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Hamilton College is a
private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
liberal arts college A liberal arts college or liberal arts institution of higher education is a college with an emphasis on undergraduate study in liberal arts and sciences. Such colleges aim to impart a broad general knowledge and develop general intellectual capac ...
in Clinton, Oneida County, New York. It was founded as Hamilton-Oneida Academy in 1793 and was chartered as Hamilton College in 1812 in honor of inaugural trustee
Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first United States secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795. Born out of wedlock in Charlest ...
, following a proposal brought forward after his death in 1804. Hamilton has been coeducational since 1978, when it merged with its coordinate sister school Kirkland College. Hamilton is an exclusively undergraduate institution, enrolling 1,900 students in the fall of 2021. Students may choose from 57 areas of study, including 44 majors, or design an interdisciplinary concentration. Hamilton's student body is 53% female and 47% male, and comes from 45 U.S. states and 46 countries. Hamilton places among the most selective colleges in the country, with an 11.8% acceptance rate. Athletically, Hamilton teams compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference.


History

Hamilton began in 1793 as the Hamilton-Oneida Academy, a seminary founded by Rev.
Samuel Kirkland Samuel Kirkland (December 1, 1741 – February 28, 1808) was a Presbyterian minister and missionary among the Oneida and Tuscarora peoples of present-day central New York State. He was a long-time friend of the Oneida chief Skenandoa. Kirkland g ...
, a Presbyterian minister, as part of his missionary work with the Oneida tribe. The seminary admitted both white and Oneida boys. Kirkland named it in honor of
Treasury Secretary The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...
Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first United States secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795. Born out of wedlock in Charlest ...
, who was a member of the first Board of Trustees of the Hamilton-Oneida Academy. It was first located in
Whitestown, New York Whitestown is a town in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 18,667 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from Judge Hugh White, an early settler. The town is immediately west of Utica and the New York State Thruway (Inte ...
, incorporated by the New York Board of Regents in 1793, and received its charter from them in 1812. A visitor in 1799, who refers to the school as a seminary, reported that there were "fifty-two students of both sexes under the care of two instructors". By 1825 it had moved to Clinton. The academy became Hamilton College in 1812, making it the third oldest college in New York after
Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...
and Union, after it expanded to a four-year college curriculum. By the end of the nineteenth century, its colorful ninth President
M. Woolsey Stryker Melancthon Woolsey Stryker, D.D., Litt. D., LL.D., (January 7, 1851 – December 6, 1929), an American clergyman, was Pastor of the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago and President of Hamilton College (New York), Hamilton College in upstate New ...
distanced Hamilton from the
Presbyterian Church Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
(although he was a minister of that denomination and published many hymns), and sought to make it a more secular institution. In 1978, the all-male Hamilton College merged with the
women's A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...
Kirkland College, founded by Hamilton across the road in the 1960s. The merger provoked controversy, particularly since Hamilton refused to provide assistance with Kirkland's debts. Hamilton publicly justified the merger as prompted by its desire for co-education. The merger took nearly 7 years to complete; women could still receive a Kirkland diploma instead of a Hamilton diploma until 1979. The original Hamilton campus is often called the "light side" or "north side" of campus. The original side of campus was once called "Stryker Campus" after its former president, Melancthon Woolsey Stryker (misspelled "Striker Campus"). On the other side of College Hill Road, the original Kirkland campus is called the "dark side" or the "south side". Since the 1970s, Hamilton has been a member of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (or the NESCAC) (despite technically being outside New England). This conference also includes
Amherst Amherst may refer to: People * Amherst (surname), including a list of people with the name * Earl Amherst of Arracan in the East Indies, a title in the British Peerage; formerly ''Baron Amherst'' * Baron Amherst of Hackney of the City of London, ...
,
Bates Bates may refer to: Places * Bates, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Bates, Illinois. an unincorporated community in Sangamon County * Bates, Michigan, a community in Grand Traverse County * Bates, New York, a hamlet in the town of Elli ...
, Bowdoin, Colby, Connecticut College, Middlebury, Trinity, Tufts, Wesleyan, and Williams. Rivalries with many of these schools, Middlebury in particular, predate the conference. In 2002, then-President Eugene Tobin resigned after admitting that he had failed to give proper attribution to quoted material in speeches. Also, in 2002, Professor
Robert L. Paquette Robert Louis (Robert) Paquette (born 1951) is an American historian and former Professor of American History at Hamilton College (New York), Hamilton College, and co-founder of the Alexander Hamilton Institute for the Study of Western Civilizatio ...
complained when an independent student group brought
Annie Sprinkle Annie M. Sprinkle (born Ellen F. Steinberg on July 23, 1954) is an American certified sexologist, performance artist, former sex worker, and advocate for sex work and health care. Citing: Sprinkle has worked as a prostitute, sex educator, femi ...
, an actress and former porn-star, as a speaker. Paquette later led an attempt to create an Alexander Hamilton Center on campus, but it was unsuccessful. The center, renamed the Alexander Hamilton Institute for the Study of Western Civilization, subsequently opened in an off-campus facility located in the village of Clinton.


Campus

Among the more recent developments are the Taylor Science Center, the largest construction project in the college's history (2005); the Charlean and Wayland Blood Fitness and Dance Center (2006); major expansion and renovation of the Kirner-Johnson Building (2009); the Sadove Student Center at Emerson Hall (2010); the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art (2012); and the Kevin and Karen Kennedy Center for Theatre and the Studio Arts (2014). Hamilton's athletic facilities include an ice rink, swimming pool, several athletics fields, a golf course, a three-story climbing wall, and a ten-court Squash Center. The college was listed as a census-designated place in 2020.


