Back in 1984 when I graduated high school and returned from a real good ‘European vacation’ with my mother, a week later I stood at the entrance of a huge 150 acre campus 553 miles from home. It was Marist College and I was to embark on my first away from home experience that kept telling me “college life here is going to be FUN !”
And it certainly was one great year.

The property originally purchased by a Mr. Thomas McPherson in 1905 was not a real college then. I mean it was a building saved for the study of arts and sciences from within a very small handful of people and materials to help them in their quest for knowledge; but not serving any public yet. It was decided years later that this ’seminary’ would do better to teach the world by bringing the world in through people and cultures, not just read material or manufactured idealogy from a handful of experienced orators.

In 1929 one could take a few college-level courses but not be granted a degree; only in 1946 and after the governor of the state of New York granted the college a 4-year charter, was the possibility of advancing one’s skills and expertise to economically soar, was at their fingertips. So it was settled to become one of the most respected arts and sciences advanced institutions out there.

What started as a school for the training of future Marist Brothers developed into one of the leading colleges in the procurement of a degree in liberal arts major choices. Marist College is ecumenical in character yet holds the ideals of the founder of the Marist Brothers, St. Marcellin Champagnat: commitment to excellence in education, a pursuit of higher human values, and dedication to the principle of service--very precious.

The college has an interesting beginning and it did not fail but rather had a slow start. It was not originally called ‘marist college‘ but Marian College run under the leadership of founding president named Brother Paul Ambrose Fontaine of the FMS. The Marist name was adopted in 1960 and the awaiting crowd was youthful fresh-out-of-high school students who lived around the tri-state area. For those of you not familiar with that term, it is the three states surrounding NY that focus on a campus allowing outside of NY residents, to also attend the four year college. In 1968, women were finally allowed to earn a 4-year degree in limited academic choices.

That meant youths from CT, NJ, PA, and OH were seeing a college on the banks of the Hudson River as home. The youths were rambunctious and the isms like racism and sexism were still high contenders, but the college maintained equal attendance by both genders and several different cultures from within the area with little problem of any racial tensions.

Any person with the proper high school recommendation and high test scores was allowed to seek and procure the requirements of being awarded a degree of excellence in both academic education, ecumenical instruction and even some ’divine guidance’. These individuals wanted simple instruction and a no-frills atmosphere in a small safe environment.

I am not sure what it was like between 1960 and 1984 because I came into this world in 1966, but my one year was all about a ‘good college-life experience’. From the website, which is updated regularly and provides alumnae with a newsletter, I found it easy to navigate through because of a simple premise.

The Homepage with 6 major icon headings for areas of concern are highlighted across the top page like this :

About Marist | Admission | Academics | Student Life | Athletics | Community |

ADMISSION:

For the Undergraduate programs one can contact this place on campus: Rotunda 380--845.575.3226-- Office hours: Mon-Thu 8:30 - 7:00 and Friday 8:30 - 5:00 

For the Graduate and Adult programs one can contact this place on campus: Dyson 127 --845.575.3800-- Office hours: Mon-Thu 8:30 - 7:00 and Friday 8:30 - 5:00

There are also resources available in this section for: Freshman students; Transfer students; Adult students (age 22 or older); Graduate students; International students; and those interested in eLearning (online course instruction--something they did not have when I attended).

ACADEMICS:

There are seven specific areas of instruction in which an individual can procure the requirements to be awarded the baccalaureate degree in either a science or a business category. School of . . .

| Communication and the Arts | Computer Science and Mathematics | Global and Professional Programs | Liberal Arts | Management | Science | Social and Behavioral Sciences

A degree in Communication and the Arts provides instruction in the technologically-driven environment of the 21st century. A degree in Computer Science and Mathematics provides instruction of broad-based mathematical application in the real world. A degree in Global and Professional Programs provides instruction in quality-driven education aimed at the ‘adult sector’ in which focus is made on implementing success from a global economic strata. A degree in Liberal Arts offers a diverse course selection that blends the Marist experience through different programs not related to one another and not nearly as comprehensive as lets say strictly a degree for science.
A degree in Management offers education that will emphasize leadership in a personal and team-playing integrative atmosphere. A degree in Science will prepare an individual to face the world using an empirical foundation and helping the environment in a particular way. While lastly a degree in Social and Behavioral Science will also prepare a student with empiricism but also offer the diversity of culture within the field of work that involves human development in and out of their surroundings.

