SUNY Potsdam
The State University of New York at Potsdam, also known as SUNY Potsdam, is a public university located in the Village of Potsdam in St. Lawrence County, New York. It is among the 100 oldest colleges in the United States.
Contents
Key data
- Motto: "To Learn - To Search - To Serve"
- Established: 1816
- Type: Public
- President: Dr. John Frederick Schwaller
- City: Potsdam, New York
- State: New York
- Country: U.S.
- Undergrad: 3,507
- Postgrad: 820
- Faculty: 304
- Campus: Rural, 240 acres maintained
- Mascot: Bear
- Website: http://www.potsdam.edu
History
The institution began as St. Lawrence Academy in 1816 and became Potsdam Normal School in 1868. In 1948, as the New York State Teachers College at Potsdam, it became a founding member of the State University of New York. In 1964 its mission changed and the university adopted its current name.
Description
In addition to its traditional strengths in teacher education, music education, mathematics (Potsdam Miracle and Potsdam Model), and computer science, the college offers over one hundred programs and majors in the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Education and Professional Studies, and the Crane School of Music. The latter was established in 1886 as one of the first schools of music education in the United States. It has been estimated that half of all public school music teachers in New York and one of every six in the U.S. has received a degree from Crane. In addition to music education, it offers programs in music business, music composition, musical studies and the theory and history of music.
The Crane School of Music received the first of 141 Steinway pianos January 24, 2007. With this $3.8 million purchase, SUNY Potsdam joins the ranks of Mellon University School of Music, Oberlin College Conservatory, The Juilliard School, and Yale School of Music among others as an All-Steinway School. [1]
Virtually every academic department has a chapter of the national honor society of its discipline and the college's Honors Program provides an enriched educational experience for highly motivated and able students.
Notable faculty emeriti and alumni
- Clarence F. Stephens (Professor Emeritus), mathematics educator.
- Brock McElheran (Professor Emeritus), conductor and author.
- David J. Hanson (Professor Emeritus), alcohol researcher.
- Arthur Frackenpohl (Professor Emeritus), composer and author.
- Alan Steinberg (Professor), author.
- T. Coraghessan Boyle, author, graduate of College of Liberal Arts.
- Renee Fleming, opera singer, soprano, graduate of Crane.
- Lisa Vroman, singer and stage actress, soprano, graduate of Crane
- Tim Welsh, head basketball coach at Providence College
- C. J. Rapp, entrepreneur and beverage executive, graduate of College of Liberal Arts.
- Stephanie Blythe, opera singer, mezzo-soprano, graduate of Crane
- David Valesky, politican and member of the New York State Senate.
- M. Kathleen Deignan, Dean of Undergraduate Students at Princeton University.
- Stephen Savoia, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, graduate of College of Liberal Arts.
- Eileen Whelley, Executive Vice President for Human Resources at NBC, graduate of College of Liberal Arts.
- Daniel Decker, International Composer and Recording Artist, graduate of Crane
- Daniel Schaefer, politician, former U.S. Representative from Colorado
In pop culture
- The university was mentioned in the American comedy TV series Will & Grace, in its 86th episode ("Dyeing Is Easy, Comedy Is Hard") [2] guest starring Rosie O'Donnell.
See also
- Student Government Association of SUNY Potsdam [3]
- SUNY Potsdam Greeks [4]
- SUNY Potsdam College Republicans [5]
- Delta Lambda Nu [6]