Daniel Burke Library

The Daniel Burke library was completed in 1972 at a cost of more than $5.5 million and designed by architect Hugh Stubbins. It holds 500,000 volumes in approximately 80,000 square feet. The library houses the Information Commons and Information Technology Services, and includes a variety of print and electronic materials.


Kirner-Johnson Building

The Kirner-Johnson Building, or KJ, is home to Hamilton's social science departments, the Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center, the Nesbitt-Johnson Writing Center and the Oral Communication Center. The building has a large, naturally-lit, two-story commons that is a popular gathering place for students to study or socialize between classes. In order to create a space that allows for both activities, the inner point of the commons features four small waterfalls that provide just enough white noise to encourage conversation while acoustically insulating those who prefer to study. In 2004, planning for the renovation and expansion of the Kirner-Johnson building received an Award of Merit from the American Institute of Architects. The project was completed in 2008.


Carol Woodhouse Wellin Performance Hall

The 700-seat hall hosts the College Orchestra conducted by
Heather Buchman Heather Buchman is an American conductor and trombonist. She is Professor of Music aHamilton Collegein Clinton, NY, where she serves as director of thHamilton College Orchestraand Chamber Music Program and Chair of thDepartment of Music She has ...
, Hamilton College Choir and College Hill Singers, Jazz Band, and Faculty Dance Concerts as well as guest artists from around the globe.


Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art

The Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art is the college's public art museum that also serves as a teaching resource for its students. Exhibits have included contemporary and historical paintings, photography, art and culture, and student exhibitions. The museum building was designed so that the exhibit areas, archives, art storage, conservation workshops, administrative offices, and teaching spaces are all visible to museum visitors. Students are involved many aspects of the museum's functions and the building features classrooms for art and art history courses.


The Sage Rink

Hamilton College's Sage Rink, built in 1921, is the oldest indoor collegiate hockey rink in America. Northeastern University's Matthews Arena is the oldest rink in America for a collegiate team; however, it was originally built as a commercial arena and not purchased by the university until 1979. Sage was financed by the widow of industrialist
Russell Sage Russell Risley Sage (August 4, 1816 – July 22, 1906) was an American financier, railroad executive and Whig politician from New York. As a frequent partner of Jay Gould in various transactions, he amassed a fortune. Olivia Slocum Sage, his s ...
, whose name graces a number of Central New York college edifices, including
Russell Sage College Russell Sage College (often Russell Sage or RSC) is a co-educational college with two campuses located in Albany and Troy, New York, approximately north of New York City in the Capital District. Russell Sage College offers both undergraduate ...
. In addition to Continental men's and women's teams, youth hockey, high school teams, adult amateur efforts and the famous
Clinton Comets The Clinton Comets were an American ice hockey team in Clinton, New York. Founded in 1927–28 as the Clinton Hockey Club and nicknamed the Comets in 1949, the team played primarily at the Clinton Arena from 1949 until 1973. The team was origin ...
, who dominated the semi-professional Eastern Hockey League in the 1960s and early 1970s, have played at the Sage Rink. It was renovated in 1993, when it got better lighting, ice-making equipment, and structural enhancements. The rink houses the college's Men's and Women's varsity and club hockey teams, physical education classes, and local youth hockey games.


Litchfield Observatory

At Litchfield Observatory ( obs. code:
789 __NOTOC__ Year 789 ( DCCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 789 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar ...
), pioneering German–American astronomer
Christian Peters Christian Heinrich Friedrich Peters (September 19, 1813 – July 18, 1890) was a German–American university teacher and astronomer at the Litchfield Observatory of Hamilton College, New York, and a pioneer in the study and visual discovery of ...
discovered some 48 asteroids. The observatory burned down but is currently marked on campus by its telescope mount outside of the Siuda Admissions and Financial Aid House. The current observatory, a quarter of a mile from campus, is powered by solar energy and is open for student use. The existing observatory, located 100 feet from College Hill Road, was built with rock from the same quarry as the original building.


Hamilton College Chapel

The
Hamilton College Chapel The Hamilton College Chapel, on the campus of Hamilton College in Clinton, NY, was completed in 1827. Architecture The façade was designed by architect Philip Hooker, notable for his many designs of public buildings in Albany, NY, as well as for ...
is a historically protected landmark and is the only three-story chapel still standing in America.


Kirkland Cottage

The cottage was believed to be the original residence of Samuel Kirkland when he began his missionary work to the Oneida, though some scholars have argued it was built years after Kirkland moved to the area. The cottage is completely original, although it was moved from its original location on Kirkland's property (known today as
Harding Farm Harding Farm is a historic site west of the village of Clinton in Oneida County, New York, United States. It is located on New York State Route 233 (Harding Road) and is situated south of the junction of NY 233 and New York State Route 412 ...
) to its current place on the main quadrangle of the Hamilton Side. The cottage is currently used for matriculation ceremonies.


Buttrick Hall, the birthplace of Elihu Root

At one time serving as the residence of the Oren Root family, the house was the birthplace of
Elihu Root Elihu Root (; February 15, 1845February 7, 1937) was an American lawyer, Republican politician, and statesman who served as Secretary of State and Secretary of War in the early twentieth century. He also served as United States Senator from N ...
, who served as Secretary of State and War and won the 1912 Nobel Peace Prize. Built in 1812, the house served as the student dining hall for Hamilton College. In 1834 it was adapted as a residence for Horatio Buttrick, superintendent of the Buildings and Grounds Department and college registrar. After his daughter married Oren Root, he allowed the young couple to take over the house. Their son Elihu Root was born there. The house has since been renamed Buttrick Hall. It serves as office space for the President of the college and the Dean of Faculty.


