St. Lawrence University

This article is about a university in the United States. For the university by the same name in Uganda, see St. Lawrence University (Uganda).
St. Lawrence University
Motto Fides et Veritas (Latin)
Motto in English
 Faith and Truth
Type Private
Established 1856
Endowment $230.3 million [1]
President William L. Fox '75
Academic staff
 168 full-time, 30 part-time (2012-13)[2]
Undergraduates 2,398 (2012-13)[2]
Postgraduates 90 (2012-13)[2]
Location Canton, New York, USA
Campus Rural
Colors Scarlet and Brown[3][4]
        
Athletics

NCAA

Nickname Saints
Affiliations NAICU
CLAC
Annapolis Group
CIC
Website www.stlawu.edu

St. Lawrence University is a private, four-year liberal arts college located in the village of Canton in Saint Lawrence County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2400 undergraduate and 100 graduate students, about equally split between male and female.

History

Gunnison Memorial Chapel

Though St. Lawrence today is non-denominational, it was founded in 1856 by leaders of the Universalist Church, who were seeking to establish a seminary somewhere west of New England and were enthusiastically courted by the citizens of Canton. The church almost did not place the school in Canton, however, as they felt that students might be exposed to too much "excitement" within the village limits in 1856. The denomination, which has since merged with the Unitarian faith, was part of the liberal wing of Protestantism, championing such ideas as critical thinking and gender equality—attributes that surfaced in the new Theological School of St. Lawrence University, which was progressive in its teaching philosophy and coeducational from the beginning.

The university as it exists today was created as a "Preparatory Department" to provide a foundation for theological study. That department became today's liberal arts University, while the seminary closed in 1965 with the Unitarian/Universalist consolidation.

Richardson Hall

Early in the 20th century, the university's graduate program in education came into being; it has since served hundreds of North Country school teachers and administrators. Following a difficult period during the Great Depression and World War II that included the decision to shut down the Brooklyn Law School,[5] the student population increased quickly, and with it, the physical plant. A four-building campus serving around 300 students in the early 1940s became a 30-building campus serving 2000 students within 25 years, partly through acquisition of the adjacent state school of agriculture campus when that facility relocated across town. The mid-1960s also saw the birth of one of St. Lawrence's nationally known programs: its international programs. In 1974, two early campus buildings, Richardson Hall (1855–56) and Herring-Cole Hall (1869–1902), were listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[6]

Madame Marie Curie dedicates Hepburn Hall of Chemistry

In 1984, structures built before 1930 were listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St. Lawrence University-Old Campus Historic District.[6]

During World War II, St. Lawrence University was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program which offered students a path to a Navy commission.[7]

Engraved stone, facade of the Louvain (Belgium) university library. Commemorates the financial support received from St Lawrence University (among many others) to rebuild the library after its destruction by fire in 1914.

The university has embarked upon another facilities upgrade program that aims to take advantage of the electronic revolution in higher education, as well as a curriculum reform to tailor its educational programs to the demands of the next millennium. The campus student center was completed in the spring of 2004 and serves as the school's hub at the center of campus. The Johnson Hall of Science opened in the fall of 2007, and expanded learning and lab space in several science disciplines, notably biology, chemistry, biochemistry, neuroscience, and psychology. Johnson Hall received LEED Gold certification for its sustainable design; it was the first Gold science building in New York State. The Noble Center, formerly used as a student center, is now undergoing major renovations to double the space available for the arts. A new Center for Arts Technology opened in January 2007.

Rankings

The 2013 annual ranking of U.S. News & World Report categorizes it as 'more selective' and ranks it 56th in the National Liberal Arts Colleges category.[8] Forbes in 2012 rated St. Lawrence 79th in its ranking of American private colleges.[9] Kiplinger's Personal Finance places St. Lawrence at 73rd in its 2012 ranking of best value liberal arts colleges in the United States.[10] In 2014, USA Today listed St. Lawrence as fourth in highest paid graduates in the Liberal Arts and Sciences. (Trailing only Cornell, Harvard & Yale University)[11]

Admissions

For the class of 2016 (enrolled fall 2012), St. Lawrence received 4,067 applications and accepted 1,962 (48.2%).[12] The number enrolling was 644; the yield rate (the percentage of accepted students who enroll) was 32.8%.[12] In terms of class rank, 44.4% of enrolled freshmen were in the top 10% of their high school classes; 75.8% ranked in the top quarter.[12]

The class of 2016 included 37% from New York State, 55% from 32 other states, and 8% international students representing 15 nationalities.[13] Of the 644 matriculants, 56% were female, 44% were male.[13]

Academics

Majors and programs

In total there are 40 majors available and 36 minors. St. Lawrence has 3+2 engineering programs run jointly with five other colleges, and a 4+1 MBA at Clarkson University. Students are also free to take classes at nearby Clarkson University, SUNY Potsdam, and SUNY Canton.

