HQ Press – Page 5

Quinnipiac, Haven Harvest partner together to combat waste, sustainability

Jodi Franchi of Milford and her two grandchildren aid the effort of Haven Harvest to provide food for those facing food insecurity. Franchi and her grandchildren are picking up food that will be distributed to those in need.

According to the 2015 Statewide Waste Characterization Study, it is estimated that 22.3 percent of Connecticut’s trash consists of food. This means that 519,832 tons of food are thrown away each year.

President Judy Olian and Quinnipiac University are implementing a strategic plan of the universities’ goals for the foreseeable future. Part of the initiative is the creation of the sustainability council. This is a part of the universities’ strategic plan that became public at the end of the 2019 academic year.

Anna Cicciarella, a member of the sustainability council, says that while the university is making progress there is still a lot of work to be done.

Food waste at Quinnipiac University is to be collected and delivered to the Albert Schweitzer Institute, who will then turn the food waste into material for their compost.

“We’ve had to break down what sustainability means on campus…it’s a broad term,” Ciacciarella said.

The council has primarily focused on three areas of sustainability, living, learning and sustaining. Food waste falls under living. This is one of the areas Ciacciarella has been working on. The university is partnered with Albert Schweitzer Institute, which has started a compost where food waste will be collected.

“We built it in the fall and starting in March we’ll utilize that to take food waste…there’s a worm bin in the building too, but it is a smaller amount,” Ciacciarella said.

The worm bin uses the worms to recycle food scraps and other organic material into a soil called vermicompost, or worm compost. Food scraps are put into the bin which then becomes compost as they pass through the worm’s body. This process creates composts that can be used to grow plants.

“It’s an example of what we can do in the long run,” Ciacciarella said.

Sam Conti, a Bridgeport hospital dining employee, prepares to take trays of leftover food to be donated.

Quinnipiac Dining, which oversees food services at Quinnipiac, now donates excess food directly to Hamden residents through Haven’s Harvest. Hamden Harvest is a non-profit organization that currently provides food to those facing food insecurity throughout Greater New Haven.

“We launched about a year ago, and we recover as much food as we can,” said founder and director Lori Martin.

Haven’s Harvest currently works with the university to have student volunteers deliver the food throughout Hamden during the academic year.

“When students can volunteer it’s great, we love the support and being backed by the institution,” Martin said.

In a 2019 study commissioned by United Way of Greater New Haven, researchers found that nearly one in eight adults and one in six children in Hamden experience food insecurity.

Beyond the university, Haven’s Harvest collects food from local businesses that otherwise are thrown away. The company has three programs to combat food waste, recovery, advocacy and development.

“There are a lot of businesses in the New Haven area who are interested and we want to help them,” Martin said.

Businesses and community partners that are interested in donating can fill out a form on their website. The website also has a form for anyone or an organization that needs food.

Currently, Haven’s Harvest works with around eighty businesses. These donors give food anywhere from weekly to once a year. The businesses are primarily located in New Haven county.

“It’s so much about the relationships that we make. We are creating a community and the food is just a part of this,” Martin said.

Hamden Police Department prepares for 11th annual Citizen’s Police Academy

The Hamden Police Department is now accepting applications for its 11th session of the Hamden Citizen’s Police Academy.

The academy, which will begin on March 26, is designed to provide residents with important knowledge through education and conversation.

Hamden Police Capt. Ronald Smith spoke about the importance of the training program.

Members of the 2019 Hamden Citizens Police Academy pose for a group photo. Detective John Inglese/Hamden Police Department — Members of the 2019 Hamden Citizens Police Academy pose for a group photo.

Detective John Inglese/Hamden Police Department

“It gives us the opportunity to explain to our residents, business owners, and college students, what the Hamden police department does and why we do things the way that we do,” Smith said. “It also gives us an opportunity to listen to our residents’ complaints about how we can make their lives better.”

Smith adds the academy’s origin stems from the ever-changing role of a police officer.

“The primary focus is now on community policing, so we here at the Hamden Police Department are always looking to engage the community in certain types of events,” Smith said. “The Citizen’s Police Academy has been highly successful and the people that have attended have enjoyed it immensely.”

Hamden’s Acting Deputy Chief, John Sullivan, shares his thoughts on the academy.

“We’re learning from them just as well as they’re learning from us,” Sullivan said. “It’s created a really good bond with the people we serve and a very good teaching tool for everyone. Citizens are more aware of their surroundings and what’s going on in the community.”

