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In-person and virtual visits, meet vassar students and get to know our vibrant community, either in person or online..

Select your preferred date on the calendar to see the in-person and virtual options available on that day and to begin your registration.

Information Session and Campus Tour Weekdays at 9:30am and 2:30pm Each in-person visit includes a 30-minute information session with a Vassar admission officer and a 70-minute student-led walking tour of campus.

Virtual Student Q&A Fall semester schedule coming soon Hear from current students on Zoom and ask your questions about academics, involvement, and what it’s like to be a Vassar College student during this 30-minute webinar.

Virtual Information Session Fall semester schedule coming soon During this live Zoom webinar, you will learn about academics, student life, the application process, and more. The webinar will include a 20-minute presentation and time for questions.

International Virtual Information Session and Student Q&A Select Tuesdays in June, July, and August We know the application process can be daunting, especially when college is across the globe, so we hope you will join us for an upcoming webinar to learn more about Vassar College. This virtual program will include an information session from an admission officer and a Q&A with current Vassar students. While this webinar is designed for international students, all are welcome to join.

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• Advance registration is required for all in-person visit sessions.
• Masks are not required, though we encourage visitors to wear a mask when indoors during the campus visit.
• Pets are not permitted in the Information Session and Campus Tour; service animals are welcome.
• For the safety and privacy of our staff, students, and guests, we do not permit any recordings during the information session or tour.

Vassar College

4 year • Poughkeepsie, NY

Vassar College is a private institution that was founded in 1861. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,459 (fall 2022), and the campus size is 1,000 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Vassar College's ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, #16. Its tuition and fees are $67,805.

Vassar is located Poughkeepsie, N.Y., in the scenic Hudson Valley, 75 miles north of New York City. At Vassar, students can get involved with more than 100 student organizations on campus, including the Vassar Night Owls, one of the nation’s oldest continuing all-female a cappella groups. Vassar does not have fraternities or sororities. The Vassar Brewers compete in NCAA Division III varsity sports in the Liberty League. The Vassar Quidditch team, known as the Butterbeer Brewers, competes against other colleges in the sport from the "Harry Potter" novels. Vassar is a residential college, and freshmen are required to live on campus. The school guarantees housing for all four years, and 98 percent of students live in the nine residence halls and apartments.

Vassar College is one of the first of the Seven Sisters, a group of historically women’s colleges in the northeast including Mount Holyoke , Wellesley , Smith , Radcliffe (now part of Harvard ), Bryn Mawr and Barnard . In 1969, Vassar became the first of the Seven Sisters colleges to open its doors to men. The Maria Mitchell Observatory and the Main Building, which once housed the entire college, are registered as National Historic Landmarks. The Miscellany News, the college newspaper, was founded in 1866 and is one of the oldest college newspapers in the country. Notable alumni include computer pioneer Grace Hopper, poet Elizabeth Bishop, actress Meryl Streep, actress Lisa Kudrow and writer-director Noah Baumbach.

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The Miscellany News

Vassar College's student newspaper of record since 1866

The scoop on Vassar’s Trustees

By Laurel Hennen Vigil, Dylan Smith, and Clark Xu

Posted on October 18, 2017 in News

[Nov. 6 Editor’s note: Following the publication of this article, a few of the Trustees chose to submit their own bios to The Miscellany News with further details that they would like readers to know. Since there were not enough for a full article, these bios have been added below The Miscellany News’ versions, distinguished by the heading, “Trustee name, in his/her own words.”]

Vassar’s Board of Trustees holds more power than anyone at this college, but to many students, it can feel like there’s an air of mystery around who this group really is. The Trustees only visit campus for three weekends each year, and most students never catch sight of them.

The only student invited to these meetings—the next of which takes place this weekend—is the student observer, VSA President Anish Kanoria ’18. “My primary responsibility is to make sure that student voices are heard and listened to,” said Kanoria.

So just who are the Trustees? The Miscellany News set out to demystify the people who have the power to impact so much about our College and our lives here, from financial aid policy to the appointment of administrators to decisions about building renovations.

[Editor’s note: The Miscellany News is indebted to the Vassar Transparency Coalition for the inspiration for this article. In this piece, we seek to update and keep relevant the excellent information it compiled on the Board in 2015.]

