We need your support and collaboration to create the best experiences for all at Griff Weekend!
The Offices of Alumni Engagement and Student Engagement are now accepting submissions for Department Events and Affinity Reunions for Griff Weekend 2025. As a reminder, Griff Weekend will combine two favorite traditions – Family Weekend and Alumni Weekend/Reunion – into one amazing fun-filled experience on campus from September 26-28!
Highlights include special reunions for class years ending in 0’s and 5’s, Fall Fest, Blue & Gold Bash for everyone, the Distinguished Alumni and Emerging Leader Award program, and so much more!
All alumni, families, students, faculty, staff, and friends of Canisius are welcome to attend!
We have a jam-packed schedule and want to ensure constituents have the opportunity to attend multiple offerings. Affinity Reunions (clubs, majors, honor societies, etc.) and Department Events are suggested to be held on Friday, September 26 between 5 to 7 p.m. and Saturday, September 27 between 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Departments and Affinity Groups may partner with the Office of Alumni & Constituent Engagement for marketing and communications. Event logistics and expenses are the responsibility of each individual department or club.
All submissions are due no later than Monday, June 16, 2025. Griff Weekend registration will go live Wednesday, June 18. If you have questions about the submission process, please contact Lauren Orlowski, Director of Alumni & Constituent Engagement at orlowskl@canisius.edu Submit here!
Submitted by: Lauren Orlowski, Director of Alumni & Constituent Engagement, Advancement Division
Nearly 1,000 local students have applied to Canisius University under the new Buffalo Promise Scholarship, the university’s bold initiative announced in fall 2024 to make college more affordable. As of May 8, 989 prospective undergraduates have applied for admission to Canisius from the 142- ZIP code; 313 have been awarded a Buffalo Promise Scholarship after completion of the financial aid process; and 120 have committed to Canisius for fall 2025.
The strong application and enrollment numbers mark a promising start to the scholarship’s pilot year and reflect a 74% increase in applicants from the 142- ZIP code and a 59% increase in applicants from Erie County, compared with the fall 2024 admissions cycle.
Launched in October 2024, the Buffalo Promise Scholarship covers 100% of undergraduate tuition for up to four years for eligible students, significantly expanding access to a Canisius education for families in Buffalo and across the region.
“We are thrilled with the interest in the Buffalo Promise Scholarship and what it signals about our ability to attract and support high-achieving local students,” said Danielle Ianni, PhD, vice president for enrollment management. “This response underscores how deeply the promise of affordability resonates with students and families.”
Click here to read more about the Buffalo Promise Scholarship.
The race is back on and it’s time to nominate Canisius as the best university in the 716! The 5 universities with the most nominations by June 17th will advance to the voting round starting on July 15th. Nominate Canisius by following the link, click on “in the community” -> local universities -> nominate Canisius University. Let’s show the 716 why we’ve earned our place at the top and deserve to stay there! https://buffalonews.com/exclusive/readerschoice/ballot-2025/
Danielle Ianni, PhD, was quoted in a June 8 Forbes article about the human skills universities must teach students in order to stay ahead of AI.
The vice president for enrollment management and university communications emphasized that a Canisius education focuses on preparing students for lifelong professional growth through ethical judgement, creative problem-solving, and leadership development. These human-centered qualities, Ianni said, remain valuable regardless of how industries evolve with technological advancement. Click here to read the full story.
The online personal finance company WalletHub interviewed Jeffrey Oxman, PhD, for its latest feature titled “What is a Budget?” The assistant professor of economics and finance weighed in about the benefits of having a budget and offered tips to help people create and stick to a budget. Click here to read the article.
For more than 150 years, Canisius University has opened its doors to higher education for students of all backgrounds. That legacy – and our students’ futures – are now at risk.
Congress is considering a budget bill that would eliminate $349 billion from federal student aid over the next 10 years, significantly reducing access to Pell Grants and federal student loans for both undergraduate and graduate students.
To stop these harmful cuts, Canisius is asking faculty and staff to speak up for students by contacting their U.S. senators and representatives vis this Save Student Aid link.
These drastic cuts threaten the future of our Golden Griffins – and our entire community.
The vast majority of Canisius students receive some form of financial aid, with millions of dollars in federal funding going to support them annually. For undergraduate students, the proposed changes would reduce Pell Grant eligibility by imposing stricter income limits and work requirements. Graduate students face elimination of subsidized loans and reduced access to federal aid programs altogether.
Why this matters
Current students: They’ve worked hard to earn their place at Canisius University. These federal programs may mean the difference between them staying on track or falling behind.
Families: With the help of federal aid, families are able to stretch their investment in their child’s future – and ensure it pays off.
Alumni: Whether through Pell Grants, work study or student loans, federal programs likely helped fund the Canisius experience for many of our alumni. Today’s students deserve the same opportunity they had.
Faculty and staff: You see every day that student talent isn’t limited by income. Your voice can help those students whose potential depends on these programs.
Our Jesuit tradition calls us to be “men and women for and with others.” Now is the time to answer that call.
Federal lawmakers need to hear from real Griffins about real consequences. They need to know that behind every statistic is a student studying to build a future, a graduate who once did, a family navigating college costs and a community strengthened by an accessible education.
The Student Aid Alliance has created a simple tool that allows you to contact your U.S. senators and representatives about protecting federal student aid programs. Canisius University asks that you click on the link to SAVE STUDENT AID to send pre-written message or personalize it with your own Canisius story.
