The architectural centerpiece of the Union campus, the Nott Memorial, is named after the college's president from 1804-1866, Eliphalet Nott.
Union College of Schenectady, New York, is a non-denominational, independent, selective liberal arts college in New York's Capital District. It was chartered in 1795, though the college can trace its beginnings to 1779. Several hundred residents of northern New York, certain that Burgoyne's defeat at Saratoga two years before would mean a new nation, began the first popular demand for higher education in America. These residents pursued that dream for sixteen years until, in 1795, Union became the first college chartered by the Regents of the State of New York. It was also a founding member of the NESCAC, before withdrawing its membership in the late 1970s. Additionally, the college did not allow women admission until 1970. The college, along with every Ivy League and NESCAC university or college at the time had a quota on the number of blacks, Jews, and Catholics granted admission.
During the third quarter of the 19th century there was a loss in student enrollment. Union College had to rebuild and redefine itself after that period. Today, Union College offers many programs encompassing the liberal arts and sciences as well as engineering. Nearly fifty percent of the students are enrolled in science or engineering. The current student body is about 2200, almost evenly split between males and females.
The College is referred to as 'the mother of fraternities' because many fraternities, including the first three in America, as well as three other national fraternities, were founded there. More fraternities have been founded at Union than at any other college or university. The Union Triad is a name given to the first three Greek letter social fraternities with a continuing record founded in America. They were the Kappa Alpha Society (1825) (the oldest fraternity in the nation), Sigma Phi (1827) and Delta Phi (1827).
In recent years however, the fraternity system has declined as many old fraternity houses were taken over by the College in order to create the Minerva House system (named for the Roman goddess of wisdom who appears on the college's shield). Each incoming freshman is randomly placed in a Minerva House for their time at Union. Each Minerva House has a yearly entertainment budget, and can plan activities and events for its members (Students from any Minerva House can attend events at any other house as well). Upperclassmen also have the option of living in their Minerva.
Students may also elect to join Theme Houses. Currently, there are 12 active Theme Houses, including Wells House, dedicated to community service, Symposium House, which hosts discussions with faculty and students, and Arts House, Music/Culture House, two Language Houses, and Ozone House.
Seven cabinet secretaries, fifteen United States senators, ninety-one members of the House of Representatives, thirteen governors, fifty important diplomats, more than 200 judges, forty missionaries, sixteen generals, and ninety college presidents, including the first presidents of the University of Illinois, the University of Iowa, the University of Michigan, Vassar College, Smith College, Elmira College, and one United States President (Chester A. Arthur) have graduated from Union.
Additionally, Union holds a rather unique honor: two of its alumni, William H. Seward and Robert Toombs, held the title of Secretary of State at the same time, albeit for different parts of the country. Seward was the Secretary of State for the United States of America and Toombs was the Secretary of State for the Confederate States of America. Portraits of both currently hang side-by-side in the President’s House.
John M. Carroll, Union College, 1845. U.S. Representative from New York, 18th District, 1871-1873.
Jimmy Carter, former President of the United States (While stationed nearby in the Navy, Carter took an extension course taught by the College for the Navy. He never entered, or graduated from, the college. The college has no record of his attendance, but did not keep records for nonmatriculated students at the time.)
Thomas Dick, recipient of an honorary degree of LL.D.
Dixon Ryan Fox, social historian and president of the college, 1934-45.
Ward Hunt, Union College, 1828. Founder of the New York Republican Party, 1856. Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, 1872-1882.
Henry James Sr. 1811-1882, American theologian and Swedenborgian, best known as the father of the philosopher William James, novelist Henry James, and diarist Alice James.
Charles Edward Pearce, Union College, 1861. U.S. Representative from Missouri, 12th District, 1897-1901.
Rufus Wheeler Peckham (1809-1873), Union College, 1826. U.S. Representative from New York, 14th District, 1853-1855; Justice of the New York Supreme Court, 1861-1869; Judge of the New York Court of Appeals, 1870-1873 (died in office).
Jonathan R. Spicehandler(1948-2006), President and Chairman of the Schering Plough Research Institute. Dr. Spicehandler is credited with the development of several pharmaceuticals including Claritan, Clarinex, Temador, Rocepherin and Inteferon. He was also a great philanthropist dedicating great deals of time and monies to Union College, Kessler Institute of Rehabilitation and Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke Medical Center.
Joseph Christopher Yates (1768-1837), founder of Union College, American lawyer, statesman and politician. Yates catapulted himself up the ranks of his day, becoming first the mayor of Schenectady (1798), then a state Senator (1805), followed by a State Supreme Court Justice (1808) and finally the fourth Governor of New York (1823–1824); also the namesake of Yates County, New York.
George Cochrane Hazelton (January 3, 1832 - September 4, 1922) was a United States Representative from Wisconsin
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