Elihu Root House

The
Elihu Root House The Elihu Root House is a historic house on College Hill Road, on the campus of Hamilton College in Clinton, New York. Built in 1817, it was the home of American statesman Elihu Root (1847-1937) from 1893 until his death. It was designated a Nat ...
originally belonged to
Elihu Root Elihu Root (; February 15, 1845February 7, 1937) was an American lawyer, Republican politician, and statesman who served as Secretary of State and Secretary of War in the early twentieth century. He also served as United States Senator from N ...
, who used it as his summer house. It was next used by the Office of Admission. As of September 2009, it housed the Dean of Students Office, the Registrar, and the department of Residential Life.


Days-Massolo Center

In 2011, Hamilton opened the Days-Massolo Center with the goal of promoting diversity awareness and fostering dialogue among the wide variety of cultures represented on campus. The center is dedicated to trustees
Drew S. Days III Drew Saunders Days III (August 29, 1941 – November 15, 2020) was an American legal scholar who served as Solicitor General of the United States from 1993 to 1996 under President Bill Clinton. He also served as the first African American Assistan ...
and fellow Hamilton trustee Arthur J. Massolo.


The Root Glen

The Root Glen is a wooded garden on the campus of Hamilton College. The walking area is a result of three generations of the Root family, who are known for their work in scholarships, diplomacy, and art collecting. The Root Glen is a walk along formal gardens and forest trails. The Homestead, a building named and bought by Oren Root in the 1850s, was built adjacent to the Root Glen. Oren and his wife Grace decided to plant various trees, shrubs, and flowers around the building. Then Oren's son
Elihu Root Elihu Root (; February 15, 1845February 7, 1937) was an American lawyer, Republican politician, and statesman who served as Secretary of State and Secretary of War in the early twentieth century. He also served as United States Senator from N ...
inherited the property, and the Roots expanded the gardens. In 1937 Edward Root took over the garden from his father. Grace Root established the Root Glen Foundation after her husband died, which was established to use the land for educational purposes and to promote interest in the study of birds. In 1971, the foundation dissolved and Grace decided to give ownership to Hamilton College. The Root Glen is now maintained by the horticultural grounds staff of the college, and an advisory committee is responsible for the selection of new shrubs and flowers as needed. The Root Glen contains over 65 species of trees, dozens of shrubs, and a wide variety of flowers. Located on the south side of the Glen is a display of trees and plants native to the area.


Academics

Hamilton currently offers the Bachelor of Arts (stylized A.B or B.A.) degree for 55 areas of study. Hamilton also participates in engineering dual-degree programs with the Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University and the
Thayer School of Engineering Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth (Dartmouth Engineering) offers graduate and undergraduate education in engineering sciences at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The school was established in 1867 with funds from C ...
at Dartmouth College. Hamilton is well known for its flexible curriculum, for which there are no distribution requirements. Beyond the courses required for a concentration, students have near total freedom over their course selection. While there are no distribution requirements, students do have to complete a quantitative and symbolic reasoning requirement, which can be fulfilled through courses in a variety of departments, and a writing requirement, for which students must take at least three writing intensive courses. Additionally, Hamilton students may study abroad. The college administers programs in China, France, and Spain, as well as domestic programs in the Adirondacks, New York City and Washington, D.C. The college has long adhered to an academic honor code. Every student matriculating at Hamilton must sign a pledge to observe the honor code and many examinations are not proctored. Hamilton has been part of the SAT optional movement for undergraduate admission since 2002. Hamilton offers applicants different ways to meet their standardized testing requirements, including a choice of the SAT I, the ACT, or a combination of three SAT Subject Tests.


Admissions

For the Class of 2025 (enrolling fall 2021), Hamilton received 9,380 applications and accepted 1,320 (14.1%), and 533 enrolled. The Class of 2025 is 50% women, 50% men; 32.6% students of color from the U.S. and 7.3% international.


Rankings

The annual ranking for 2021 by '' U.S. News & World Report'' categorizes Hamilton as "most selective" in admissions and ranks the college tied for ninth overall and tied for 28th in "Best Undergraduate Teaching" among "National Liberal Arts Colleges". '' Forbes'' in 2019 rated it 59th in its America's Top Colleges ranking of 650 schools, which includes military academies, national universities and liberal arts colleges, and 25th among liberal arts colleges. '' Kiplinger's Personal Finance'' places Hamilton 11th in its 2019 ranking of best value liberal arts colleges in the United States. Hamilton is ranked 17th in a similar measure by ''U.S. News & World Report.''


Student life and traditions

The current Hamilton College campus consists of the combined Hamilton and Kirkland College campuses. It has three large wooded areas, known as the Root glen, Rogers glen, and the Kirkland glen. In the mid-1990s, the administration required all underclassmen to live on campus in college housing rather than in fraternity or sorority houses, ultimately resulting in the closure of all fraternity houses and the Emerson Literary Society's house in 1995. It created new social spaces for student use, improved funding for on-campus events, and pursued several other social life changes. The new policy was controversial, especially the administration's decision to prohibit the fraternities from using their houses. Thus, the majority of fraternities concluded they had no choice but to sell their houses to the college, though some fraternities refused to sell their houses until well into the next decade. As the college purchased the houses, it has carried out extensive renovations, in order to turn the buildings into dormitories. The college has revoked or suspended the charters of a few fraternities for extreme behavior, as recently as 2015, because of their causing additional controversy among the students and alumni.