International studies

St. Lawrence University has a strong commitment to the values of cross-cultural academic opportunities. Off-campus study, whether international or domestic, permits students to expand their academic experience in diverse settings. St. Lawrence offers approved international programs in Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, India, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand, Spain, Thailand, and Trinidad, . In addition, the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP) allows students to study at any of over 100 universities on six continents. In the U.S., students can study at American University in Washington, D.C., in New York City, in the Adirondack State Park, or at Fisk University, a distinguished, historically Black university in Nashville, Tennessee. Some of these programs extend over a full year, others a semester. Many summer programs are available as well. All programs foster cultural immersion, usually through homestays and language study, and where possible through internships or community service.

Hepburn Hall

First-Year Program

The First-Year Program (FYP) at St. Lawrence is one of the oldest living/learning programs for first year students in the country. Over the past 22 years, the program has evolved to help students make a successful transition from high school to college, both academically and socially and is a cornerstone of the St. Lawrence experience. Residential colleges are the heart of the FYP. In their first semester, students live in one of 18 residential colleges with all of the other students enrolled in their FYP course. This interdisciplinary, team-taught course focuses on a topic of broad interest, and is one of the four courses that first year students take in the fall.

In the spring semester of their first year, our students continue to work on developing their communication skills by enrolling in a First-Year Seminar (FYS). Although these seminars are not residentially-based, they are small, thus allowing students to build close relationships with another group of students and with another faculty member. Students who wish to enroll in the seminar taught by their Fall FYP seminar instructor/advisor are guaranteed a spot in this seminar. The spring courses cover a wide range of topics, whether through interdisciplinary or disciplinary study

Libraries

Herring-Cole Hall, the University's earliest library

The Owen D. Young Library (ODY) is a spacious research environment offering a multilevel facility of 96,000 square feet (8,900 m2), characterized by an abundance of natural light and a variety of seating for individual and group study. A six-million-dollar renovation of the library was recently completed; the renovations prepare ODY for the twenty-first century. It includes more than 500,000 volumes, over 370,000 government documents, 1986 periodicals, 550,000 microtext units, recipient of 10,000 to 20,000 reports and documents annually and access to over 70 databases through Internet.

In addition to ODY, which houses the college’s major collections in the social sciences and humanities, the J. Harold and Ruth C. Launders Science Library opened in January 1994. Home of the major science and technology collections at St. Lawrence, the Launders Science Library occupies the upper two floors of Madill Hall, and triples the space available for science resources and services.

The library’s collection of primary scholarly resources may be viewed and used in the Frank and Anne Piskor Special Collections Reading Room, located directly across the atrium from the main entrance of ODY. Each semester the special collections staff offer instruction to classes from a variety of academic departments and programs, including fine arts, French, English, history, environmental studies, economics and the outdoor studies program. In addition, the special collections program includes a book arts collection and a laboratory press. Highlights of St. Lawrence’s special collections include the William Rose Benet Collection of American Poetry, the Milburn Collection of Hawthorniana, the Edwin Arlington Robinson Collection, the Frank P. Piskor Collection on Robert Frost. Other special collections include manuscripts devoted to Frederic Remington, the Adirondacks, the St. Lawrence Seaway and other aspects of northern New York history.

Campus life

Arts and cultural offerings

The opportunities described below are augmented by frequent concerts, exhibits, performances and shows provided by outside performers.

