Elon University Announces Merger with Queens University of Charlotte
Strategic move expands graduate programs and educational reach in Charlotte
Charlotte, September 16 EST: In a move that could reshape higher education in the Carolinas, Elon University announced Tuesday it will merge with Queens University of Charlotte, taking over operations of the 166-year-old liberal arts school. Both boards of trustees signed off on the deal, which is expected to take full effect by the summer of 2026.
The decision plants Elon squarely in the middle of Charlotte, one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the South, and raises fresh questions about the future of smaller, tuition-driven universities trying to stay afloat in a tough market.
A Deal Years in the Making
This was not out of the blue. Elon has been quietly building a footprint in Charlotte for years, running a flexible law program, experimenting with sport management, and preparing to launch a physician assistant program in 2027. Queens, a private university with fewer than 2,000 undergraduates, brings something Elon does not yet have: history, community ties, and a prime address in Myers Park, one of Charlotte’s most established neighborhoods.
“This is not just a merger of institutions,” Elon President Connie Book said in a video message Tuesday morning. “It’s about growing opportunity for students and meeting the needs of a city that is shaping the future of the region.”
What’s in It for Both Sides
For Elon, the move is a shortcut into Charlotte’s booming healthcare and finance markets without the years of red tape required to build a new campus. For Queens, the merger offers stability and resources at a time when many small liberal arts colleges are struggling to keep enrollment up and costs under control.
Still, the optics are delicate. Queens alumni worry their alma mater could lose its identity. Faculty want to know if programs will be cut or consolidated. Students are asking whether tuition will change.
Administrators are walking a tightrope. Both schools stressed there will be “no immediate disruption” for current Queens students, but beyond that, the details remain thin. A series of open forums is planned this week, including a Sept. 18 student government meeting and a faculty and staff town hall on Sept. 19.
A National Trend With Local Stakes
The merger fits into a larger pattern playing out across the country. With fewer high school graduates in the pipeline and families questioning the price tag of college, smaller universities are banding together or closing outright. In that context, Elon’s move looks less like empire building and more like survival strategy, though it could be both.
According to a statement released through PR Newswire, leaders from both schools cast the deal as proactive, not defensive. The goal, they said, is to expand access and opportunity while strengthening Charlotte’s role as an educational hub.
Questions No One’s Answered Yet
Behind the upbeat press releases, plenty remains uncertain. Will Queens’ liberal arts core stay intact once Elon takes over? Will the Charlotte campus simply become Elon branded space for graduate programs? And how will this affect faculty contracts, some of which were already under strain after pandemic era cutbacks?
“People are excited about the opportunity, but also nervous about what’s going to happen to the character of Queens,” one Queens faculty member told Elon News Network. “We don’t want to just get swallowed up.”
Looking Toward 2026 and Beyond
If the timeline holds, the transition will be complete by mid 2026. A year later, Elon’s physician assistant program will open in Charlotte, joining its law and sport management offerings. That rollout, combined with Queens’ established undergraduate programs, could turn the city into a major satellite hub for Elon.
The wager is bold. Elon, already well regarded nationally for its undergraduate teaching, is betting that expansion into a city like Charlotte can protect it from the enrollment cliff that is hitting other mid sized universities. Queens, for its part, is trusting that Elon’s financial muscle and academic reach will help preserve its place in Charlotte’s civic life.
It is a gamble both sides seem ready to take. What remains to be seen is how students, faculty, and alumni, especially at Queens, will feel once the dust settles. Mergers sound neat on paper. In practice, they reshape communities in ways spreadsheets cannot predict.
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Trained in war zones, raised in Newark, and seasoned in city hall, Jordan blends grit reporting with deep integrity. From floods to finance bills, they’re always first on scene and last to leave.
