Hamilton College facts for kids
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| Latin: Collegi Hamiltonensis | |
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Former name
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Hamilton-Oneida Academy (1793–1812) |
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| Motto | Γνῶθι Σεαυτόν (Ancient Greek) |
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Motto in English
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"Know Thyself" |
| Type | Private liberal arts college |
| Established | 1793 |
| Accreditation | MSCHE |
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Academic affiliations
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| Endowment | $1.3 billion (2023) |
| President | Steven Tepper |
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Academic staff
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195 (2022) |
| Undergraduates | 2,000 (2022) |
| Location |
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New York
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United States
43°3′7″N 75°24′22″W / 43.05194°N 75.40611°W |
| Campus | Midsize suburb, 1,350 acres (550 ha) |
| Newspaper | The Spectator |
| Colors | Continental Blue Buff |
| Nickname | Continentals |
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Sporting affiliations
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| Mascot | Alex |
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Hamilton College is a private liberal arts college in Clinton, New York. It started in 1793 as the Hamilton-Oneida Academy. In 1812, it became Hamilton College, named after Alexander Hamilton, one of its first board members.
Since 1978, Hamilton has been a college for both men and women. This happened after it joined with its nearby sister school, Kirkland College.
About 2,000 students attend Hamilton. They can choose from 57 subjects to study. Students come from 45 U.S. states and 46 different countries. The college's sports teams, the Continentals, compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference.
Contents
History
Hamilton College began in 1793 as the Hamilton-Oneida Academy. It was started by a missionary named Samuel Kirkland to teach both white settlers' sons and boys from the local Oneida Nation. The school was named for Alexander Hamilton, who helped Kirkland start it.
In 1812, the academy became Hamilton College, making it the third-oldest college in New York. To become a college, it had to raise $50,000, which was a lot of money back then. The state of New York also gave the college money to help it grow.
Over the years, the college became less connected to its religious roots. In the 20th century, it went through some big changes, including becoming a school for both men and women.
Kirkland College
In the 1960s, a separate college for women called Kirkland College was built right next to Hamilton. For about ten years, the two schools operated side-by-side. In 1978, they merged, and Hamilton College began accepting women as students.
Today, the campus is still sometimes thought of in two parts. The old Hamilton side is called the "light side" or "north side," and the old Kirkland side is called the "dark side" or "south side."
Changes to Student Life
In 1995, the college made a rule that all students must live in dorms and eat in dining halls on campus. Before this, many students lived in fraternity houses. The college bought the fraternity houses and turned them into dorms for all students. This change helped make campus life more welcoming for everyone.
Campus
Hamilton's campus has many great facilities for students. There is an ice rink, a swimming pool, a climbing wall, and sports fields. All students are required to live on campus in dorms.
Daniel Burke Library
The Daniel Burke Library was built in 1972. It holds over 500,000 books and gives students access to many online resources. It's a central spot on campus for studying and getting help with technology.
Kirner-Johnson Building
The Kirner-Johnson Building, or "KJ," is home to the social science departments. It has a large, sunny common area with four small waterfalls. This space is a popular place for students to study and hang out.
The Sage Rink
Sage Rink was built in 1921 and is the oldest indoor college hockey rink in the country. It was paid for by the wife of a famous businessman named Russell Sage. The rink is home to Hamilton's men's and women's hockey teams.
Litchfield Observatory
The original Litchfield Observatory was where astronomer Christian Peters discovered 48 asteroids. That building burned down, but a new observatory was built nearby. It is powered by solar energy and is used by students for astronomy classes.
Hamilton College Chapel
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The Hamilton College Chapel is a historic landmark. It is special because it is the only three-story chapel still standing in the United States.
The Root Glen
The Root Glen is a beautiful garden and wooded area on campus. It was created by three generations of the Root family. The glen has walking trails and gardens for students and visitors to enjoy. The land was given to the college in 1971.
Academics
Hamilton College offers a Bachelor of Arts degree. Students can choose from 55 different subjects, called majors. The most popular majors in 2021 were Economics, Biology, and Political Science.
Students have a lot of freedom to choose their classes. This is called an "open curriculum." They must take at least one math-related course and three courses that focus on writing to graduate. Hamilton is known for being a "most selective" college, meaning it is hard to get into. It is sometimes called one of the Little Ivies.
Admissions
For the Class of 2027, Hamilton College received over 9,600 applications and accepted 1,135 students. This means the acceptance rate was 11.8%. The students in that class came from 45 states and 25 countries.
Financial Aid
Hamilton College promises to meet 100% of the demonstrated financial need for its students. This means the college will provide enough aid so that any accepted student can afford to attend. Nearly half of all students receive financial aid.
The college also has a "needs-blind" admission policy for U.S. students. This means that when the college decides whether to accept a student, it does not look at whether the student's family can pay the tuition.
Rankings
| USNWR Liberal Arts College | 14 |
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| Washington Monthly Liberal Arts | 29 |
| Forbes | 66 |
Hamilton is considered one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country. In 2021, U.S. News & World Report ranked it as tied for 9th best among national liberal arts colleges. Forbes magazine also ranked Hamilton highly in its 2024–25 list of America's top colleges.
Student Life and Traditions
Housing
Most students live in dorms owned by the college. The dorms come in many styles, from traditional rooms to suites and apartments. All dorms are for both men and women, and the college offers gender-neutral housing. This allows students of any gender to be roommates.
Campus Media
- WHCL-FM is the college's radio station. Students run the station and broadcast music, news, and sports.
- The Spectator is the main student newspaper. It has been published weekly since 1947 and covers news and life on campus.
Athletics
About one-third of Hamilton students play on a varsity sports team. The teams are called the Continentals. Besides varsity teams, there are also many club sports like skiing, rugby, and ultimate frisbee.
A fun tradition is the "Rocking Chair Classic," an annual football game between Hamilton and its rival, Middlebury College. This rivalry started in 1911.
Famous Alumni and Faculty
Many famous and successful people have graduated from Hamilton College.
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Paul Lieberstein, a writer and actor known for playing Toby on the TV show The Office
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B. F. Skinner, a famous psychologist who studied how people learn
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James S. Sherman, who served as Vice President of the United States
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Sarah Rafferty, an actress known for her role as Donna on the TV show Suits
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Elihu Root, a former United States Secretary of State who won the Nobel Peace Prize
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Roz Chast, a cartoonist for The New Yorker magazine
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Paul Greengard, a scientist who won a Nobel Prize for his research on the brain
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Images for kids
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Days-Massolo Center.jpg
The Days-Massolo Center promotes diversity and cultural understanding on campus.