Sullivan mentions that the information makes people more useful as witnesses.

As it relates to the involvement of Quinnipiac University, Sullivan believes there is tremendous value in the academy and he encourages all students to attend.

Smith also acknowledged that Quinnipiac students have enrolled in the past and he hopes to see more in the future.

“You don’t have to make every class. If you only make a few, at least you are learning something. We encourage Quinnipiac University students to attend this class because it’s fun,” Smith said. “It’s not a classroom where someone is just providing you information on a PowerPoint, it’s interactive with a lot of laughs, and there’s a canine demonstration, which a lot of people enjoy.”

Smith adds that the academy has made people feel more comfortable living in Hamden.

“We just want to make sure that everybody enjoys their time here in Hamden and if there is an issue, we’re here to provide them the assistance that they need. It’s been a positive experience and I haven’t heard anything negative about it.”

Hamden’s Deputy Directors for Emergency Management, Bob Freeman, is happy he completed the program.

Freeman, who’s been involved in emergency management for over 40 years and is the current Coordinator for Hamden’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), believes that the program is worthy of peoples’ time.

“Without exaggerating, this program was one of the most rewarding presentations that I have been part of in my entire career,” Freeman said.

The academy helped Freeman understand the stress and commitment that it takes to be a law enforcement officer. He also commends the Hamden Police Department for putting it all together.

“The instruction and information presented by Captain Ron Smith, Sergeant Brent Zuscin and their Brother & Sister Police Officers were beyond excellence and displayed every part of the job they do,” Freeman said.

Hamden police collect over 149 guns at Gun Buy Back event

Hamden hosted its first successful Gun Buy Back event collecting over 149 rifles, pistols and handguns. The event was held in an attempt to make the community of Hamden more safe and prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands.

Often times, unwanted guns are inherited or left unsecured in homes.

“There are a lot of guns that people don’t really want in their houses,” Chief of Police John Cappiello said. “And I also think what works well is when people pass on or people get older and start having some other mental health issues, people don’t really know what to do with the guns, so they just put them in the closet. So this gives them an opportunity to get them out.”

Several rifles were collected at the event, along with other various types of guns. Courtesy: Kailee Heffler — Several rifles were collected at the event, along with other various types of guns.

Courtesy: Kailee Heffler

Overall, the event collected more than 149 guns, making it a bigger turnout than had been expected.

“I don’t think it could have gone better,” Cappiello said. “I didn’t know what to expect since this was our first time doing it. We were a little worried we wouldn’t get anybody, so when we did see people lining up it made us feel a little better, but I didn’t expect to get the numbers we got.”

Once the guns are turned in, Hamden police will sort through them. Depending on the type of gun, some will be turned into the state, while others will be destroyed.

“The pistols will be gone through and will go to the state for test firing,” Cappiello said. “The rifles will be destroyed. And eventually the handguns will too, once the handguns are test fired by the state and found not to be involved in any type of crime.”

Other communities in Connecticut have hosted successful Gun Buy Back events, which prompted Hamden town officials to host one of their own. The process to plan this event took almost a year.

“We talked about it because we have seen these events in other communities and they have been successful,” Mayor Curt Balzano Leng said. “Pina (Violano) from Yale New Haven Health came to us and said this is something we could do in Hamden. Our new police chief, along with Adam Sendroff, our Community Development Manager, and myself have had communications with her for the better part of a year to put it together.”

Events like the Gun buyback are important in keeping the community safe.

“You really can’t put a value on it,” Leng said. “It’s invaluable. When we had meetings to talk about what a successful event would look like, one gun would be a successful event.”

Executive Director of Connecticut Violence Intervention Program in New Haven Leonard Jahad was excited to see the Hamden community participating in the event.

“I’m very proud of Hamden because they are getting rid of guns that may get from the streets out into the hands of people who should not have guns,” Jahad said. “I am extremely proud.”

Free gun locks and car safes were also provided for owners who did not want to dispose of their guns, but safely secure them.

The Gun Buy Back was an anonymous event. In exchange for turning in their guns, residents and nonresidents of Hamden received gift cards to various locations.

New Haven police launch new program for drug users

The New Haven Police Department launched a new program earlier this month to protect drug users leaving incarceration. This program includes the introduction of harm reduction kits for people leaving jail after drug arrests.

Needles are included in the harm reduction kits. Clean, unused needles reduce the risk of harm to users. Courtesy: Garrett Amill

The kits will contain clean needles, pipes, water and information on drug treatment centers. Police say the harm reduction kits allow people who use illegal drugs to use them in a safer manner. The hope with the introduction of these kits is to reduce the risk of injury or death.