Music

The music department supports three vocal and two instrumental ensembles. Laurentian Singers, an undergraduate chorus that tours each spring, University Chorus and the Early Music Singers provide vocal opportunities for St. Lawrence students. Instrumentalists may choose between participation in the String Orchestra, Concert Band, Improv Lab, Early Music Ensemble and Special Productions. The Early Music Ensemble uses the Emily Romer Collection of medieval and Renaissance instruments to perform music of the 12th through 18th centuries. Each semester the department offers a Special Production, focusing on a particular repertory. Recent productions have included a Latin Dance Party, Music for Louis XIV and Traditional Irish Music. Private instruction is available in voice and on keyboard, guitar, brass, woodwinds and strings. Three informal student-directed collegiate a cappella groups, The Saints, The Sinners, and The Upbeats are active both on and off campus. Most students that participate in the Music Ensembles are not Music Majors, but rather have a strong interest in pursuing their musical capabilities.

St. Lawrence University is also home to the Java Barn, an on-campus music venue run by a dedicated group of SLU students. The Java Barn hosts live bands every weekend; shows are open to all SLU students and admission is free.

Theatre

The Performance and Communication Arts (PCA) department stages annual faculty-directed productions in Gulick Theater, a proscenium theater seating 511. In addition, the flexible 85- to 100-seat Edison Miles Theater (better known as the Black Box) is used for experimental and student productions. Guest artist workshops that address all aspects of theater are offered for interested students. Though some production work is associated with classes, for many productions it is not necessary to be a major, or even currently enrolled in (PCA) classes, to participate.

Art

The University art collection contains nearly 7,000 objects that are frequently displayed in the Richard F. Brush Art Gallery or used for tours and classroom discussions.[14] While the collection dates to the University’s founding, its most vital growth has taken place in recent years. Twentieth-century works on paper, such as photographs, prints, drawings and portfolios, are the strength of the collection. Paintings and sculptures by Frank Stella, George Segal, Louise Nevelson, Isamu Noguchi, Milton Avery and Frederic Remington are among the collection’s highlights.

Activities

Bob Dylan performing at St. Lawrence University in November 1963

St. Lawrence hosts more than 100 student activities groups. St. Lawrence is home to the second oldest collegiate outing club in the nation (next to only Dartmouth College).[15] The club annually sends students to climb all 46 peaks over 4,000 ft (1,200 m) of the Adirondacks during "Peak Weekend". Peak Weekend has recently celebrated its 25th anniversary at St. Lawrence. The Outing Club also has its own residence on campus and is part of the Theme Cottages. The club frequently sponsors trips for skiing, hiking, rafting and other outdoor activities.

Established in 1993 as a student-run coffeehouse, the Java Barn is a well-known venue among touring bands on the East Coast. In 2006 the music venue moved to the former Winning Health Center. In the fall of 2010, Java was moved once again to an area between The Student Center and Admissions Building. Java now occupies a former storage garage, with bright student-created murals spattering the walls.

The Student Government is also very active on campus. The Thelomathesian Society was founded in 1863 by Vasco P. Abbott who became its first President. The Thelomathesian Society, or Thelmo as it is often called, serves as the governing body of the St. Lawrence University Student Body, and is a forum for students to voice their opinions on issues presented by the Administration, Faculty, and Student Body. Thelmo debates and votes on a wide variety of issues, ranging from University policies to St. Lawrence University Student Activities Funding (SLUSAF) requests for different campus groups and organizations

Theme Cottages are a popular housing option at St. Lawrence. The Women's Resource Center was founded to raise awareness of gender issues on and off campus. WRC members, or "Dub Girls", are trained as sexual assault victim advocates and create education programs to promote safe sexual practices. Ray Ross House celebrates racial diversity by exemplifying racially diverse living. The SaGA House theme cottage, established in 2008, is an LGBTQ resource center. This cottage works to end discrimination of LGBTQ students, and to provide safe-space for LGBTQ and LGBTQ-questioning students. The Greenhouse is home to many environmentally conscious students. Students in the Greenhouse live in an environmentally responsible manner. The Habitat for Humanity theme cottage houses students that actively work with the local chapter and national office of Habitat for Humanity. There is also a technology-centric theme house, The Hub, which provides gaming and technology events to the campus.

The Greek System now consists of four sororities and two fraternity chapters. In 1997 the school had five sororities and seven fraternities. The current state of Greek participation levels are substantially lower than in past years, due in part to liability issues and national chapter concerns over various alcohol and code violations. However the remaining chapters still have an active role in campus life.

Fraternities

Current:

Past:

Sororities

Current:

Past:

Residential life

St. Lawrence is a four-year residential university; the residential experience is integral to the educational process. Students are required to live in University residence halls, theme cottages or Greek chapter houses during each semester at the University. Each residential area has a residential coordinator (RC) who provide supervision, leadership and support for the residents in their units and perform administrative duties pertaining to their buildings. Community assistants (CA) are undergraduate students who assist RCs.