Housing

Nearly all students live in college-owned dorms. The residence halls have a variety of styles, including former fraternity houses, suites, apartment style housing, co-ops and traditional dormitory-style housing. Hamilton offers a cooperative living option to students, as well as substance-free and quiet housing. All residence halls are co-ed; some have single-sex floors. In October 2010, the college adopted a
gender-neutral housing Gender neutrality (adjective form: gender-neutral), also known as gender-neutralism or the gender neutrality movement, is the idea that policies, Gender-neutral language, language, and other social institutions (social structures or gender roles) ...
policy, wherein students of either sex may room together in rooms designated for two or more students.


Societies

Eight fraternities, four sororities, and one co-ed society are active on the Hamilton College campus. Greek organizations maintain a significant (but not overwhelming) social presence, despite being non-residential. These fraternities include two of the " Union Triad", Sigma Phi and Delta Phi. They consist of
Alpha Delta Phi Alpha Delta Phi (), commonly known as Alpha Delt, ADPhi, A-Delt, or ADP, is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. Alpha Delta Phi was originally founded as a literary society by Samuel Eells in 1832 at Hamilton College in Cli ...
(founded at Hamilton College), Chi Psi, Delta Chi, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Delta Upsilon, Psi Upsilon, and Tau Kappa Epsilon. Theta Delta Chi disbanded in 2015 following a suspension by the president of the college. The sororities are Alpha Theta Chi, Gamma Xi, Kappa Sigma Alpha, and Phi Beta Chi. Hamilton is also the home of two Nationally Recognized Latino Greek organizations, La Unidad Latina, Fraternity, Inc. and Sigma Lambda Upsilon, Sorority Inc. While all of the fraternities on campus are affiliated with national organizations, the sororities are unique to Hamilton. Lambda Chi Alpha existed at Hamilton until 1958, when the local chapter, Gamma Eta Zeta, left the national organization in a dispute over the admission of a black member. Gamma Eta Zeta became an independent fraternity called Gryphon, which remained in existence for more than 20 years. Generally, events sponsored by Greek organizations occur on campus and are open to all students. Hamilton also has a co-ed, non-Greek social society: the Emerson Literary Society.


Campus media

WHCL-FM WHCL-FM (88.7 FM) is an independent, non-profit, and educational college radio station licensed to the Trustees of Hamilton College operating out of Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, United States. It is the only radio station in the town of ...
- During the academic year, Hamilton students, faculty, and community members produce a variety of music, news, sports, and talk radio programs at FM frequency 88.7. The station is available through most of the
Mohawk Valley The Mohawk Valley region of the U.S. state of New York is the area surrounding the Mohawk River, sandwiched between the Adirondack Mountains and Catskill Mountains, northwest of the Capital District. As of the 2010 United States Census, th ...
region and online at whcl.org. It is the only radio station in Clinton. ''The Hamilton College Spectator'', known simply as ''The Spectator'' or the ''Spec'' on campus, is Hamilton College's primary weekly news publication. It is distributed in the campus dining halls, mail center, and library. ''The Spectator'' covers campus, local, and national news as well as Hamilton sports and campus life. The paper can be found online. The earliest Hamilton College literary magazine, ''The Talisman'', appeared between 1832 and 1834. Another student publication, ''The Radiator'', which ''The Spectator'' marks as its origin, appeared in 1848. A weekly publication, ''The Radiator'' described itself as, "A Weekly Miscellany of General Literature, Science, and Foreign and Domestic Intelligence". The publication was a collection of short stories, historical sketches, poetry and news excerpts gathered from both foreign and domestic news outlets. The college yearbook, ''The Hamiltonian'' was first published in 1858. The literary journal, ''The Hamilton Literary Monthly'', began publication in 1866. ''The Campus'', which was published between 1866 and 1870, was succeeded in 1899 by another campus newspaper, ''Hamilton Life''. In 1942, ''Hamilton Life'' was succeeded by ''Hamiltonews'', and in 1947, ''Hamiltonews'' became ''The Spectator''. ''Enquiry'' is a weekly publication published by the Alexander Hamilton Institute's undergraduate fellows. The publication features political editorials and essays by Hamilton College students. ''The Monitor'' is a bi-weekly publication started in 2015 that features student essays and editorials pertaining to politics, current events and social justice. ''The Duel Observer'' is a weekly humor and satire publication. Founded by Tom Keane '03, David Schwartz '02, and James Robbins '05, it has adopted the format of a parody newspaper (e.g., '' The Onion''). The name refers to the
duel A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people, with matched weapons, in accordance with agreed-upon Code duello, rules. During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the r ...
between
Aaron Burr Aaron Burr Jr. (February 6, 1756 – September 14, 1836) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the third vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805. Burr's legacy is defined by his famous personal conflict with Alexand ...
and
Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first United States secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795. Born out of wedlock in Charlest ...
which resulted in Hamilton's death. ''The Daily Bull'' is a daily bulletin that caters to campus counterculture. It is noted for being printed on yellow legal size paper, and is distributed on dining hall tables every morning. ''The Continental'' is a student-run magazine published a few times a semester; it features fashion advice, party photos, and articles on a variety of subjects. ''Red Weather'' is the college literary magazine, dedicated to promoting the literary arts on campus by printing a variety of student-authored poetry and fiction; it is published twice a year. ''The Green Apple'' is named for one of the symbols of Kirkland College; it features short stories, poetry, and op-eds, and is printed on green legal-sized paper.


