| Search Union College's website |
|
It matters not what creed you believe, nor what faith your family might profess. Union College, chartered way back in 1795, was the very first non-denominational school in the country! As a matter of fact, its founders named it Union precisely because they wanted to teach and unite students of all faiths in the pursuit of knowledge.
Although we"re located in Semi-Nowheresville, NY—a/k/a Schenectady (pronounced Ska-NECK-ta-dee)—that just means we have lots of stuff going on around campus. In fact, we"ve been highly ranked for having the most for students to do and it"s true.
Like Harry Potter? Then Union’s new Minerva House system might be the place for you! The new Minervas give you a chance to meet upperclassmen, form bonds with the people in your house, compete in intramurals, meet professors outside of class, organize parties and "special events" with the College"s $$$, rather than your own.
Here are a few of the many other Union College "firsts"... First American college or university to teach engineering. First to instruct students in an active foreign language (French) rather than just the classical languages of antiquity (Latin & Greek) First to have a "planned" campus—that is, one designed by an architect. So you see, basically, Union = Innovation.
- Chester A. Arthur (1848) - 21st U.S. President
- Neil Lewis - Washington correspondent for the NY Times
- Patricia Clarey - Chief of staff to Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Phil Alden Robinson - Writer / director (Sneakers, Field of Dreams, Band of Brothers)
- Rawson Thurber - Writer / director (Dodgeball, Terry Tate, Office Linebacker)
- Richard Roth - Correspondent for CBS News
- William Seward - Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of State; purchased Alaska for U.S. (dubbed "Seward's Folly")
|
 |
WRUC 89.7 FM was the first college station in the nation! WRUC is a great place to express your musical interests on your very own weekly radio show. We even have a brand-new studio ("The WRUCkus Room") where everyone can see our DJs, on their turntables and on the mic. Our music plays in the dining halls, and we're in the process of turning our old upstairs studio into a recording center open to anybody wishing to make a CD!
|
|
|
A Chinese stone lion perhaps dating from the 15th century, the Idol was unearthed near Shanghai in the mid-nineteenth century and sent to Union in 1875 as a gift by the Rev. John Farnham ’56. From the time it was set up at Union in 1876, the Idol has been painted and otherwise abused by students on thousands of occasions, and has consequently become the College’s playful icon. Ritual painting (as distinct from impromptu painting) began in the late nineteenth century as "Idol worship," in which sophomores forced freshmen to worship the Idol and paint it with their hands. Regularly from around 1910 until 1932, and irregularly thereafter, the two classes fought in the spring and fall to have the Idol wear the paint of their class color. Unorganized nocturnal painting of the Idol has continued to the present. As class rivalry diminished after mid-century, fraternity rivalry replaced it as an excuse for Idol-painting. More recently, many other groups have also painted the Idol: athletic tea
|