Robert Lawlor, a former police officer now working with the Federal High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program (HIDTA), helped with the development of the program in New Haven.

“In a lot of these cases, they don’t have the equipment they need to use safely,”Lawlor said. “In a lot of these cases, they’ll use dirty needles, dirty water…stuff that’s unsafe and unsanitary, and leads to a whole host of health problems and dangers, not only for them, but for the community at large.”

The idea for the kits came from harm reduction expert Mark Jenkins in Hartford. He approached New Haven Police Chief Otoniel Reyes with the idea. According to Lawlor, Reyes and the officers in the detention facility liked it.

“He was very, very supportive of the idea,” Lawlor said. “They understood there was a need for it.”

According to the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, New Haven saw 39 accidental deaths in 2018 where opiates were to blame. The introduction of harm reduction kits is one attempt to reduce that number going forward.

Jenkins, along with the Yale Clinical and Community Research’s syringe service program and the police department helped decide what to put in the harm reduction kits.

The New Haven Police Department began piloting the unique program in February.

“We don’t believe it’s done anywhere else in the country,” Lawlor said. “We weren’t really looking to start a new craze, we just recognized a gap in services.”

Quinnipiac ranks in top three percent of Georgetown University recent study

A recent study ranked Quinnipiac University in the top three percent of U.S. universities for long term value.

Quinnipiac University’s campus. Courtesy: Kevin Meiselman

The study, conducted by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, analyzed the long-term return on investment of 4,500 colleges and universities. Analysis was based on graduates’ future earnings up to 40 years after completion of their degree.

The same report also ranked Quinnipiac in the top 100 for its graduates’ median 10-year earnings at $63,300 a year. Vice President of Enrollment Management Eric Sykes discussed the impact this study could have on admissions.

“It really legitimizes what we’ve been talking about with prospective students,” Sykes said. “Quinnipiac is the kind of place where we’re all about outcomes. We’re very practical in our education. Students are going to get a lot of hands-on experience with faculty. We differentiate ourselves in that way from other schools, and this is really just evidence of what we’ve been saying.”

Quinnipiac continues to differentiate itself, as this isn’t the first time the university has been recognized with such an honor.

“This isn’t the first study to come out with differences in outcomes between Quinnipiac and other institutions,” he continued. “I think within the state of Connecticut, we are ranked number one. As families look at the return of investment and the value of a degree, studies like this allow us to talk more about the evidence behind those pieces we’ve been talking about up to this point.”

Sykes didn’t say that this study would lead directly to more applications, but he noted that it can’t hurt to be mentioned alongside other highly respected colleges and universities, especially in a respected ranking system.

“It’s hard to know any one data point that’s going to really move the needle on those, but it certainly helps us to underscore the message that we’ve already been speaking about. It allows us to talk to students and parents about the value of a Quinnipiac degree,” he said.

Quinnipiac professor Patrick Harewood awarded new patent for mouthwash

Patrick Harewood, pictured, is an adjunct professor of biomedical sciences at Quinnipiac University. Courtesy: John Morgan

Patrick Harewood, an adjunct professor at Quinnipiac University, received a patent for his mouthwash that combats Xerostomia on Jan. 7. Xerostomia is a health condition that is also known to many as dry mouth. This condition occurs due to a lack of saliva production from one’s salivary glands.

Harewood earned his bachelor’s degree in natural sciences at the University of the West Indies in Barbados. He then attended the University of Rhode Island to obtain his masters and doctorate degrees.

His studies at the University of Rhode Island in the master’s program centered around food and nutrition. He would go on to complete his doctorate in biological sciences.

Harewood, who has been a professor at Quinnipiac for nearly twenty years, was first approached about the mouthwash creation process several years ago. As Harewood’s son was in for a routine check-up, Dr. Jeralyn Fantarella, his primary dentist, approached him about his father’s educational background in microbiology and food chemistry. Harewood himself also spent about a year and a half doing research with the Food and Drug Administration.

It was not an easy process for Harewood and Fantarella. Most of their work was done in various dental hygienists’ rooms. Bouncing from room to room, they ordered the necessary lab equipment and developed their product at Fantarella Dental Group in North Haven.

When asked about the driving force of this invention, Harewood speaks about how he was able to get the ball rolling.

“Dr. Fantarella had noticed an upsurge in the number of people visiting her office who had this condition of dry mouth,” Harewood said.