Event traditions

Class and Charter Day On the last day of spring term classes, all afternoon classes are canceled for a campus wide picnic and party. Additionally, a ceremony is held during which students, faculty, and other members of the Hamilton community are recognized for their academic, leadership, and community-development accomplishments. Class and Charter Day is also the biggest party day of the year at Hamilton. The popular "G-Road" party which took place on this day became so infamous for underage drinking and over-indulgence that the college chose to ban the party for Class and Charter Day '09. The college instead provided a free concert for the student body, coordinated by the Student Activities Office and the student-run Campus Activities Board. Concerts have included groups such as
The Chainsmokers The Chainsmokers are an American electronic DJ and production duo consisting of Alexander "Alex" Pall and Andrew "Drew" Taggart. They started out by releasing remixes of songs by indie artists. The EDM- pop duo achieved a breakthrough with the ...
, Passion Pit, Galantis, White Panda,
Sammy Adams Samuel Adams Wisner (born August 14, 1987) is an American rapper, singer and songwriter. Early years Sammy Adams was born as Samuel Adams Wisner on August 14, 1987, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Kata Hull and Chuck Wisner. He and his family m ...
, and Macklemore. The concert featured co-hosts WHCL-FM and Social Traditions until 2019 (another student-run organization). Citrus Bowl The Citrus Bowl is the first men's hockey home game of the season. Traditionally the game was called the Orange Bowl, and upon the first Hamilton-scored goal, oranges that students had smuggled into the rink were thrown onto the ice at the visiting goalie. This often resulted in a delay-of-game penalty against Hamilton while the ice was cleaned. In recent years, the orange throwing has been banned by the college administration and by NESCAC officials, but the event is still well attended. Orange T-shirts commemorating the event have been distributed in recent years. FebFest Rooted in the long-standing tradition of the winter carnival at Hamilton, FebFest is a relatively recent revival. A week-long combination of performances, parties, free food, fireworks, and various other events, FebFest intends to keep student morale high during the winter. Over the years, bands ranging from the Steve Miller Band to
Ghostface Killah Dennis Coles (born May 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and a member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of ''Enter the Wu-Tang (36 C ...
have performed as a part of festivities. May Day Music Festival Started in 2004, May Day is an outdoor music festival sponsored by several on-campus organizations, including the Hamilton College Independent Music Fund, WHCL, and the Hamilton College Campus Activities Board. Past performers have included:
Citizen Cope Clarence Greenwood (born May 20, 1968), also known by his stage name, Citizen Cope, is an American songwriter, producer and singer. His music is commonly described as a mix of blues, soul, folk, and rock. Citizen Cope's compositions have been r ...
, The New Pornographers, The Pharcyde,
Dead Meadow Dead Meadow is an American psychedelic rock band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1998 and currently composed of vocalist and guitarist Jason Simon, bassist Steve Kille, and drummer Mark Laughlin. The band have released seven studio albums, two liv ...
,
Tim Reynolds Tim Reynolds (born 15 December 1957) is an American guitarist and multi-instrumentalist known as both a solo artist and as a lead guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band. AllMusic critic MacKenzie Wilson has called Reynolds "an under-rated master". ...
,
Chromeo Chromeo is a Canadian electro-funk duo from Montreal, formed in 2002 by musicians David "Dave 1" Macklovitch and Patrick "P-Thugg" Gemayel. Their sound draws from blue-eyed soul, dance music, rock, synth-pop, disco and funk. , the band has rele ...
,
Jennifer Gentle Jennifer Gentle is an Italian psychedelic rock band. The band's name derives from a verse of the song "Lucifer Sam" by Syd Barrett. History Jennifer Gentle was formed by Marco Fasolo and Alessio Gastaldello in early 2000, after the breakup of ...
, Rainer Maria, Ted Leo, The Unicorns,
J-Live Jean-Jacques Cadet (born February 22, 1976), better known by his stage name J-Live, is an American rapper, DJ, and record producer. Life and career J-Live released his debut studio album, '' The Best Part'', in 2001. It featured production by ...
, Catch-22, and Sleater-Kinney. The name refers to the fact that the festival is staged in early May or late April. In recent years as the Class and Charter Day Concert, also held near the end of the spring semester, has become tradition a separate May Day Music Festival has ceased activity. HamTrek Begun in 2004, HamTrek is an annual sprint-triathlon consisting of a 525-yard swim, 9-mile bike ride, and 3.1-mile run. Participants can compete individually, in unisex teams of 3, or co-ed teams of 3. Prizes are awarded to the winners of the different competing groups. In the late 2000s, HamTrek introduced a fundraising component to benefit the Shawn Grady Memorial Fund. Also, many athletic coaches now require their teams to compete. HamTrek takes place on Class and Charter Day. Reunions Every June, alumni, faculty and friends of the college take over the Hamilton campus for an extended weekend of parties, lectures, panel discussions, performances, hikes, games and happy hours.


