Quinnipiac has a $259-million annual impact on the state's economy, and the focus of that impact is Hamden. The University attracts 500,000 visitors per year, including prospective students, parents, attendees for cultural events, and fans of NCAA Division I games. Quinnipiac's students, faculty and staff number more than 8,000, and they patronize local restaurants, retail stores and other businesses. In addition, the University's direct expenditures in Hamden and surrounding areas provide a significant economic boost. Here are some of the groups that benefit:
Hamden taxpayers: Because of Quinnipiac's presence in Hamden, the town receives approximately $2 million every year from the Payment in Lieu of Taxes Program and Pequot Funds. In addition, our Presidential Public Service Fellowship Program places students in Town Hall positions to help make government run more smoothly and efficiently.
Hamden youth: For more than 20 years, Quinnipiac has awarded 12 academic-achievement scholarships annually to incoming freshmen who graduated from a Hamden secondary school. The scholarships pay half a year's tuition and are renewable until graduation.
For many, the scholarships represent a material improvement in the quality of their educational experience. Scholarship recipient Kara Benedetto, who received her bachelor's degree in May 2005, said that "because of this scholarship, I didn't need a full-time job while in college to pay tuition. I was able to focus my time on studying." Another scholarship recipient, Pat Amarone said, "The scholarship made Quinnipiac affordable for me. I feel at home here."
Low- and moderate income Hamden residents: Quinnipiac offers free legal service through clinics at the School of Law.
Senior citizens: Our law school legal experts have provided free advice to local seniors about issues important to their future, such as long-term care and estate planning, and answered questions to help Hamden seniors make sound decisions.
In addition, other facilities have a profound current and future impact on the quality of life in town.
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The more than 180,000-square-foot TD Bank Sports Center sits atop a 230-acre site featuring views of New Haven and Long Island Sound. It houses two arenas, one for basketball and one for ice hockey, with club and premium seating. Local residents can enjoy the excitement of Division I basketball and hockey in a modern, sophisticated facility while rooting for the hometown team.
The TD Bank Sports Center has a positive impact on both Quinnipiac students and faculty and local residents. The center generates revenue for Hamden by providing jobs and stimulating economic growth, thereby adding to the millions of dollars Quinnipiac already generates annually for the local economy.
Hamden's largest employer
"Quinnipiac University is the largest employer in Hamden," says Michael Morand, associate vice president for New Haven and state affairs at Yale University. "President Lahey and other leaders at Quinnipiac have been terrifically entrepreneurial in making the school more competitive and attractive, which is good for the entire region."