QU Begins Academic Year With “Weeks of Welcome”

QUINCY, Ill. – The fall semester at Quincy University began this year with more than 70 events during the university’s new “Weeks of Welcome” programming for the first three weeks of the academic year. This record number of events for new students was designed to help students succeed at the university and become part of the Quincy community.

New Quincy University President Brian McGee, Ph.D., led the efforts to acclimate the freshman class by living alongside them in the residence hall during Orientation Weekend, attending many orientation sessions and activities as they navigated the first weeks of school and running beside them during a three-mile fitness event entitled “Miles with McGee.” McGee, an avid runner, hopes to encourage all QU students to adopt healthy and active lifestyles while earning their degrees.

“Quincy University is a caring community, and, like our new students, I have been welcomed and supported in my first weeks in Quincy,” said McGee. “From the first day of orientation, our students are being given all the tools they need to succeed at QU.”

Quincy University began Weeks of Welcome this year as a way to engage new students and get them adjusted to college life. Students like Marcus Argana, a freshman nursing major from Festus, Mo., appreciated the opportunity to connect with faculty, staff and other students in an inviting and informal way.

“I was first attracted to QU for the excellent music program and beautiful campus,” said Argana. “However, I never expected to find such a great community. The people are very helpful and warm.”

The overall enrollment for QU’s fall term is 1,122, which is similar to the previous year’s enrollment. The incoming class of freshman and transfer students for fall 2019 is nearly 320 and represents 24 states and 12 foreign countries, including Croatia, Peru, and the United Kingdom.

QU’s community partnership with John Wood Community College continues to have a positive impact on enrollment, which is demonstrated by the recent growth in the number of transfer students attending QU.

“Our freshman and transfer students and families continue to appreciate the high quality and exceptional value of a Franciscan, Catholic education,” said McGee. “As QU’s new president, I am very impressed by our success in providing generous scholarships and making QU affordable. It is a tribute to our alumni and other donors and to the entire Quincy community that, for many students, it can cost less to attend QU than to choose a public university. We are rightly proud that we can provide a high-quality, private university education that is affordable.”

For fall 2019, QU saw a 4% growth in the freshman-to-sophomore retention rate and an increase in graduate student enrollment.

“We continue to be optimistic about the university’s long-term enrollment plan. The quality of this year’s incoming first-year class was strong academically, with a fourteen-point improvement on average SAT scores,” said Tom Oliver, vice president for enrollment management. “Additionally, our music department, in particular, had significantly increased enrollment in its programs. Within Illinois, we also were pleased to see an increase in students from the Chicago area and growth in targeted markets outside of Illinois.”

Founded in 1860 by Franciscan friars, Quincy University (www.quincy.edu) is a Catholic, co-educational, residential university offering undergraduate, graduate, and adult education programs that integrate liberal arts, active learning, practical experience, and Franciscan values. Quincy University’s intercollegiate sports are members of the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference for men and women. For more information, please contact the Quincy University Office of Community Relations by calling (217) 228-5275.