volunteer opportunities, and more — Parents and Families are Bobcats, too! 

Get Involved! 

Quinnipiac parents and families help our community thrive. Your support and encouragement profoundly shape each student’s educational journey. Join fellow Bobcat families in making an impact by becoming a Parent Ambassador, joining the Parents & Families Leadership Council, honoring your Bobcat, and supporting the Quinnipiac Family Fund. 

Learn more about these opportunities on our Get Involved page, or contact Jenna McClain Morlong at jenna.mcclain@qu.edu or 203-582-7274.

Contribute to the Student-Led 1929 Fund

The 1929 Fund is excited to introduce T-shirts and senior hoodies.

Celebrate your student's final year while giving back, with proceeds of hoodies and T-shirts going directly toward student scholarships.

See the T-shirt and hoodie options and order now

Email 1929fund@qu.edu with any questions.

Don't miss your opportunity to celebrate your student and support scholarships.

Support the 1929 Fund beyond merchandise. If you’d like to make an additional contribution to the 1929 Fund to support incoming students with financial need, you can donate anytime. Every gift helps Quinnipiac students succeed.

Donate Here: 1929 Fund Scholarships