The First-Year Program (FYP)

A unique requirement of St. Lawrence's curriculum is the First Year Program. All first-year students live in residential colleges of the FYP. These are buildings or wings of buildings where approximately 30 students live together and enroll in a common course. A professional RC and upperclass CAs provide supervision.

Upperclass Residential Program

All upperclass students live in one of four housing options: residence halls, cottages, Greek chapter houses, or the senior townhouses. The majority of upperclass students live in residence halls, where most floors are coeducational. Singles, doubles, triples and quads are available and there are suites in a two-building complex. Room assignments are made on a class year priority. Theme suites and cottages are available for groups with special common interests. Groups must apply in the spring semester for the following year.

Alma mater

University Seal on Dean-Eaton Hall

The St. Lawrence Alma Mater is "Alma Mater." The words and music were written by J. Kimball Gannon, a member of the class of 1924.

Alma Mater, Old St.Lawrence,
We are singing now of thee,
May thy fair name dwell forever
In our fondest memory.
And when college days are over,
From this Hill we’ve wended down,
We will love thee yet,
We’ll ne’er forget the Scarlet and the Brown.
Hail Alma Mater!
To thee our heads bow down.
We will sing thy praise through the endless days,
To the Scarlet and the Brown.

Athletics

Official athletics logo.

The St. Lawrence University Saints are a member of the Liberty League Athletic Conference, has ECACHL Division I Hockey Teams and fields 32 varsity teams (15 for men, 17 for women) and includes over 40% of the student body. The Skating Saints Men's team has twice played for Division I national championships (1961, 1988). The Men's soccer program went undefeated at 22-0 to capture the 1999 Division III soccer championship, and women's basketball narrowly was defeated in the 2002 NCAA Women's Division III Basketball Championship. The Men's Squash team was the 2007 and 2008 Summers Trophy winner at CSA Nationals. The Men's Swim team won the 1976 D-3 National Championship. The St. Lawrence Equestrian Team was National Champion in 1973, 1976, 1977 and National Champion runner-up in 2001 and 2008. In addition the SLU Equestrian Team was Regional Champion in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2011. The St. Lawrence University Wrestling Team won the Division III NCAA Championship in 1988. The wrestling team was discontinued in 1995. In 2009 Women's Cross Country team placed second at nationals and in 2010 the Women's Track and Field team placed third at Indoor nationals, bringing home two individual national titles as well. The University sponsors teams for Men's Football and Baseball, Women's Field Hockey, Volleyball and Softball, and Men's and Women's Basketball, Men and Women's Lacrosse, Cross Country, Golf, Crew, Ice Hockey, Riding, Alpine and Nordic Skiing, Soccer, Squash, Swimming, Tennis and Track and Field. The University has a strong active rivalry (especially in Hockey) with nearby Clarkson University only 10 miles (16 km) away in Potsdam, NY. Other notable rivalries include Hobart and William Smith, also from the Liberty League. The Nordic and Alpine Ski teams are also one of tradition. They compete in EISA with Division-I and Division-III schools.

Intramurals are also a popular option for students. With broomball being one of the more popular. It is similar to hockey and played in the rink, the players use "brooms" to score by putting a small round ball in the oppositions net. The University also has a rafting/canoeing shack located at the edge of campus.

Ice hockey

Since the program's beginning in 1925 the Saints have had a storied and successful history. The Saints Hockey team compete at the NCAA Division-I Level in the ECAC league for both men and women. They play their home games and have additional training facilities in Appleton Arena which has a capacity of approximately 3,000 and was constructed in 1951. Since joining the league in 1951 The Saints were league champions in 1962, 1988, 1989, 1992, 2000 and 2001. They were also regular season champions in 2000 and 2007. Since 1951 the Saints have made the NCAA Tournament sixteen times.

In 1988, the Saints played in the NCAA national championship game at the Olympic Arena in Lake Placid, NY, losing to Lake Superior State University 4-3 in overtime. The 1987-88 season was the most successful in team history, with an overall record of 29-9-0. In 2000, the Saints played in the longest NCAA tournament game on record; a 3-2, quadruple overtime victory over Boston University. The win advanced the Saints to the Frozen Four, where the team eventually lost to Boston College in the National Semifinals. The Men's program has produced twenty-eight All-American players, seven ECAC tournament MVPs, six ECAC players of the year, four ECAC rookies of the year, and seven Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalists.