Harewood also highlighted the importance of saliva and how his mouthwash will benefit consumers when it hits the market.

“In addition to containing enzymes which play a role in the digestion of food, [saliva] also contains antimicrobial components along with enzymes, which destroy bacteria associated with tooth decay,” he said.

Harewood and Fantarella will be going through the process of approval through the FDA. This process entails areas of overview such as device performance, health risks, a summary report, and biocompatibility results. For more information on the FDA and their oral rinse approval guidelines, click here.

Approval from the FDA for certain products differs based on its uses. Some commonly used mouthwash products may never actually need to be approved by the FDA.

“There are some mouthwashes on the market that do not have to go through the regulatory process because they are just used for simple things like to freshen breath,” Harewood said.

“If all goes well, (the mouthwash) should be approved as an over the counter drug,” he continued. “It should probably take, if all goes well, about three months to a year to be approved.”

Harewood teaches courses at Quinnipiac revolving around biomedical sciences, specifically in the field of biomedical marketing. He encourages his students to build off of what he has accomplished.

“I hope people can see me and my work as a source of inspiration,” he said. “If I can do it, they can do it too.”

Hamden residential financial meeting brings about community discussion

Christian McNamara presents his multi-slide presentation on the climbing expenses of Hamden. McNamara spent months compiling data from audits and financial reports. Courtesy: Peter O’Neill

Hosted by Yale lecturer Christian McNamara, concerned Hamden residents gathered at Books & Company late Tuesday evening to discuss the drastic financial debt Hamden has found itself in.

“A few fellow Hamden residents and I have put together a presentation on our town’s precarious financial condition,” Christian McNamara said in a mass email.

Other Hamden residents like McNamara that are taking action are Judy and Stockton ‘Stocky’ Clark. McNamara and the Clarks, along with others, started the months-long project of compiling data into a multi-sheet pamphlet to illustrate the scope of Hamden’s financial debt. It includes graphs and projection charts using older data received from Hamden’s audits and financial reports already available to the public.

“I spent hours and hours reading everything I could get my hands on about the town’s financial situation,” McNamara said. “It was an enormous amount of work, but work that we felt was very important.”

The group simplified pages of numbers and figures into a series of straight-forward graphs.

“The charts are meant to show people, graphically, what is going on,” Stocky Clark said.

The bulk of the presentation makes obvious the immense financial debt taken by Hamden. Despite being the sixth most taxed town in the state as of 2017, Hamden is having severe difficulty making ends meet.

“We owe $1.1 billion…that’s how much the town of Hamden owes right now,” Stocky said.

In 2019, Hamden’s Moody’s municipal credit score lowered down to Baa3 status, neighboring with Sprague and West Haven. This rating is just one notch above the worst municipal score, Ba1, referred to as ‘junk status.’ The term refers to junk bonds, a bond which borrowers take when they have no other option, and are taken when the borrower is subject to substantial credit risk.

“Under junk bond status, it is going to be extremely expensive to take out bonds,” Hamden Legislative Council Member Brad Macdowall said.

There is skepticism that with Baa3 status comes the possibility of the Municipal Accountability Review Board (MARB) taking over financially. The board provides financial accountability for municipalities experiencing various levels of fiscal distress.

“If the MARB did come in, we would see slashed and gutted services, and no benefits to taxpayers for it,” Macdowall said.

The big picture, however, is lost to many Hamden residents.

“Often times when we point out these challenges, people say, ‘Well okay it’s one thing to point out that we have a problem but what’s your solution?’ To me it’s difficult to have a conversation about it until you’ve defined the scope of the problem,” McNamara said.

“That’s what we hoped to do tonight,” he continued. “[We are] getting the information out there, so that we can collectively define the full scale of the problem. And then use that as the basis for fostering a community-wide discussion about what to do.”

Over 40 Hamden community members were present for McNamara’s presentation. This has been the largest number as of yet, for residents to attend a residential meeting assembled by McNamara and the Clarks. Courtesy: Peter O’Neill

McNamara has reached out to legislative council members and the mayor’s office in hopes of his presentation creating a town-wide dialogue.

Of the Hamden Legislative council, three members were present at the meeting. Council members encouraged attendees to speak up about their concerns, sooner rather than later.

“In order to make the best decision, we need you all to make your opinion known to help us better serve you,” Hamden Legislative Council Member Justin Farmer said.

An average of 40 community members showed up to Books & Company for the presentation that evening.

