SUNY at Purchase College

SUNY at Purchase College, officially the State University of New York College at Purchase, is a public liberal arts college located in Purchase, New York. Part of the State University of New York system, it was founded in 1967 with a mission that integrates conservatory training in the visual and performing arts with programs in the liberal arts and sciences. The college offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and is known for its schools of art and design, music, dance, theater, film, and liberal studies. Its suburban campus in Westchester County provides close access to New York City, attracting students interested in both creative disciplines and academic study.

SUNY at Purchase College was founded in 1967 under the leadership of New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, who envisioned a public institution combining conservatory arts training with liberal arts education. Located in Purchase, New York, the college was built on a 500-acre site and designed by architect Edward Larrabee Barnes. Abbott Kaplan served as the first president of SUNY at Purchase College, overseeing the recruitment of faculty and students as the campus opened during a period of educational expansion in the State University of New York system. From its earliest years, SUNY at Purchase College emphasized the integration of visual and performing arts with academic study. The Neuberger Museum of Art, established soon after the college’s founding, became a central cultural institution on campus. Over time, the college expanded its academic programs, campus facilities, and student life offerings, shaping its identity as a public liberal arts college within the SUNY system.