“The contributions of our Bobcat family throughout these two momentous days will be paid in dividends throughout the coming years,” said Nick Wormley ’00, MBA ’02, vice president for development and alumni affairs. “It is indicative of the work being done by their donations — small and large alike — to further build The University of the Future.”

Nearly 200 people came together Friday night in the heart of Manhattan to add to the $87 million already raised as part of the university’s For the Ambitious capital campaign. Among those present were students, alumni, trustees, faculty, staff, alumni board and advisory members, community partners and friends. As part of the evening, dozens of individual donors contributed from $50 to $500,000 to advance the university’s goals and initiatives. 

“Thank you to our sponsors and all who attended and supported ‘A Night for the Ambitious,’” Wormley said. “It was not only an evening of celebration, but a milestone moment for each of us in our mission to bring this campaign to life, celebrating the power of philanthropy when it meets ambition.”

The gala was chaired by Brett Amendola, a proud alumnus and member of the Quinnipiac Board of Trustees. His wife, Beth, is an alumna and a member of the College of Arts and Sciences’ advisory council.

“It’s easy to see our family is devoted to Quinnipiac and its continued success — and thrilled to be here tonight celebrating such a milestone occasion for the University all of us cherish and love,” Brett Amendola ’91, P ’21, ’22 and ’25, told the audience. “Tonight is indeed monumental, as we embark on an historic, new chapter for Quinnipiac. This year, we launched our first-ever comprehensive campaign, ‘For the Ambitious,’ a landmark fundraising campaign truly exceptional in its focus and impact. As we arrive beyond the halfway mark on our journey to raise $160 million, your commitment and generosity are the driving forces to achieve this ambitious goal.”

Amendola urged those in the room to reflect the growth of the university since its inception 96 years ago — and what we will continue to accomplish together.

“Tonight is not only an evening of celebration, but a milestone moment for all of us in our mission to bring this campaign to life,” he said. “Together, we are not only raising funds; we’re raising the bar for what’s possible.”

The money raised will support student scholarships, innovative programming, faculty excellence and campus facilities.

Chuck Saia ‘91, MBA ’93, is the chairman of the university’s board of trustees.

“One of the best things about being board chair has been my partnership — my friendship — with our president, Dr. Judy Olian, whose transformative presidency comes to a close this summer,” he said. “As Judy’s landmark chapter concludes, it gives me great pleasure tonight to recognize Judy’s successor, an engaging visionary, leader and scholar in her own right, who will guide us forward: Our incoming 10th president, Dr. Marie Hardin, who begins in July. As the baton is handed off, our evolution into The University of the Future continues, not only uninterrupted, but with gathering strength and speed for the long run.”

Although the university’s next century officially begins in 2029, he said it really has already begun.

“It began last October when we launched our campaign and it begins tonight with all of us,” he said. “What we choose to do together in this campaign will propel the trajectory of Quinnipiac for generations to come — generations of students and faculty alike.”

President Judy Olian praised the university’s generous donors for paving the way for the great work being done today and into the future.

“This is a very special evening, and I have very mixed emotions as these amazing seven years at Quinnipiac that Pete and I have enjoyed, are coming to a close,” she said. “Tonight you’ve seen some of the reasons for the very gratifying, even transformative times here at QU — our remarkable students, faculty, the bold leaders we have on our Board who have supported and enabled the dreams we’ve had for Quinnipiac.  Our great leadership team. And the many alumni and friends who’ve been the wind beneath our sails.

She said the university has so much more untapped potential — and so there’s a lot of work that still needs to be done.

“And we have much more to do – under Marie’s leadership, our For the Ambitious campaign will propel us to accomplish more, to steepen our trajectory forward, not only for the next decade, but for the next century and beyond. What you give to this campaign tonight will turn ambition into action, ideas into impact,” Olian added.

She then welcomed Mattel CEO and chairman Ynon Kreiz to the stage for a fireside chat.

She described Kreiz, who spoke on the Mount Carmel Campus at an event for students, faculty and staff two years ago, as someone who transformed fierce ambition into impact.

“The most important thing is to focus on quality, authenticity and real product — and then the next step is to create an emotional connection with people who engage in your business,” he said. “This is the core of what we do. We build, develop, grow and amplify engagement through an emotional connection.”

At the end of the discussion, he presented her with a custom Barbie, something he said only a handful of others have had made.

The Quinnipiac Legends performed to a standing ovation, and Yealie Ulaba-Samura ’25, a psychology major with a double minor in political science and theater, spoke about the positive and tangible impact of contributions donors have on students’ lives and how she personally benefited as a resident adviser, QUEST mentor, Hawley Platt Scholar, Sawhney fellow, president of the Black Student Union and now a U.S. Congressional intern.

Courtney McGinnis, professor of biology, is also the faculty representative to the Quinnipiac board of trustees, a QUEST faculty member, interviewer for the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac, a member of the sustainability planning committee and a member of the You Got this Kid! Foundation. She talked about the importance of donors to the growth of academic pursuits at the university.

In all, the evening raised more than $1.2 million from generous donors. The day prior, saw more than $1 million raised by more than 1,100 individuals as part of the Bobcats Unite campaign, including individuals who make their contributions offline, exceeding its ambitious $1 million goal. The $2.2 million raised collectively across both days go toward the For the Ambitious capital campaign.

“As you learn more about our shared vision for the campaign, now is the time to dream big dreams that fuel our ambition, that scale our impact, and that propel Quinnipiac forward into the next century,” Wormley said. “With the goal of $160 million, our efforts will herald a new era for Quinnipiac for our next century and beyond. With growing momentum at our backs, this is a moment in time unlike any other. Together, we have an opportunity to elevate Quinnipiac to new heights of excellence and new vistas of distinction.”

In Focus