“There were a good number of people there tonight,” Macdowall said. “It’s a low number, but it’s a bigger number than we’ve ever had before. I’m glad this conversation is beginning, and gaining traction.”

“Residents need to be aware, and they need to be involved in the conversation,” he continued. “Otherwise, it allows people to keep doing the same reckless things, just to kick the can down the road. I do not believe the average voter, or the average resident, is aware of how difficult a situation we are in. People are starting to wake up and see it, but it’s still early.”
To read Christian McNamara’s full financial presentation, click here.

Hamden police release safety tips for driving at night

The Hamden Police Department released safety tips for driving at night with wildlife on Feb. 7, as Connecticut has seen an increase in car crashes at night involving wildlife. As a result, more roadkill is present in populated areas.

“What prompted me was one day, two wild turkeys had been struck,” Hamden Police Captain Ron Smith said. “They were surrounded by other wild turkeys that were circling, and it bothered me immensely. That day on RT-15 a dog was hit. Seeing two things in one day prompted me to put a general awareness out.”

The most common animals involved in these accidents include deer, skunks, racoons, squirrels and household pets.

“They happen throughout town. All motorists see them on the side…there’s just things people can do to prevent striking them,” Smith said.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, there are nearly 260,000 reported crashes per year that involve animals. In the United States, an animal is run over every 11.5 seconds. This boils down to an estimated one million animals that are hit each day.

Ninety percent of animal-vehicle collisions involve deer. Nationwide, deer-vehicle accidents cause about 29,000 human injuries, 200 human fatalities and one billion dollars in property damage every year.

In Connecticut, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEEP) receives reports from law enforcement officers of about 3,000 deer killed on Connecticut roadways annually. However, many deer-vehicle accidents are not reported, which include those where deer survive or die in an area away from the road.

In the Fairfield and New Haven counties, the highest number of deer roadkill was on I-84, I-95 and the Merritt and Wilbur Cross Parkways.

Based on deer carcass removal data from the Connecticut Department of Transportation collected in 2001 and 2002, for every dead deer picked up off the road and reported to the DEEP, five additional deer go unreported. Based on this data, this means that about 18,000 deer are killed along Connecticut’s roadways each year, or 49 deer per day.

There is currently no data as in depth for other animals reported both nation and state wide.

The Hamden Police Department advises residents to follow these precautions:

While driving, it is important to scan the road, and the shoulder of the road for animals. Spotting an animal moments earlier helps a motorist by providing additional reaction time. This is important should an animal run into the road.
If traveling at night, and if there is no oncoming traffic, use high-beam headlights. This may enable a motorist to observe a domestic animal or wildlife sooner. High beams are useful in spotting some animals’ reflective eyes.

Caution should be taken at dawn and dusk. Many animals are active at this time.

Most importantly, if everyone would slow down and travel at the speed limit, many of these incidents could be avoided.

And to some, please don’t intentionally hit animals. You can be arrested.
If a collision is unavoidable, remain in your lane of traffic. Swerving to avoid an animal can cause a serious crash and possible injuries.

“Sometimes it is unavoidable, but we want people to be more aware so accidents can be avoided for the future,” Smith said.

Interactive media credited to Alexis Rossi

Hamden hosts first Gun Buy Back

Manager of Yale New Haven Health Pina Violano speaks at a press conference Monday regarding the Gun Buy Back. Courtesy: Kailee Heffler

The Town of Hamden is hosting its first Gun Buy Back event this Saturday, Feb. 15, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hamden Police Station.

The Gun Buy Back is being held in an attempt to make homes and the community safer, as well as to help prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands.

Hamden and its police department are partnering with Yale New Haven Hospital’s Injury & Violence Prevention Program, Injury Free Coalition for Kids of New Haven, New Haven Police Department, Newtown Action Alliance, and the Episcopal Church.

The idea was first thought of almost ten months ago.

“I brought the idea to Chief Cappiello and Mayor Leng and they were very enthusiastic and then we partnered with Dr. Violano from the hospital who has experience in these events” Adam Sendroff, Community Development Manager, said.

The Gun Buy Back provides an opportunity for residents of Hamden to safely dispose of their unwanted weapons in exchange for gift cards.

Free gun locks and car safes will be provided if owners don’t want to dispose of their guns, but want to find a way to keep them more secure

The goal of this event is to get unused guns out of the house and provide gun safety tips to the public.

“Guns kill and hurt people if they are not used properly. Have respect for the item if it is in your house,” Pina Violano, Manager of Yale New Haven Health said.

