In the context of higher education, a college closing can cause a range of feelings, and worry to future uncertainty. But in the middle of these changes, there’s usually a bright side—a chance for development and revitalization. The current circumstances surrounding Fontbonne University’s collapse allows Quincy University to make arrangements to accept incoming transfer students.

Located in downtown St. Louis, Fontbonne University is a tiny private Catholic university that has been a part of the academic scene for more than a couple centuries. Declining enrollment and financial difficulties ultimately forced the organization to make the painful decision to close, despite its past and committed faculty. Students, staff, and alumni struggled with a mixture of nostalgia and anxiety about what lay ahead as word of the closure spread.

“They are doing a wonderful and professional thing in closing in 2025 and not 2024. This is so many students who are well on their way to graduate in 2024 are able to do that. For Quincy University it’s how do we better serve people in the St. Louis region, we certainly think they are many young people that may consider Quincy University because QU and Fontbonne are so similar because both universities were founded by religious orders and both give you a small university feel,” Quincy University President Brain McGee said.

“Fontbonne closing wasn’t crazy shock to many of us. We were all aware of the school’s downhill path and that money was becoming a struggle. We were shocked by how soon it came and that it was going to mean we couldn’t graduate from Fontbonne. It’s definitely a tough feeling knowing that friends and staff are going to disperse all around to find a home to finish their degree. I would personally say there were many discrepancies and things in recent times we as students had to deal with at Fontbonne due to lack of funding and support. Certain decisions on how to revive the school didn’t seem to help in my opinion damaged the school even more. Overall I enjoyed my two years there and wish it didn’t ever come to this but I’m definitely excited to find a new home that’s hopefully headed on the right path,” Fontbone student, Adam Painter, said.

Quincy University understands the need of transfer students and student athletes to discover a feeling of community and belonging in addition to academic success. In order to help students make new friends and build memories, social events, and extracurricular activities were arranged. This helped turn what could have been a frightening experience into a chance for personal growth and exploration. Any Fontbonne transfer student will be welcomed and some will be given financial aid by Quincy University following Fontbonne’s closure in the summer of 2025. Currently, efforts are being made to identify Quincy University as a teach-out institution for Fontbonne University.

Students from Fontbonne who transfer to Quincy University will profit from QU’s Success by Design strategy, which aims to ensure that all students graduate on time. With the use of this program, every student is guaranteed to have a unique success plan that is routinely discussed with their faculty adviser and student success coach. The success coaches are constantly checking in on students. They will also help Fontbonne transfers and will answer any questions they may have about Quincy University.

“We arrange transfer orientation which is in January before the spring semester. We make sure transfers get help with Moodle, get their ID, and make them download Navigate. We do whatever we can to get the prepared to come to Quincy University. When Lincoln shut down we had a lot of transfers come in and that is when we started our wrestling program and we always made sure that those transfers knew we are always here to help and get to know the students. We try our very best to make sure that students have what they need to to be successful here at Quincy,” Saadia Ali Aschemann, success coach, said.