Athletics

Hamilton is an NCAA Division III school and has been a member of the New England Small College Athletic Conference since 1971. The college sports teams are known as the Hamilton Continentals. Hamilton sponsors 29 sports, including: Baseball (M), Basketball (M&W), Crew (M&W), Cross Country (M&W), Field Hockey (W),
Football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
(M), Golf (M&W), Ice Hockey (M&W), Lacrosse (M&W), Outdoor and Indoor Track & Field (M&W),
Soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
(M&W), Softball (W), Squash (M&W), Swimming & Diving (M&W), Tennis (M&W), Volleyball (W). Before the 1993–94 academic year, Hamilton's sports teams could not participate in any national postseason tournaments. The rule was changed that year, allowing Hamilton to participate in Division III tournaments in various sports. On May 18, 2008, Hamilton won its first NCAA championship, when its women's lacrosse team defeated
Franklin & Marshall Franklin & Marshall College (F&M) is a private liberal arts college in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It employs 175 full-time faculty members and has a student body of approximately 2,400 full-time students. It was founded upon the merger of Frankli ...
13–6 in the finals of the NCAA tournament. About 35% of Hamilton's student body participate in its varsity athletic programs. In addition to varsity sports, Hamilton sponsors several club and intramural sports. Club sports include
alpine skiing Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel bindings, unlike other types of skiing ( cross-country, Telemark, or ski jumping), which use skis with free-heel bindings. Whether for ...
, curling, equestrian, figure skating, men's
rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...
, women's rugby, tae kwon do, ultimate frisbee, and women's golf. In 2008 the men's rugby team placed fourth in the national Division III tournament. Hamilton's mascot is a Continental, a soldier in America's
Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...
of the Revolutionary War. The college's colors are
buff Buff or BUFF may refer to: People * Buff (surname), a list of people * Buff (nickname), a list of people * Johnny Buff, ring name of American world champion boxer John Lisky (1888–1955) * Buff Bagwell, a ring name of American professional wr ...
and blue, likely derived from the colors of the 1779 Continental Army's New York regimental coats, which were blue with buff facings. The college's eponym,
Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first United States secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795. Born out of wedlock in Charlest ...
, played a central role in the Continental Army as General
George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
's Chief of Staff. At many sporting events, Hamilton is represented by the Al-Ham (an abbreviation of Alexander Hamilton) pig. The pig, large, anthropomorphic, and dressed in a Hamilton basketball jersey and a Continental soldier's tricorn hat, was introduced in the early 2000s in an attempt to boost school spirit and interest in Hamilton's athletics programs. Rocking Chair Classic: Hamilton's football rivalry with
Middlebury College Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all ...
dates to 1911. Since 1980, the annual football game between Hamilton and Middlebury has been designated the Rocking Chair Classic. The winning team keeps the Mac-Jack Rocking Chair during the following year. The rivalry has been dominated by Middlebury, which has won the last 14 matches.


Demographics

Hamilton typically enrolls about 1,900 students; in 2019 47% are male and 53% are female. About 60% of students come from
public school Public school may refer to: * State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government * Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England an ...
s, and 40% come from private schools. Hamilton's 2019 students come from 45 U.S. states and 46 countries. A recent year reported that 5% of Hamilton students were described as international, 5% as African-American, 1% as Native American, 8% as Asian/Pacific Islander, 4% Hispanic, 70% White, and 9% as unknown ethnicity.


