On Tuesday, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Interim Program Director of Sports Communications Nick Pietruszkiewicz debuted the second season of his YouTube series “What’s Your Story?” with his first guest President Marie Hardin.

Pietruszkiewicz and Hardin engaged in conversation about her career prior to Quinnipiac and how she came to be the university’s 10th president — a position she didn’t set out for when she first began in higher education.

Hardin developed a philosophy early in her life that translated into ultimately going for the role of university president.

“If I had the chance to take on a new challenge, even if it wasn’t one where I felt as though I quite had all the skills mastered for it, if someone gave me the opportunity that I would say yes,” Hardin said.

During the second half of the discussion, students in attendance were invited to ask Hardin questions.

A first-year student posed a question of how Hardin will separate herself from past Quinnipiac presidents.

Rather than separating herself, Hardin plans to build off of the work from former presidents Judy Olian and John Lahey.

“I want to build on those strengths,” Hardin said. “I  bring a different background in communications disciplines. I think that matters, the disciplines you come from. So my goal is not a break from the past… not abandoning, adding.” 

Hardin noted Olian’s background in business and how it translated into her work at Quinnipiac — specifically highlighting the construction of the new South Quad.

Hardin’s response prompted a follow up question, inquiring on the possibility of adding to the School of Communications. Hardin turned the attention to Dean Nadine Barnett Cosby, highlighting that “she’s already with her faculty, built great things for you.”

“I would say, you know, you should continue to see a strong trajectory for this school,” Hardin said. “And you will always have my interest, my strong interest.”

In adding on to Quinnipiac, a student asked about the achievability of a Quinnipiac football team.

“I would say it might be achievable, but I would ask whether it’s desirable,” Hardin said.

Hardin continued, highlighting what Quinnipiac should focus on right now in regards to athletes.

“Is it the right move for this institution in the landscape of higher ed, in the landscape of the new world (Name, Image and Likeness) and all of the things that are happening in college fortunes,” Hardin said. “I will tell you that I think right now, what institutions like Quinnipiac need to do are, let’s focus on our current strengths.”

Later, a former student athlete brought awareness to an issue that Hardin had not previously thought about. The former women’s lacrosse player was forced into retirement after having too many concussions.

“How do you think universities can address the lack of identity that student athletes face when forced into retirement?” she asked.

Hardin discussed the importance of ensuring that student athletes have a rich academic experience as students as well as have support as athletes.

“When something happens to an athlete, like it’s happened to you, we need to make sure that that student piece is rich enough and deep enough, that we have the support system in place to help support, encourage and ensure that you’re on the path you want to be on,” Hardin said.

The discussion closed with a question regarding international students at Quinnipiac: “What could you say to the around 300 international students in Quinnipiac that keep nervously checking the news every single day about the new visa regulations?”

Hardin spoke on behalf of her and her faculty’s value in international students.

“We deeply value you and want you to have the experience that you came here to have, we’re gonna do everything in our power to ensure that,” Hardin said.

Hardin also discussed the value for any student in having peers attending the university from international countries.

“You’re going out into a world that is very diverse,” Hardin said. “And where there are gonna be many cultures that you’re gonna interact with and having that experience here at Quinnipiac and getting that kind of diversity here at Quinnipiac, this range of voices and backgrounds is so very important.”