Hartwick College

History

Hartwick College traces its history to the will of Lutheran minister John Christopher Hartwick, who died in 1796. The following year, in 1797, the executors of his will decided to establish a seminary in his name. The first student graduated in 1803,

The school moved to its Oneonta location in 1928, when the seminary's trustees voted to close it and incorporate there as a four-year college. The college was granted a permanent charter from the New York Board of Regents in 1931.

The land for the campus was donated by the City of Oneonta. Bresee Hall, the oldest building on campus, was designed by architect John Russell Pope and built in 1928. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

In 2016, the college secured more than $34 million through its latest capital campaign, exceeding the original goal of $32 million.

Academics

Hartwick College offers 45 courses of study leading to a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. Additionally, it offers 11 minors; pre-professional programs in law, medicine, engineering and allied health professions; and five cooperative programs in engineering, law, business, and physical and occupational therapy. Students can also choose a concentration within their major.

The pre-engineering program at Hartwick has cooperative agreements with both Columbia University and Clarkson University that allow students to spend three years at Hartwick and two years at one of the other schools studying engineering. Successful completion brings a bachelor's degree from Hartwick and an engineering degree from Clarkson or Columbia.

Hartwick's three-year bachelor's degree program allows qualified students to receive a degree in three years, as opposed to the traditional four. Since its launch in 2009, the program has sparked national interest for cost savings and quality.

Hartwick College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the American Chemical Society approves the Bachelor of Science degree program in chemistry.

January term

Every year in January, many Hartwick students participate in international courses taught by Hartwick faculty. Nearly every off-campus program is open to new students and scholarships are available.

Presidents

1. Charles Myers (1926–1929)
2. Charles W. Leitzell (1929–1939)
3. Henry Arnold (1939–1953) – first layperson to head college
4. Miller A.F. Ritchie (1953–1959)
5. Frederick M. Binder (1959–1969)
6. Adolph G. Anderson (1968–1977)
7. Philip S. Wilder, Jr. (1977–1992)
8. Richard Detweiler (1992–2003)
9. Richard P. Miller, Jr. (2003–2008)
10. Margaret L. Drugovich (2008–2022)
11. Darren Reisberg (2022–2023)
12. James H. Mullen, Jr. (2023–present) – plans to stay on as president until June 2026

Rankings

In 2021, U.S. News & World Report ranked Hartwick College 146th out of 223 schools in its National Liberal Arts College Rankings. In 2013, U.S. News & World Report also ranked Hartwick 21st among all U.S. colleges and universities for the percentage of students who study abroad.

Hartwick College is ranked 59th for liberal arts colleges on Payscale.com's 2016–17 list of highest-paid graduates.

Business Insider recognized Hartwick as No. 13 in their 2015 "50 Most Underrated Colleges in America" ranking for graduate earning potential. In 2013, the college also placed No. 274 out of a list of 501 colleges and universities across the nation in its Complete Ranking Of America's 501 Smartest Colleges.

*Forbes Magazine *ranked Hartwick No. 501 overall in the 2016 Forbes ranking of the best colleges and universities in the nation; public and private colleges and universities included.

In Washington Monthly’s 2019 College Rankings, Hartwick is ranked No. 130 out of 214 liberal arts colleges in the nation.

Student life

Hartwick offers student-run activities through more than 60 clubs and organizations that cover a wide variety of topics. There are several fraternities and sororities on campus.

The campus weekly newspaper is called Hilltops. Hartwick also operates a student-run radio station, WRHO 89.7 FM.

Pine Lake Environmental Campus

Hartwick College acquired the Pine Lake Environmental Campus in 1971. Pine Lake provides Hartwick students with opportunities for hands-on research, academic study, and responsible environmental stewardship and self-discovery. It offers a residential alternative to the main campus residence halls. The campus has 11 buildings on over 300 preserved acres, including eight cabins that are used as student housing during the school year.

Table Rock Trail System

Hartwick College's main campus features an extensive trail system spanning approximately ten miles, open to students, college employees, and the public. Managed by the Hartwick Trails Committee, these trails offer opportunities for hiking and mountain biking. Students have the opportunity to engage in hiking and wellness courses that utilize the trail system. Additionally, they can design research projects that are based on the trail system, and earn service hours by assisting with trail maintenance. The trails serve as a platform for sustainability initiatives and provide a valuable resource for outdoor recreation and education at Hartwick College.

Athletics

Hartwick's mascot is Swoop the Hawk. The school's colors are Wellesley Blue and White.

The college is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), competing at the Division III level, and is a member of the Empire 8 Conference.

Men's volleyball and women's flag football will be added as varsity sports in 2025–26.

Men's sports

• Basketball
• Cross country
• Football
• Indoor track and field
• Lacrosse
• Outdoor track and field
• Soccer
• Swimming and diving
• Volleyball (in 2025–26)

Women’s sports

• Basketball
• Cross country
• Equestrian
• Field hockey
• Flag football (in 2025–26)
• Indoor track and field
• Lacrosse
• Outdoor track and field
• Soccer
• Softball (in 2025)
• Swimming and diving
• Tennis
• Volleyball

Notable alumni

• Scott Adams '79, creator of Dilbert and author
• Isaac Newton Arnold 1832, lawyer, politician, abolitionist. Attended Hartwick Seminary.
• Frederick H. Belden '32 (1909–1979), Tenth Episcopal Bishop of Rhode Island
• John Bluem '74, former professional soccer player (Tampa Bay Rowdies), college coach (Fresno State and Ohio State) and broadcaster (Columbus Crew)
• Jason Boltus '09, Quarterback for the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League
• Mike Burns '93, former professional soccer player
• Charles D. Cook '56 (1935–2001), former New York State senator
• Peter Daempfle '92, author
• Maxwell Jacob Friedman, wrestler
• Stephen L. Green '60, Chairman of SL Green Realty Corp, the largest landlord in NYC.
• Tyler Hemming '07, professional soccer player (Toronto FC midfielder)
• Matt Lawrence, professional soccer player
• David H. Long '83, CEO of Liberty Mutual Group
• Dave Lemanczyk, Major League baseball player
• Clarence MacGregor, former justice of the New York Supreme Court and United States representative (1919–1928)
• Michael Maren '77, former journalist and current filmmaker.
• Ian McIntyre '96, head coach of the Syracuse Orange men's soccer team
• Cyrus Mehri '83, noted Washington DC–based anti-discrimination lawyer
• Glenn "Mooch" Myernick '77, professional soccer player and coach
• Craig Potter '07, professional Scottish footballer (soccer)
• John A. Quitman, 10th and 16th governor of Mississippi, and U.S. representative from Mississippi; attended Hartwick Seminary.
• Rory Read '83, former COO of Dell
• Andrew Sambrook '00, professional soccer player (Gillingham FC, Rushden & Diamonds, Grays Athletic)
• James L. Seward '73, New York state senator
• Craig Slaff '82, award-winning aviation artist
• Tom Wisner, folk musician
• Nadya Zhexembayeva '01, co-founder and chief reinvention officer, WE EXIST Reinvention Agency

References

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