Alumni and faculty

File:James Schoolcraft Sherman.jpg,
James S. Sherman James Schoolcraft Sherman (October 24, 1855 – October 30, 1912) was an American politician who was a United States representative from New York from 1887 to 1891 and 1893 to 1909, and the 27th vice president of the United States under President ...
, former Vice President of the United States File:Mike Castle official portrait.jpg, Mike Castle, former Governor of Delaware and former
U.S. Congressman The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
from Delaware File:20210427-OSEC-TEW-001 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack (51148817903).jpg, Tom Vilsack, United States Secretary of Agriculture File:David Solomon.jpg,
David M. Solomon David Michael Solomon (born c. 1962) is an American investment banker and the chief executive officer (CEO) of Goldman Sachs, a position he has held since October 2018. He has also been chairman of the bank since January 2019. Before assuming hi ...
, CEO of
Goldman Sachs Goldman Sachs () is an American multinational investment bank and financial services company. Founded in 1869, Goldman Sachs is headquartered at 200 West Street in Lower Manhattan, with regional headquarters in London, Warsaw, Bangalore, H ...
File:Matt Cartwright, official portrait, 113th Congress.jpg, Matt Cartwright,
U.S. Congressman The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
from Pennsylvania File:Joseph Roswell Hawley - Brady-Handy.jpg,
Joseph Roswell Hawley Joseph Roswell Hawley (October 31, 1826March 18, 1905) was the 42nd Governor of Connecticut, a U.S. politician in the Republican and Free Soil parties, a Civil War general, and a journalist and newspaper editor. He served two terms in the Unit ...
, former
U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...
from Connecticut File:Elihu Root, bw photo portrait, 1902.jpg,
Elihu Root Elihu Root (; February 15, 1845February 7, 1937) was an American lawyer, Republican politician, and statesman who served as Secretary of State and Secretary of War in the early twentieth century. He also served as United States Senator from N ...
, former United States Secretary of State File:Marc Randolph by Gage Skidmore.jpg, Marc Randolph, co-founder of Netflix File:Charles H. Duell.jpg,
Charles Holland Duell Charles Holland Duell (April 13, 1850 – January 29, 1920) was the Commissioner of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, United States Patent Office from 1898 to 1901, and was later an United States federal judge, associate judge of the ...
, former Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia
Notable Hamilton alumni include (chronologically listed): * U.S. Congressman, abolitionist activist, and philanthropist
Gerrit Smith Gerrit Smith (March 6, 1797 – December 28, 1874), also spelled Gerritt Smith, was a leading American social reformer, abolitionist, businessman, public intellectual, and philanthropist. Married to Ann Carroll Fitzhugh, Smith was a candidat ...
(valedictorian, 1818) * Dean of Columbia Law School and first president of the University Club
Theodore William Dwight Theodore William Dwight (1822–1892) was an American jurist and educator, cousin of Theodore Dwight Woolsey and of Timothy Dwight V. Biography Theodore William Dwight was born in Catskill, New York on July 18, 1822. His father was Benjamin Wo ...
(1822) * Railroad entrepreneur and executive
Perry H. Smith Perry H. Smith, Sr., (March 18, 1828March 29, 1885) was an Americans, American judge, politician, and railroad executive. He served two years in the Wisconsin State Senate (1856–1857) and three years in the Wisconsin State Assembly, State ...
(1846) * U.S. Congressman, Senator and Governor of Connecticut
Joseph Roswell Hawley Joseph Roswell Hawley (October 31, 1826March 18, 1905) was the 42nd Governor of Connecticut, a U.S. politician in the Republican and Free Soil parties, a Civil War general, and a journalist and newspaper editor. He served two terms in the Unit ...
(1847) * U.S. Secretary of State and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
Elihu Root Elihu Root (; February 15, 1845February 7, 1937) was an American lawyer, Republican politician, and statesman who served as Secretary of State and Secretary of War in the early twentieth century. He also served as United States Senator from N ...
(1864) * 27th U.S. Vice President
James S. Sherman James Schoolcraft Sherman (October 24, 1855 – October 30, 1912) was an American politician who was a United States representative from New York from 1887 to 1891 and 1893 to 1909, and the 27th vice president of the United States under President ...
(1878) * Pharmaceutical entrepreneur
William McLaren Bristol William McLaren Bristol (28July 18601935) was one of the two co-founders of Bristol-Myers, now part of Bristol-Myers Squibb. Myers and Bristol founded the company that would evolve into an international pharmaceutical giant in Bristol's birthplac ...
(1887) * Pharmaceutical entrepreneur John Myers (1887) * Poet
Ezra Pound Ezra Weston Loomis Pound (30 October 1885 – 1 November 1972) was an expatriate American poet and critic, a major figure in the early modernist poetry movement, and a Fascism, fascist collaborator in Italy during World War II. His works ...
(1905, Honorary Doctorate 1939) * Drama critic and
Algonquin Round Table The Algonquin Round Table was a group of New York City writers, critics, actors, and wits. Gathering initially as part of a practical joke, members of "The Vicious Circle", as they dubbed themselves, met for lunch each day at the Algonquin Hotel ...
member
Alexander Woollcott Alexander Humphreys Woollcott (January 19, 1887 – January 23, 1943) was an American drama critic and commentator for ''The New Yorker'' magazine, a member of the Algonquin Round Table, an occasional actor and playwright, and a prominent radio p ...
(1909) * Pioneering advertising executive
Alex Osborn Alex Faickney Osborn (May 24, 1888 – May 5, 1966) was an American advertising executive and the author of the creativity technique named ''brainstorming''. Founding of BBDO In 1919, Osborn joined with Bruce Fairchild Barton and Roy Sarles Dur ...
(1909), credited with the
creativity technique Creativity techniques are methods that encourage creative actions, whether in the arts or sciences. They focus on a variety of aspects of creativity, including techniques for idea generation and divergent thinking, methods of re-framing problems, ...
brainstorming Brainstorming is a group creativity technique by which efforts are made to find a conclusion for a specific problem by gathering a list of ideas spontaneously contributed by its members. In other words, brainstorming is a situation where a grou ...
* Jurist and diplomat
Philip Jessup Philip Caryl Jessup (February 5, 1897 – January 31, 1986), also Philip C. Jessup, was a 20th-century American diplomat, scholar, and jurist notable for his accomplishments in the field of international law. Early life and education Philip ...
(1919) * Influential psychologist and social philosopher
B. F. Skinner Burrhus Frederic Skinner (March 20, 1904 – August 18, 1990) was an American psychologist, behaviorist, author, inventor, and social philosopher. He was a professor of psychology at Harvard University from 1958 until his retirement in 1974. ...
(1926) * Pathologist Lauren Ackerman (1927) * Diplomat Sol Linowitz (1935) * Sexuality researcher William Masters (1938) * Prize-winning neuroscientist Paul Greengard (1948) * Award-winning writer Thomas Meehan (1951) *
The Bank of New York The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, commonly known as BNY Mellon, is an American investment banking services holding company headquartered in New York City. BNY Mellon was formed from the merger of The Bank of New York and the Mellon Finan ...
president
