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Endowment Funds

 

Endowment Funds

At Quinnipiac, our commitment to the community is strong, and represents a vital part of the school culture — for students, alumni and friends of the university. This dedication we feel to the long-term success of the university shows up in a myriad of ways. One of those ways is through endowments.

Endowment funds are vital in advancing Quinnipiac’s mission and in helping to shape its future. Composed of gifts that last in perpetuity, the funds assist the university with long-range planning and support for Quinnipiac’s priorities in years to come. 

Growing our endowment is among the Quinnipiac’s highest strategic priorities. Endowed funds are an important source of financial support, generating lifetime income and providing a stable funding base for initiatives such as student scholarships to provide financial aid, faculty chairs and professorships.

How Endowments Work

Our thanks

… go to the individuals, families and organizations who have created endowments or contributed to them over the years. Their investment in the university takes us in new, important directions by enabling the school to think and build in far-reaching and visionary ways.

 
Endowed Scholarships

Establishing a named endowed scholarship requires a minimum investment of $50,000, which can be made as a single gift or paid over a period of five years. Each year, the endowed scholarship fund provides a small percentage of the fund’s principal in financial aid to a deserving student. And all new scholarship gifts of $100,000 or more are matched 50 percent by Quinnipiac University.

“Higher education was like a pipe dream, especially at a high-level institution like Quinnipiac University. Because of scholarships, it isn't a pipe dream; it's a reality.”
Julian Papasian '18

When you support scholarships, you are helping students achieve and earn an exceptional education and a set of life experiences that will teach them as well. You are also making what may seem “impossible” to a prospective student … possible. And for that student, this means everything.

 

Scholarship endowments at the following levels give donors the opportunity to establish a named scholarship. All scholarship gifts of $100,000 or more are matched 50 percent by Quinnipiac University.

$50,000
Blue & Gold Student Scholars Fund

This scholarship assists students who have demonstrated financial need. As the endowment matures over time, the scholarship will help more students, or it will be awarded at a higher amount.

$100,000
Centennial Endowed Scholarship Fund

This scholarship can bridge the gap in a student’s ability to pay. At this level, Quinnipiac will match the donor gift at 50 percent.

$250,000
University Endowed Scholarship Fund

Applying the university match, this scholarship funds a significant portion of a student’s annual tuition.

$1,000,000
Presidential Scholars Fund

This scholarship covers the full cost of attending Quinnipiac. It helps to ensure that the best students are selected for the freshman class regardless of financial circumstances.

 

John Abella '83

John Abella was just a young boy when his family fled Cuba in 1967. They came with nothing, just the clothes on their backs, and his father’s belief that “we’re broke, not poor,” because they had education and the determination to build a new future.

Years later, that same determination led John to choose Quinnipiac College. The recipient of a partial scholarship, John worked two jobs while attending college, and enjoyed debating international affairs with his professors. He moved on to a successful career in business, building his life on the solid foundation provided by his family and a comprehensive education from Quinnipiac.

As an alumnus, and the father of two Quinnipiac graduates, John is a strong supporter of the university, currently serving on the Board of Trustees, and investing in the Abella Family Scholarship. His advice for others who give?  “Start early. Give what you can. And get involved! Give of your time and your talents. Pay it forward.”

“For many of us, someone made a sacrifice along the way so we could have the opportunity to attend Quinnipiac. As alumni, it’s time to pay it forward.”
John Abella '83

 

Endowed Faculty Chairs

Similarly in terms of the power of an endowment, and generally funded at a minimum of $2 million, endowed faculty chairs support the salary, benefits and research of an esteemed faculty member. Endowed faculty chairs are an essential part of a university’s commitment to education that is of excellent quality and long-term vision. The hiring and retention of faculty members who are committed to teaching and to productivity in research has resulted in innovative curricula and strong academic accreditation in Quinnipiac’s schools and colleges.

Part of the essential process in faculty development is the creation of endowed chairs and professorships to sustain Quinnipiac’s ever-emerging excellence. Distinguished academic chairs signal recognition of an institution’s quality. Not only do they acknowledge outstanding scholarship on the part of current faculty, but they also send a clear signal to prospective faculty that the university holds his or her discipline in high esteem.

$3 million
Endowed School Deanship

Deans are the visionary leaders responsible for the individual mission of the schools they oversee. A gift to endow a school dean will help our schools to quickly and innovatively meet challenges, seize opportunities and fulfill their missions. Additionally, it will help our schools attract future deans of the highest caliber.

$3 million
Endowed Faculty Chair for New Faculty

This allows Quinnipiac to compete in recruiting faculty members who are leaders in emerging areas of all academic disciplines. The endowed faculty chair will support the salary, benefits and scholarly pursuits (e.g. independent research, writing, student-faculty collaborations) of a tenured faculty member.

$2 million
Endowed Faculty Chair for Existing Faculty

This allows Quinnipiac to retain and reward tenured faculty members who have proven their skill in the classroom and their dedication to our students. Rather than running the risk of superb professors being lured away to other universities with greater resources, the endowed chair will assure an outstanding faculty member that Quinnipiac's value of and investment in him or her is unwavering.

$500,000
Endowed Named Professorship

A named professorship carries a special distinction, recognizing the special expertise and influence a given faculty member has demonstrated through his or her teaching, research and scholarship. Such an endowment will enhance the salary of these outstanding faculty members, giving them greater flexibility in pursing research materials, conference travel and more.

$250,000
Endowed Named Visiting Professorship

A visiting professorship enables Quinnipiac—for a semester—to make available special expertise that complements an academic department. For faculty and students, a visiting professor offers a unique way to broaden their understanding of a discipline and a chance to forge connections with an expert. Additionally, a named visiting professorship raises recognition of Quinnipiac's reputation because it remains associated with the expert on his or her curriculum vitae. Such an endowment helps attract prominent scholars or professionals to spend a semester at Quinnipiac University.

$250,000
Endowed Lectureship

An endowed lecture series will play an important role in the academic life of our community. Providing an endowment for a lecture series will allow faculty and students to meet and learn from distinguished scholars and practitioners eager to share their knowledge and research.

 

How Endowments Work

An endowment is like a savings account, built over time. The contents of the “savings account” are invested on behalf of the university, and the principal can never be spent. The account, or endowment, increases with every gift, constantly growing. The size of an endowment is important. Because the income it generates creates both the fiscal stability and the flexibility needed for growth in academic excellence and national recognition.

Each year, a portion of the endowed account’s value is available to support important initiatives like scholarships or faculty positions (chairs). The remainder of the interest is then added back to the principal to preserve and grow its value for the future.

 

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