The women's team won three consecutive ECAC Division-III tournaments in 1990, 1991, and 1992 before moving to Division-I. Since then the women have won the ECAC championship once in 2012. They were runners-up for the NCAA Championship in 2001 and made appearances at the Frozen Four in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, the last of which they hosted in Lake Placid, New York. The women's program has produced five All-American players, one ECAC tournament Most Outstanding Player, one ECAC player of the year, three ECAC rookies of the year, and two Patty Kazmaier Award finalists.

Athletic facilities

Indoor facilities include two field houses with track and three tennis courts; two regulation basketball courts; competition swimming and diving pool; ten squash courts; fitness center and weight room; climbing wall; ice arena; equestrian arena. Outdoor facilities include competition and practice fields for soccer, softball, baseball, football, lacrosse and field hockey along with a lighted artificial turf field; six lighted tennis courts; lighted all weather track and lighted football/track stadium; 18-hole championship golf course and a boathouse on the St. Lawrence River in Waddington. Recreation facilities include jogging/walking trail, cross country/mountain bike trails, intramural fields, outdoor basketball and volleyball courts. Since 1996 the almost all of the athletic facilities have been renovated, replaced or recently constructed. In 2008 the Princeton Review ranked St. Lawrence with the 20th best athletic facilities in the country and was the only Division III institution ranked.

The campus

The 1,000 acre (4 km²) campus is located on the south side of the Village of Canton. The main developed area consists on only 20% of the total campus area, and is centered along Park Street. Most of this area is a "walking campus" that is off-limits to motorized vehicles. Parking lots are located on the edge of campus and cross campus traffic is limited to Park Street (north-south) and Romoda Drive and University Avenue (east-west). Roads such as Park Street, Hillside Avenue, College Street, Lincoln Street, and Maple Street connect the school to downtown Canton and main roads such as US Route 11, NY Route 68, NY Route 310, and County Route 27. The University maintains 30 academic residential, sports and other buildings.

The North Country Japanese Garden, funded by grants and donations, was designed by students who had visited Zen gardens in Japan. It is symbolic of elements found in Upstate New York as well as traditional Japanese symbolism.[16]

The North Country Zen Garden within Sykes Quad

Campus buildings

Herring-Cole Hall's interior
Johnson Hall of Science

Campus residence halls

Notable alumni and faculty

University history

References

  1. ↑ As of June 30, 2012. "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2012 Endowment Market Value and Percentage Change in Endowment Market Value from FY 2011 to FY 2012" (PDF). 2012 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments. National Association of College and University Business Officers.
  2. 1 2 3 "About St. Lawrence University - At a Glance". St. Lawrence University. Retrieved 2013-03-11.
  3. ↑ "St Lawrence University Identity Guide" (PDF). Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  4. ↑ "PMS Color Chart". Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  5. ↑ http://www.brooklaw.edu/admissions/statisticsandprofile/ourhistory.aspx
  6. 1 2 Staff (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  7. ↑ "2LT Edward Lawrence "Larry" Phelan". Canton (village), New York: St. Lawrence University. 1998. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Best Colleges – National Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings". U.S. News & World Report. 2013.
  9. ↑ "America's Top Colleges.". Forbes.
  10. ↑ "Best Values in Private Colleges.". Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
  11. ↑ "Top 10 colleges with the highest paid liberal arts graduates". USA Today. 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 "St. Lawrence University Common Data Set 2012-2013" (PDF). St. Lawrence University.
  13. 1 2 "Admissions Profile for the Class of 2016". St. Lawrence University. Retrieved 2013-03-11.
  14. ↑ http://stlawu.edu/gallery/about/collection.php
  15. ↑ http://www.stlawu.edu/magazine/summer05/out_there.html
  16. ↑ Ezarik, Melissa (November–December 2009). "The North Country Japanese Garden at St. Lawrence University". University Business (Norwalk, Connecticut: University Media, Inc.) 12 (100): 16. ISSN 1097-6671. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
  17. ↑ North Country Public Radio

External links

Coordinates: 44°35′34″N 75°9′37″W / 44.59278°N 75.16028°W / 44.59278; -75.16028

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