J. Carter Bacot John Carter Bacot (; February 7, 1933 – April 7, 2005) was president of The Bank of New York for eight years and he was chairman and CEO for sixteen years. He remained on the Board of Directors until 2003. Biography Bacot spent his early ...
(1955) * Civil rights leader
Bob Moses Robert Moses (1888–1981) was an American city planner. Robert Moses may also refer to: * Bob Moses (activist) (1935–2021), American educator and civil rights activist * Bob Moses, American football player in the 1962 Cotton Bowl Classic * Bob M ...
(1956) * Delaware governor
Michael Castle Michael Newbold Castle (born July 2, 1939) is an American lawyer and politician who was governor of Delaware (1985–92) and the U.S. representative for (1993–2011). He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes the entire ...
(1961) * Novelist Terry Brooks (1966) * Procter & Gamble CEO A.G. Lafley (1969) * Tony Award-winning playwright Richard Nelson (1971) * U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and Iowa governor Tom Vilsack (1972) * Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Melinda Wagner (1979) * Cornell Law School professor
William A. Jacobson William A. Jacobson is an American lawyer, Cornell Law School professor, and conservative blogger. Education Jacobson is a 1981 ''summa cum laude'' graduate of Hamilton College (New York), Hamilton College. He received his Juris Doctor, J.D. degr ...
(1981) * Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph (1981) * Civil rights advocate Mary Bonauto (1983) * Investment banker and
Goldman Sachs Goldman Sachs () is an American multinational investment bank and financial services company. Founded in 1869, Goldman Sachs is headquartered at 200 West Street in Lower Manhattan, with regional headquarters in London, Warsaw, Bangalore, H ...
CEO
David Solomon David Solomon may refer to: * David Solomon (artist) (born 1976), American artist and painter * David Solomon (TV producer), American television director and producer * David Solomon (writer), Australian educator, scholar and writer * David Solomon ...
(1984) * Novelist
Amanda Filipacchi Amanda Filipacchi (; born October 10, 1967) is an American novelist. She was born in Paris and educated in both in France and in the U.S. She is the author of four novels, ''Nude Men'' (1993), ''Vapor (novel), Vapor'' (1999), ''Love Creeps'' (20 ...
(1988) * Actor and writer for '' The Office'' Paul Lieberstein (1989) * Election and voting rights attorney Marc Elias (1990) *
Legendary Pictures Legendary Pictures Productions, LLC (doing business as Legendary Entertainment or simply Legendary) is an American film production and mass media company based in Burbank, California, founded by Thomas Tull in 2000. The company has collaborated ...
CEO Thomas Tull (1992) * College basketball head coach Kyle Smith (1992) * Actress Sarah Rafferty (1993) * Academy Award nominated director
Yance Ford Yance Ford () is an African-American transgender producer and director. Life and career Ford graduated from Hamilton College in 1994. Beginning in 2002 he worked as a series producer at PBS for ten years. In 2011 he was named one of ''Filmmaker ...
(1994) * Novelist
Kamila Shamsie Kamila Shamsie FRSL (born 13 August 1973) is a Pakistani and British writer and novelist who is best known for her award-winning novel '' Home Fire'' (2017). Named on ''Granta'' magazine's list of 20 best young British writers, Shamsie has bee ...
(1994) * Academy Award-winning screenwriter and actor Nat Faxon (1997) * Real estate broker and television personality
Ryan Serhant Ryan Matthew Serhant (born July 2, 1984) is an American real estate broker, author, and reality television actor. He currently stars on Bravo's television series ''Million Dollar Listing New York'' and its spin-off ''Sell it Like Serhant.'' Se ...
(2006) * Novelist
Sarah J. Maas Sarah Janet Maas (born March 5, 1986) is an American fantasy author known for her fantasy series '' Throne of Glass'' and '' A Court of Thorns and Roses''. As of 2022, she has sold over twelve million copies of her books and her work has been ...
(2008) Notable enrollees who did not graduate include the abolitionist
Theodore Weld Theodore Dwight Weld (November 23, 1803 – February 3, 1895) was one of the architects of the American abolitionist movement during its formative years from 1830 to 1844, playing a role as writer, editor, speaker, and organizer. He is best known ...
and actors
Peter Falk Peter Michael Falk (September 16, 1927 – June 23, 2011) was an American film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the long-running television series ''Columbo'' (1968–1978, 1989–2003), for which he ...
and Tony Goldwyn. Prominent fictional alumni include the newspaper editor Charles Webb from the Thornton Wilder play '' Our Town.'' Notable faculty have included philosophers such as
Leo Strauss Leo Strauss (, ; September 20, 1899 – October 18, 1973) was a German-American political philosopher who specialized in classical political philosophy. Born in Germany to Jewish parents, Strauss later emigrated from Germany to the United States. ...
; writers such as
Natalie Babbitt Natalie Zane Babbitt (née Moore; July 28, 1932 – October 31, 2016) was an American writer and illustrator of children's books. Her 1975 novel '' Tuck Everlasting'' was adapted into two feature films and a Broadway musical. She received th ...
,
Alex Haley Alexander Murray Palmer Haley (August 11, 1921 – February 10, 1992) was an American writer and the author of the 1976 book '' Roots: The Saga of an American Family.'' ABC adapted the book as a television miniseries of the same name and a ...
and poet Howard Nemerov; composers such as
Jay Reise Jay Reise (born 1950) is an American composer. Biography Reise spent his childhood surrounded by classical music and jazz, but began his composition studies with Jimmy Giuffre and Hugh Hartwell in 1970. After graduating at Hamilton College in 1 ...
; and diplomats and politicians such as
Edward S. Walker Edward S. Walker Jr. (born June 13, 1940) is a former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Egypt, and the UAE and is a Middle East specialist. Early life Walker was born in Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He earned his B.A. at Hamilt ...
,
Jack F. Matlock Jr. Jack Foust Matlock Jr. (born October 1, 1929) is an American former ambassador, career Foreign Service Officer, a teacher, a historian, and a linguist. He was a Soviet and Communist studies, specialist in Soviet affairs during some of the most tu ...
and
Bernie Sanders Bernard Sanders (born September8, 1941) is an American politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Vermont since 2007. He was the U.S. representative for the state's at-large congressional district from 1991 to 2007 ...
.


See also

*
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 74 Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 74 (P. Oxy. 74) is a registration of property (ἀπογραφή) like P. Oxy. 72 and P. Oxy. 73. It is concerned with the registration of sheep and goats, and is written in Greek. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the ...
*
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 78 Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 78 (P. Oxy. 78) contains two documents, written in different hands. It is impossible to tell whether they are related to each other. It is written in Greek. The manuscript was written on papyrus in the form of a sheet. It was d ...


References


External links

* {{authority control 1793 establishments in New York (state) College Educational institutions established in 1793 * Universities and colleges in Oneida County, New York Liberal arts colleges in New York (state) Buildings and structures in Oneida County, New York Private universities and colleges in New York (state)