Vassar College - Local Atmosphere

College Prowler Take

Even though Poughkeepsie houses a number of schools, there can be no mistaking it as a “college town.” Vassar’s campus is in a residential area of about three miles from the city center and a 10-minute drive from the Hudson River. The streets immediately surrounding Vassar tend to cater to and rely upon students for business. Vassar is somewhat disconnected from the main hub of the city; most students don’t venture far beyond those streets except to go to the supermarket, the mall, or the movies. Much of Vassar’s social life is focused on the school’s campus. Surprisingly, there isn’t even a lot of interaction between the Vassar students and the students at other local colleges, though some student groups occasionally work with organizations on other campuses.

As a student, it is easy to utilize Poughkeepsie and the surrounding area, but it is also easy not to. Tree-hugging environmentalists and rugged outdoors people have plenty to explore in the Hudson River Valley. There are a variety of settings, from a rural countryside to a small metropolis. Though Poughkeepsie may not be New York City, it is still a city. Everything you need can be found on campus and in the surrounding areas. Poughkeepsie might not be the greatest place for a college, but it definitely suffices.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

There is a lot to see in the... There is a lot to see in the Hudson Valley, but unfortunately, Vassar students as a whole never leave campus. We live in a bubble that only gets popped when we go to the Eveready for shakes or the mall for a movie. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Stay away from Poughkeepsie. The... Stay away from Poughkeepsie. The only time you really need to go into town is when you’re going to an off-campus party on College Avenue or LaGrange. Otherwise, unless you need to walk to the local bookstore, there is nothing to see or do. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Vassar is a school designed to be... Vassar is a school designed to be its own community, and one of the consequences of that is students don’t interact with the town much and vice versa. Even though Poughkeepsie isn’t a place where most people hang out a lot, you can definitely find good restaurants to go to, and every now and then, there are fun things to do. And if you can find time to get off campus, there are some great outdoor escapes for lake swimming and hiking about 40 minutes or more away. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

In the past few years, Vassar has... In the past few years, Vassar has tried hard to reach out to the local community. We sponsor a city fair every October that brings people from all over the area. There are groups on campus who work with the homeless shelters in the area and help build houses with Habitat for Humanity. The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life on campus has created a garden space on Raymond Avenue to serve as a space for activities to bring together Vassar and the Po-town community. We do have some contact with Marist College, also in Poughkeepsie, but I’d say we tend to socialize more with Bard, the Culinary Institute of America, and SUNY New Paltz, located in neighboring towns. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Sadly, I do not know much about... Sadly, I do not know much about the town of Poughkeepsie, but Vassar is starting to branch out and move into the community with lots of field work assignments and involvement through campus organizations. There are other colleges and universities in the area, and there are more than enough places to visit if you really want to do something. The Hudson River Valley is beautiful, with many historical landmarks, mountain-climbing, hiking, and camping. This area is some of the best in all of America. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Facts

Did You Know?

5 Fun Facts about Poughkeepsie:
• The former mayor of nearby village New Paltz,, 26-year-old Jason West, was the second mayor in the country to perform marriages of same-sex couples. While his actions resulted in a media and legal uproar, they were a major victory for the gay rights movement.

• The name “Poughkeepsie” is from the Indian word Apo-keep-sinck, meaning safe harbor. There is an Indian legend of when a beautiful young Pequod Indian woman was captured by Delaware warriors, her fiancé, the young Pequod chief, devised a plan for her escape. As the two lovers fled at nightfall, the Pequod chief paddled his beloved to the mouth of the Minnakee, where he concealed her. This sheltered nook was a “safe harbor” for her, while her fiancé single-handedly fought the Delawares and finally drove them off.

• The Vassar Class of 1951 Observatory houses a 32-inch telescope, one of the two largest in New York State, for advanced courses and faculty-student research. On clear Wednesday nights during the school year, the observatory hosts “open nights” for the local community.

• The Courthouse on Market Street in the center of downtown Poughkeepsie is where New York ratified the U.S. Constitution in 1788. It was ratified with the provision that certain amendments (which were later incorporated into the Bill of Rights) were needed to insure personal liberty.

• The Bardavon Theatre located in Poughkeepsie opened its doors in 1869; it is now the oldest continuously operating theater in New York State.

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