Queens-Elon Merger: Will Queens University Lose Its Identity? | Alumni Concerns & Expert Insights (2025)

University and elected leaders call the Queens-Elon merger a “bold step” that will benefit both schools and Charlotte, but some alumni want more transparency in the process.

Queens University of Charlotte Acting President Jesse Cureton announced Tuesday the university plans to merge with Elon next year, saying they’re “stronger together.” It’s an announcement that could have impacts on all aspects of college life for Queens. But Queens alumni and current students say they wonder what it means for the school’s identity.

Queens is a private university in Myers Park with a total enrollment of about 1,800, according to the school’s website. Elon is located in a town by the same name about 20 miles east of Greensboro. It’s also a private school and has a total enrollment of about 7,300 students.

“We both bring strengths to the process,” said Cureton. “We’re building upon the legacy of these two universities and leaning into that with a really strong partner.”

University finances

Queens University has faced challenges with finances and enrollment in recent years, and its former president announced his departure from the school last December. The school had upwards of $104 million in outstanding debt at the end of the 2024 fiscal year, while enrollment dropped 13% between fall 2024 and fall 2025. Elon’s enrollment also dipped by 12% over that period.

The merger would mean the institutions would combine their assets totaling $2 billion and have a total endowment of $600 million, Elon University President Connie Book told The Observer.

Chris Marsicano is a professor of higher education and public policy at Davidson College. He says partnership with Elon may offer Queens welcome stability and fortification, while granting Elon a long-sought foothold in Charlotte.

“You have a situation here where Elon has been trying for quite some time to find its way into the largest city in the Carolinas and now has a substantial way to do that. Queens has consistently needed administrative and financial support for the last couple of years and now has it,” Marsicano told The Charlotte Observer. “And Charlotte gets a really interesting new model of higher education to really support a lot of what the city’s hopes and dreams are.”

Officials comment on Queens-Elon merger

City and state leaders have so far embraced the announcement.

“By joining together, Elon and Queens will create more opportunities for students and build the workforce our state needs in health care, business, law, and emerging technologies,” Gov. Josh Stein wrote in a post on X Tuesday. “I wish the schools all the best with their merger.”

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles is a Queens University alumna, having enrolled at the school shortly after it integrated in the late 1960s.

“As a proud Queens University graduate, I am excited about this merger,” Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles told The Observer. “It’s a bold step that brings together two respected institutions to create greater opportunities for students, faculty and our broader community.”

But other alumni worry the merger could erase the tight-knit school’s storied and influential 168-year history.

By the time the merger is complete in August 2026, Elon University will operate Queens, university leaders said. However, the parameters of the merger have not yet been set, so it’s not entirely clear what that means.

“Does that mean Queens University will then be renamed to Elon and we’ll lose our legacy, our place in history and our mark in the city of Charlotte?” said Queens class of 2020 alumnus J.D. Mazuera Arias. “That was very unclear to me, and that is the main question I have, because I do not want Queens University of Charlotte’s name to go away, or our legacy and our traditions and the fabric of the school that helped a lot of alumni get to where they are today.”

Mazuera Arias just won a contentious Democratic primary for a seat on Charlotte’s city council. He said he believes the merger could be a good thing, for the school and the city, but he was caught off-guard by the announcement.

“I wish we could have been part of the process from the beginning, or have seen more openness about the process,” he said. “I can only hope that moving forward, they are very intentional about reaching out to all stakeholders and making sure that it’s an open, transparent and communicated process… I think a merger this big between two private institutions needs to be transparent.”

Reaction to Queens-Elon merger

Mazuera Arias isn’t alone. Queens alumni took to social media Tuesday to pose questions about what the change means and call for Queens students and alumni to have a seat at the table.

“I believe many of us feel a deep sense of responsibility to our beloved university to speak up in the face of a decision that may ultimately erase our history, our name and our uniqueness,” Queens alum Ginny Grey Scheer posted to Facebook Tuesday afternoon, tagging the university. “The state of higher education tells us that this decision is necessary. The passion of our students, faculty, staff and alumni SHOW us that it’s possible to move forward without losing who we are.”

Scheer also tagged Elon University in the post, calling on the school to do what it can to preserve Queens’ culture.

“Support Queens University, operate Queens University. But, allow for Queens to be Queens. Not Elon University Charlotte,” she said in her post. “This merger can be a financial transaction OR a testament to the power of higher education and the unique experiences that both universities provide.”

Queens Board of Trustees Member Stephanie Bunao replied to concerns on Facebook, assuring the merger does not mean a loss of the school’s unique identity or traditions.

“Rest assured that preserving the Queens culture is a central priority,” Bunao posted Tuesday. “Traditions will continue; Queens’ interfaith outreach, Arts at Queens and other cultural events will continue. This merger means growth and more opportunities for students.”

Both Cureton and Book said they are committed to preserving the legacies of both schools as part of the merger, though they have not announced what a potential new name might be.

Book said Tuesday that the Queens Board of Trustees will continue to be active for four years, while most of the university’s current students are still there. Afterward, 10 trustees from Queens will join Elon’s Board, which currently has 37 members, to form a combined 47-member board.

That would mean only around one-fifth of the combined board would be Queens trustees. That worries Arias.

“That’s a bit concerning because then how much are they taking into consideration the student experience at Queens?” he said. “You can only do so much if you don’t have the voices of students and alumni in those seats, and you have to be in touch with that experience.”

Elon and Queens are both hosting listening sessions over the coming months to collect feedback from students, faculty, staff and alumni about the merger. They are also collecting feedback online.

This story was originally published September 18, 2025 at 8:00 AM.