Daemen University President Gary A. Olson delivered the spring State of the University address on April 25, celebrating another productive academic year filled with opportunity and growth in the midst of the enrollment cliff.
“Our enrollment has been stable, and we have been experiencing another robust year in external funding,” Olson said, adding, “It’s clear that our various constituents have great confidence in our direction and our ability to weather the challenges ahead.”
Olson attributed the ongoing prosperity of the university to its stellar board of trustees, under the leadership of Chairman John Yurtchuk. He also noted the recent addition of three new trustees: Lynn Marinelli, Director of Intergovernmental Relations at Empire State Development; Byron Brown, President and CEO of Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation; and JoAnn Falletta, Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic.
The president touted the university’s successful visit of the Middle States site review committee last month. “I want to congratulate each and every one of the over 80 faculty and staff who worked tirelessly over the last two years to prepare a first-rate self-study that clearly and extensively demonstrates the care that the institution takes daily to serve our students,” Olson said. 
The Middle States site review committee commended Daemen for an “extraordinary level of collaboration among governing bodies,” including the Faculty Senate and the Board of Trustees. During several meetings, the committee applauded the “high-trust relationships” both between the faculty and administration as well as the Board of Trustees and the administration—relationships that have led to “thoughtful, deliberative work through challenging times.” Olson applauded the faculty and staff for this recognition saying, “All of this is an indication of just how unique Daemen is as an institution.”
Olson noted an extraordinary year for athletics, acknowledging the significant accomplishments of the men’s and women’s basketball teams. On the conference level, Mike MacDonald was named ECC’s Men’s Coach of the Year and Jenepher Banker was named ECC’s Women’s Coach of the Year.
In national recognition, Traci Murphy, Vice President of Athletics, was one of a number of athletic directors who received the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) 2024-25 Athletics Directors of the Year Award. MacDonald received the 2025 Clarence Gaines Award, which is presented annually to the top Division II college basketball coach in the nation. MacDonald is the first Daemen head coach in any sport to receive this national recognition.
The president revealed that this year’s commencement speakers will be Mary Wilson for the undergraduate ceremony and United States Congressman Timothy Kennedy for the graduate ceremony.
Olson ended his address by reflecting on a productive academic year, stating, “I attribute all of this success to our outstanding Cabinet. Thank you, everyone, for all that you do every day to make Daemen such a very special place.”