“Hello Bobcat family,” said Dr. Hardin as she thanked the Board of Trustees, President Olian, and the faculty, staff and students — including those watching the simulcast from the North Haven Auditorium and overflow rooms across the Mount Carmel Campus.

Dr. Hardin addressed the community on Thursday, during the university’s official announcement of her unanimous appointment.

Just moments before the Board of Trustees would notify the greater community by email, members of the Bobcat community crowded into the Mount Carmel Auditorium to hear Dr. Hardin’s first public remarks and meet their new president. The event was followed by a press conference in the open-air studio.

“I want to recognize, and I want to thank the lifeblood of this institution: faculty, staff and students,” said Dr. Hardin as she greeted Quinnipiac for the first time. “Thank you for the warm, warm welcome.”

Under Dr. Hardin’s leadership, Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State has bolstered its reputation for high-quality undergraduate and graduate education, broadened its impact in interdisciplinary research and expanded its outreach. Bellisario College is the largest nationally accredited mass communication program in the United States.

Notably, she led the college’s rebranding in 2017 after attracting a $30 million naming gift from alumnus Donald P. Bellisario and university support for a new media center that opened in 2020. The college’s endowment has more than tripled and total gifts to the college increased more than 50 percent in the past three years.

“What a great day this is for Bobcat Nation,” said Board of Trustees Chairman Chuck Saia ’91, MBA ’94, speaking on behalf of the Quinnipiac Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee. “The competition for this role was fierce.”

Saia continued his remarks by offering words of praise for everyone who provided input and collaboration during the nationwide search for President Olian’s successor. Dr. Hardin’s section as Quinnipiac’s 10th president was the result of a “rigorous and thorough” national search led by the board.

The process included the hiring of Spencer Stuart, a global executive search firm; establishment of a Search Committee by the Board of Trustees; creation of an Advisory Committee composed of administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni and parents; campus-wide input from the Quinnipiac community; and the review of hundreds of potential candidates.

He also recognized President Olian for her dedication and contributions throughout the past seven years.

“Please join me in welcoming our newest Bobcat and future Quinnipiac president, Dr. Marie Hardin, to our community,” said Saia in the formal email announcement to the community. “We look forward to her leadership and the continued growth and success of Quinnipiac University. With President Olian’s dedicated support, we will ensure it is a seamless transition that continues the university’s current inspiring trajectory.”

President Olian, Quinnipiac’s ninth president, announced last August she would step down at the end of this academic year on June 30, 2025. She has served as president since July 1, 2018. 

“This is an emotional day all around and truly a special thrill for me to be part of the welcome for the new president,” said President Olian before leaving the podium to the chorus of a standing ovation. “The new president is stepping into a dream role, really the best presidency you could hope for. And I’m personally committed to do everything to ensure a successful transition and support the new president to the fullest in however she wishes in the years ahead.”

President Olian’s term has been an active one, marked by a series of significant achievements including steering the university through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, launching a wide variety of market-facing innovative degree and certificate programs, and construction of the Recreation and Wellness Center, The Grove and the South Quad. The new academic buildings on the South Quad are set to open in May.

“You all know she’s a builder,” said Dr. Hardin. “Judy used the term 'dream role' for the president, I believe, and I'm sure Judy would agree, a dream role happens because you're in a community that lifts you up, that collaborates, that sees the forest for the trees, that is unselfish and is interested in propelling the entire institution forward and supporting its students every day. That's the institution that has made this a dream role for her, and I know will make it a dream role for me. Jerry and I look forward to so many things: We really look forward to visiting all the campuses, walking those campuses, visiting the campus Starbucks, attending our first hockey game at the M&T Bank Arena and then walking the 25 yards to watch a basketball game in the other arena. We're also looking forward to attending many of the sporting events. Jerry is a former college lacrosse player so we'll be going to plenty of lacrosse games. We look forward to visiting the Rocky Top Student Center and so much more — and I look forward to continuing an Olian tradition: office hours."

A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Hardin said she was immediately drawn to Quinnipiac University’s commitment to its four pillars including inclusive excellence, career-readiness and citizenship, commitment to community and the development of lifelong connections.

Dr. Hardin spoke fondly about crossing paths with President Olian at Penn State as she reflected on her journey to Quinnipiac, her working-class upbringing in Houston, Texas, and how her college experience was transformational in her life.

“College lit a fire in me. A fire for the joy of discovery and learning as part of a lifelong community,” said Dr. Hardin. “I hungered for that, and I’ve been able to foster that through my life  — and I learned the importance of that in college.”

She plans to capitalize on the momentum President Olian has built to ensure the university continues to invest its resources in becoming the University of the Future.

“When I opened up the strategic plan… and saw what your four pillars are, that really spoke to me and resonated with me,” said Dr. Hardin. “I look forward to so many things. Thank you so much, Chairman Saia, for this incredible opportunity that you've provided for me, for trusting me to this for this great institution. And Bobcat family, thank you for this incredible welcome.”

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