Canisius University is rising - by every measure that matters.
The 2025-26 academic year brought record demand, bold investments in student success, national recognition and transformational learning experiences that stretched far beyond the classroom. This Year in Review highlights that momentum, the milestones and the mission-driven work that is positioning Canisius as a university on the rise.
A UNIVERSITY ON THE RISE
Demand for a Canisius education grew in 2025-26 - and the university grew with it.
The university welcomed its largest incoming class in three years with 567 new undergraduate students enrolling in fall 2025, including 456 freshmen and 111 transfer students - a 16% increase over the year prior. Growth was driven in large part by the Buffalo Promise Scholarship, launched in 2024 to make a Canisius education more accessible to local students. Momentum continued in spring 2026, when new undergraduate enrollment increased 10% over spring 2025, fueled by a 41% increase in transfer students.
RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE
Canisius made a strong national impression this past year, earning high marks for academic quality, value and student outcomes. The university saw measurable gains in the U.S. News & World Report ranking categories for:
Best Colleges
Best Value
Best Undergraduate Teaching
Best Graduate Schools
The Wehle Business School climbed five spots to No. 87 among Best Graduate Business Programs, while the Accounting Program ranked No. 5 among AACSB-accredited schools.
Locally, Canisius claimed the title of Best Local University for the second straight year!
INVESTING IN STUDENT SUCCESS
Canisius reimagined its campus this year, investing in spaces, services and resources designed to support students academically, professionally and personally. Most impressive was the opening of the Golisano Center for Student Success, a centralized hub that brings advising, career development and academic support together to give students everything they need to succeed in one convenient location.
In Old Main, more than $2.15 million in federal and state funding is supporting the ongoing expansion of HyFlex, technology-rich classrooms. Science Hall continued its evolution into a dynamic academic center, welcoming the Kinesiology and Animal Behavior, Ecology and Conservation programs into upgraded teaching and research spaces. Canisius also took steps to remove barriers that can stand in the way of student success. The university partnered with Barnes & Noble College to offer Canisius Complete and launched Canisius Computes. Both initiatives ensure students have the essential course materials and technology they need from day one.
NEW PROGRAMS FOR A CHANGING WORLD
New academic programs are creating more purposeful routes for students, from the classroom to meaningful careers.
A 4+2 partnership with Syracuse University provides a seamless path to a master’s degree in engineering and computer science. An accelerated six-year BS/MD pathway with Western Atlantic University School of Medicine streamlines the student journey to a career in medicine. A new agreement with Boston College brings two Jesuit institutions together to prepare future healthcare administrators in one of the nation’s fastest-growing sectors. Canisius also introduced fully online advanced certificates in sport data analytics and health education, offering flexible, workforce-aligned credentials working professionals.
THE CANISIUS EXPERIENCE
Some of the most meaningful learning experiences happen outside the Canisius classroom - and this past year was no exception. Golden Griffin Fund students stepped onto the floor of the New York Stock Exchange to experience, firsthand, the fast-paced world of investment management. Sport management majors traveled to Pittsburgh to work the NFL Draft, getting a front-row seat to one of the country’s largest live events. Pre-med and PA students served as mercy doulas at a Buffalo comfort care home, learning that medicine is as much about compassion as clinical practice. Faculty-student researchers produced some of the first scientific evidence supporting the growing “Leave the Leaves” movement, with their findings featured on the cover of American Entomologist.
MEDIA MOMENTS
National news outlets turned to Canisius University in 2025-26 for expert insight. Reporters from Forbes, CEOWorld, the National Catholic Reporter, Popular Mechanics and more interviewed faculty on topics including:
• Layoffs at the Department of Ed
• The ROI of leadership development
• Radio signals beneath Antarctica's ice
• Healthier media habits for children
• Environmental stewardship
Catch up on all our media moments from the past year at Canisius in the News.
GOLDEN GRIFFINS
Student-athletes raised the bar this year, achieving success in competition as well as in the classroom. Acrobatics and tumbling delivered a winning record in its first varsity season. Women’s soccer made program history, hosting the MAAC Championship game for the first time in 278 matches. Baseball rallied to clinch a coveted spot at the MAAC Baseball Championship. And women’s lacrosse secured the three seed in the 2026 MAAC Championship, finishing its regular season ranked fourth in the nation in scoring offense. Off the field, student-athletes posted a stellar 3.5 department-wide GPA, which was underscored by an impressive 12 teams earning perfect single-year NCAA APR scores.
