Buffalo, NY - Canisius University delivered a remarkable start to its 2025-26 academic year. Record enrollment, national recognition and millions invested in campus improvements tell only part of the story. Students engaging in real-world learning, faculty earning national media attention for their expertise and a community rallying behind Golden Griffin athletics reflect the success stories unfolding daily at Canisius. What follows captures the highlights that defined an exceptional fall semester.
A STRONG START
Strong momentum marked the first half of the academic year, beginning with the arrival of the university’s largest freshman class in three years. New undergraduate enrollment increased more than 16%, driven in part by the Buffalo Promise Scholarship and new transfer students.
Three new partnerships extended that momentum and elevated campus life: Barnes & Noble College opened a reimagined campus bookstore with expanded services and product offerings. Unapologetic Coffee, co-owned by alumnae Alicia ’10, MS ’12 and Alisa ’10, MS ’12 Officer, now brews its quality coffee in a recently-opened campus café. A new partnership with the NFTA provides students with free rides on Buffalo’s metro rail and bus system, giving them easy access to everything the city has to offer.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION
Academic excellence and innovation defined the fall 2025 semester at Canisius.
The inaugural Celebration of Faculty Scholarship showcased the depth and diversity of research happening across campus, while the President’s Innovation Fund awarded a new round of grants to support innovative approaches to teaching and learning.
The university also made significant progress on campus modernization and student support initiatives.
Canisius secured a $1 million state grant for the second phase of renovations to Old Main, furthering plans for new hybrid-flexible classrooms. The university announced the naming of the Golisano Center for Student Success, recognizing philanthropist B. Thomas Golisano’s $5 million gift to Canisius. The gift will create a centralized hub for academic advising, career development, tutoring and accessibility services. Construction is set for completion in spring 2026.
REAL-WORLD LEARNING
Canisius students ventured into the field this fall to connect classroom concepts with immersive, real-world experiences.
International relations students traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border to examine the human realities of migration, while biochemistry majors explored freshwater ecosystems and environmental care along Scajaquada Creek. Students in the animal behavior, ecology and conservation (ABEC) program engaged directly in ethical animal care at a farm sanctuary and studied exhibit design and conservation strategies by visiting leading zoos and aquariums across the country. Kinesiology majors trained alongside clinical professionals at Buffalo Rehab Group and gaining practical exposure to rehabilitative care.
CANISIUS EARNS TOP RANKINGS
Just months into the new academic year and Canisius was earning impressive national and regional recognition.
U.S. News and World Report ranked the university in multiple categories including Best Colleges, Best Value Schools and Best Undergraduate Teaching Programs. In a significant recognition of program excellence, U.S. News ranked Canisius’ undergraduate accounting program among the top 10 percent in the country.
The university also earned recognition closer to home.
The Buffalo Niagara Partnership honored Canisius as an Economic Champion for its $6 million investment in campus improvements that created local jobs and modernized educational spaces. And for the second consecutive year, The Buffalo News crowned Canisius as the “Best Local University.”
MEDIA MOMENTS
National news outlets turned to Canisius faculty for expert insight this fall, showcasing the university’s thought leadership across disciplines.
CEOWorld Magazine featured Associate Dean Karl Kozlowski, PhD, on how higher education’s long-term approach to measuring return-on-investment can inform corporate leadership. Popular Mechanics sought out Physics Professor Michael Wood, PhD, to help explain mysterious radio signals detected beneath Antarctica’s ice and their implications for particle physics. Yahoo Finance and NASDAQ.com quoted Economics Professor Steve Gattuso on what mortgage rates would look like following the government shutdown. Assistant Professor of Communications Maura Snyder, PhD, joined the Cultivate Talk podcast to discuss children’s media experiences and how pop culture can spark meaningful family conversations.
Catch up on all our media moments at Canisius in the News.
GOLDEN GRIFFS
Canisius athletics made some big plays in the first half of 2025-26.
The university announced it would opt in to the NCAA’s new rules allowing schools to pay student-athletes directly. President Steve Stoute discussed the decision and the evolving college athletics landscape during an appearance on the Trustees + Presidents: Managing College Athletics podcast. Student-athletes demonstrated their commitment to competition and the classroom, achieving strong results in the latest NCAA Graduation Success Rate report. And the Golden Griffin community rallied behind the university’s athletics program, raising more than $340,000 for its 21 varsity programs and 400-plus student-athletes through the More Than a Game campaign.
Catch all the team highlights at gogriffs.com.
THE MOMENTUM CONTINUES
For the latest campus news and updates, visit canisius.edu. Also, watch for the spring 2026 issue of Canisius Magazine for more stories of Golden Griffin excellence.
