Fall State of the University address by Dr. Gary A. Olson on Friday, October 21, 2022.
In his fall State of the University address, President Olson welcomed new members of the faculty and staff as well as highlighted many milestones for the university. The culmination of Daemen’s 75th anniversary celebrations were recognized which included the successful closing of the first ever comprehensive campaign – “The Drive to 75.”
At its annual scholarship gala last month, the university announced the closing of the campaign, exceeding its $22 million goal by over four and a half million dollars.
“The fact that we were able to raise over 26 and a half million dollars demonstrates that many people are confident in the university’s direction and are willing to invest in its future,” Olson said.
“The Drive to 75” sought to fund a range of priorities, from student scholarships, to facility renovations, to academic program development. The campaign brought in the largest single individual gifts in Daemen’s history, including 2 separate $1 million gifts.
The success of the campaign also ensured the continued progress on the Daemen Public Square project which is bringing a quad to the heart of the Amherst campus. President Olson also highlighted the productive summer where much of the work on relocating the parking for this project was completed. Work was done to create two new tree-lined parking lots and a connecting roadway in the new section of campus. The new lots are surrounded by four walls of foliage to keep with the park-like setting of the campus.
Olson also lauded the university’s adherence to its high standards despite the national enrollment challenges. In a new data analysis by Buffalo Business First of institutions that received at least 1,000 applications for admission, Daemen is the most selective university in the Western NY region. With an acceptance rate of 62 percent, Daemen beat the national average by nearly 10 percentage points,according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
“Despite the enrollment challenges being experienced in higher education nationwide,” said Olson, “at Daemen, we are committed to maintaining our high standards.”
After the address, faculty and staff were invited to a reception to connect with colleagues and build community.