STUDENT LIFE:

This icon and section highlights what one entering the Marist College  campus might enjoy like housing and residential living, dining on the Marist campus, activities and organizations the college is involved in, to the bookstore, health services, computer store and usage, counseling services, campus ministry and of course security and ID protection. A comprehensive section that encourages entrance into the ’college-life experience’ . . . that which I found to be quite interesting in retrospect.

ATHLETICS:

This icon serves the integration of sports in education and the honing of developing a personality that is both active and fit. One wanting to attend this campus can check out varsity athletics (GoRed Foxes !), club sports and intramural activities, fundraising and support for the athletic division, the Youth camps and the facilities that are available both on and off campus (although those are listed in a separate directory for Poughkeepsie), and last but not least a section within this section on athletic support systems a student can look to for scholarships.

The success of the women’s basketball team has put Marist College up there and it is continuing to gain popularity because their team had successfully made two straight NCAA tournament appearances, advancing these ladies well beyond the first round and the men who thought only they could play well. For the one year I attended, I only went to basketball games but never got interested in becoming a professional player of the sport.

COMMUNITY:

This icon delivers the mission of the college in its entirety about how integrating education and local business’s offers many incentives for internships after the procurement of a degree is gained. Even there for one year I found this particular area very rewarding. I was able to work with a runaway autistic girl who had wandered into our ‘on-site daycare center’ which I volunteered for one afternoon and after weeks of thinking I was not getting through, she said my name and smiled. Unfortunately, she ran away again without any of the staff ever knowing what happened to her.

TUITION: * When I attended it was a 1/3 of cost now per semester, honestly.

Full Time Tuition Fall/Spring $13,052 Per Semester
(12 - 16 credits)

Part-time Tuition
(less than 12 credits)

$610 Per Credit hour

*For a complete list of costs per semester: see url below review

(These are 2009-10 fees. Subject to change in 2010-2011.)

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:

I found an exciting course plan for the particular degree major I chose (which was Liberal Arts/Psychology). Although I attended only Freshman year, and that is a story within itself, I was certainly truly made a sharper thinking individual and more enlightened than when I emerged just one year before, from just high school. Every course offers a sample syllabus that spans a semester and allows a student today to see what they will be instructed in. A brief introduction of the courses is found on the homepage of their website in an icon marked ‘Academics‘ which highlights a drop-down menu (as all of the icons across top of page do) showing stuff like programs, calendars, course catalogs, e-learning, library and even career services. This drop-down menu feature from each main category is extremely helpful.

I am thrilled that my well-almost alma mater is currently doing all they can for the survivors of the earthquake in Haiti with the “Hope for Haiti” fundraising event going on to assist that disaster. I truly found the ratio of students to teacher being small but highly effective, you are not just a number or a last name. Here you have a face, an identity, a voice and professors (especially the ones when I attended) are the greatest influences of higher learning. Okay, 150 acres does seem rather small compared to the vastness of lets say Pepperdine but a medium sized school in a convenient location is a pretty good place to call home. I grew up in Ulster County, having been born in Queens, so I am quite familiar with Dutchess County in which Poughkeepsie is found in. I found the location right along the banks of the Hudson River to be quite calming after a day of education at its best and hardest.

Since I attended, it seems funding and additional money has been secured to make upgrades to the existing amenities. A $25 million "high-tech complex" (NY Times) library project was completed and many additions to the athletic departments and chapel and new dorms have been made. It is still one of the coolest higher-education facilities overlooking the scenic Hudson River in the heart of the historic Hudson Valley, midway between New York City and the state capital of Albany.

My one year at Marist College is a good memory for me and made for a good sturdy foundation in the general consideration of academic choices. The most memorable person I shared most of that one year with is 'chipmunk' and to this day her and I are still in touch and remember fondly 'living together in Sheahan Hall'. Those were good times . . .

I invested several thousands of dollars to attend that one year but what I walked away with was not a bill or refund from an un-attended next semester, but a feeling of self worth.

Now if by chance you do not have a personal computer to search for the right college, there are guides and directories in your local library that list colleges and universities with addresses for those institutions. There you can send an inquiry or call and talk to someone about sending an admissions packet. I guarantee admissions will contact within a week, or however long it takes for snail mail to arrive because they want your attendance.

Marist College, 3399 North Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601; 845.575.3000

Thank you for reading and

Enjoy your academic experience should you choose this facility !




http://www.marist.edu/financialaid/tuition.html

Recommended: Yes