The gun buyback is anonymous, and will take place in a safe and secure location.

President Olian reflects on her first year

President Judy Olian. Courtesy: Quinnipiac University

HAMDEN, Conn. — In 2018, Judy Olian moved from her home in California to Hamden, Conn. to accept her leadership role as president of Quinnipiac University. Since the move, she has embraced change and is working to improve the university in many different areas, such as student education and community relations.

“What I’ve come to so appreciate here is the agility and nimbleness around change,” President Olian said. “If you’re an institution that can really turn on a dime, and I’m not saying we can turn on a dime, but it’s a hell of a lot faster than what was possible at the University of California. It’s a tremendous advantage and asset.”

Since beginning her tenure at Quinnipiac, President Olian has developed a strategic plan to better the university. This plan involves four pillars, including preparing students for careers in the 21st century, developing inclusive excellence, improving the wellbeing of the community and fostering lifelong learning and connections.

“I think the community embraced the change and the strategic plan,” Olian said. “Hook, line and sinker really embraced it. There’s an aura of excitement around change.”

In order to develop strategies to improve aspects of a university that was so new to her, President Olian spent her first few months simply listening.

“If you’re able to listen, you’ll learn an awful lot,” she said. “So, I tried to do that. I went around and met with the deans, the staff, the student groups, the government, and tried to see what people loved about Quinnipiac and where they saw opportunities. That formed the basis for our strategic planning process.”

Also included in the plan are new fields of study, such as environmental sciences, and an increase in data analytics across the curriculum to ensure students are data-savvy entering the 21st century workforce.

Although President Olian is focused on student education, her focus on student wellbeing is just as intense. She announced that the university has plans to launch a large wellness center in order to take care of both cognitive and emotional readiness in students, in addition to career readiness.

“The wellbeing center is going to be facilitated by physical fitness facilities, a wellness service center and programming,” Olian said. “Whatever it is that you need as a healthy foundation for life, we want this to be a part of the foundation.”

Another substantial announcement made during her presidency was the reveal of the Rocky Top Pub on the York Hill Campus. She believes the pub will improve social interaction between students and alumni.

*The current interior of the future Rocky Top bar, On the Rocks. Credit: Peter O’ Neill*

“There will be games in the People’s United Center. Having a beer if you’re of age or just grabbing food if you’re not is a part of college,” Olian said. “You learn every time you connect socially. We also want people to have fun at Quinnipiac, and this is a part of having fun.”

The atmosphere of new leadership and change is felt not only by President Olian but by members of the student body. Junior Student Government Vice President Sophia Marshall believes President Olian has made a huge impact on the culture of the campus and the administration.

“She makes it a point to really engage with the student body and in student events,” Marshall said. “I think she’s come in with a really great plan to renovate the school within the next five to 10 years.”

Marshall immersed herself into student government during her first year at Quinnipiac. At that time, former president John Lahey was in charge. However, she says she already sees differences between the two leaders.

*Quinnipiac’s economic contribution. Credit: Samantha Bousquet*

“While President Lahey had a great tenure, he wasn’t as responsive to students towards the end,” Marshall said. “She’s come and created an immense, positive impact on the campus.”

In addition to working on Quinnipiac-focused initiatives, President Olian is determined to build a stronger connection with the surrounding communities of Hamden and North Haven.

“I think we’re crossing that rubicon and people are starting to see the value that Quinnipiac brings,” Olian said. “Obviously, it’s tremendous economic value.”

According to the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, Quinnipiac contributed over $3.1 billion to the Connecticut economy in 2017. Students themselves spent nearly $100 million in the surrounding community.

Although the economic contribution is substantial, some Hamden residents do not enjoy the experience of living in a college town, which is something Olian has realized.

“I think that sometimes there’s a little bit of frustration for some residents in some parts of the community that students are not respectful enough of their neighbors,” she said. “Of course, we are chagrined any time we hear of an episode, though they are rare.”

In 2015, Mayor Curt Leng stated that Quinnipiac students, for the majority, are good students. However, there are some issues with students not being compassionate and respectful neighbors in the community. Since then, he says he has seen improvements.

“I am thankful for the improved efforts to address these important neighborhood issues that the university has taken, including the great outreach efforts and commitment shown by Vice President and Chief of Staff Bethany Zemba and others to work on this issue in collaboration with the town,” Mayor Leng said.

President Olian continues to work on improving the university and its relationship with the surrounding communities.

“What we want is for everyone to appreciate the value of having students and a university in their backyard,” Olian said.