William A. Plapinger ’74, P’10, Chair

William Plapinger has served as Chair of the Board of Trustees since 2006. 1 He graduated cum laude from Vassar with a history degree in 1974 before obtaining a law degree from New York University four years later. 2 Plapinger has been employed as an attorney for Sullivan & Cromwell, LLP for several decades, during which time he’s worked on a number of merger and acquisition cases for prominent mining, gas and oil companies such as BHP, BP and E.ON UK. 3 Formerly residing in London, Plapinger now lives in Manhattan’s Upper East Side neighborhood. 4 Since 2000, Plapinger has donated nearly $90,000 to Democratic candidates and political action committees (PACs). 5

William A. Plapinger ’74, P’10, Chair, In His Own Words

William Plapinger was elected a Trustee in 1996, and has served as Chair of the Board of Trustees since 2006. He graduated cum laude from Vassar with departmental honors in history in 1974 and obtained a J.D. from New York University in 1978. Plapinger was a Fellow in 2013 and 2014 at Harvard University in the Advanced Leadership Initiative, a unique joint program of five graduate schools that prepares its members to address challenging social problems. Plapinger practiced corporate law for some 36 years (27 as a partner) at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, and was the managing partner of the firm’s London office (where he was based from 1987 through 2012) and oversaw its European operations. His clients included non-U.S. and U.S. corporations, financial institutions and investment banks, and governments and governmental entities on transactions in more than 30 countries.  He became Of Counsel to the firm in 2014, and since 2012 has devoted almost all of his time to activities in the not-for-profit sector.  He served two three-year terms as a Commissioner on the US-UK Fulbright Commission, is a member of the National Board of The Posse Foundation, a Director of the American School in London Foundation, a member of the Board of Directors of the Conference of Board Chairs of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges, and a Director of Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation, the largest private land trust on Martha’s Vineyard, MA. He is currently working with partners to establish an innovative student loan organization to support African students at the world’s leading universities.  Plapinger splits his time between New York City and Martha’s Vineyard, MA. His daughter Lizzy was a member of the Vassar Class of 2010.

Elizabeth H. Bradley, ex officio; President of Vassar College

Elizabeth Bradley started as President of Vassar College on July 1. Bradley is one of only two members of the Board who is not a graduate of Vassar. She studied economics and art history at Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude in 1984. Bradley also holds an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in health policy and health economics from Yale University. 6 After earning her doctorate, Bradley stayed on at Yale until this past spring, serving as Director of the Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy, Faculty Director of the Yale Global Health Leadership Institute and Head of Branford College. 7 Bradley and her husband John live on the Vassar campus in the President’s House.

Karen Herskovitz Ackman ’88

Karen Herskovitz Ackman studied art at Vassar and earned a Master of Liberal Arts degree from Harvard in landscape architecture in 1993. 8 In addition to Vassar’s Board of Trustees, Herskovitz Ackman also serves on the boards of Friends of the High Line and Human Rights Watch and formerly The Dalton School. 9 Late last year, Herskovitz Ackman separated from her billionaire hedge fund manager husband, Bill Ackman, and reportedly stands to get half of his $1.4 billion fortune in the event of a divorce. The two own four homes in the New York area, worth $90 million, $35 million, $23.5 million and $22 million, respectively. 10 Over the years, Herskovitz has donated tens of thousands of dollars to various campaigns and PACs, primarily—though not exclusively—Democratic. 11

Karen Herskovitz Ackman ’88, In Her Own Words

Karen Herskovitz Ackman is a landscape architect and artist who has focused her career on public work as a designer for the Central Park Conservancy, Robert A.M. Stern Architects, and Judith Heintz Landscape Architecture.  Karen received her M.L.A. from Harvard University Graduate School of Design and a B.A. from Vassar College.  She is a co-founder and director of the Pershing Square Foundation and serves on the boards of Friends of the High Line, Human Rights Watch and Vassar College.

Eric H. Beringause ’80

Eric Beringause, a sociology and anthropology double-major at Vassar, also holds an M.B.A. with a concentration in commercial banking from Cornell University. 12 Beringause is currently CEO of Gehl Foods, a dairy company with annual sales of $250 million. 13 14 15 Prior to working at Gehl Foods, Beringause was CEO or President of Private Equity Advisor; Advanced Refreshment LLC; Sturm Foods, Inc.; and Alcoa Consumer Products. 16 He lives in Milwaukee, WI, where Gehl Foods is based.

Eric H. Beringause ’80, In His Own Words

Eric Beringause graduated from Vassar College in 1980 with a double major in Anthropology and Sociology and received Departmental and General Honors.   He also holds an MBA from Cornell University’s Johnson School of Management with a concentration in Finance and Marketing.  He has over thirty five years of experience in the Food, Beverage and Packaging industries, including at such well-known companies as Nestle, Nabisco and Alcoa.  Most recently Eric has been the CEO of Gehl Foods, LLC a leading manufacturer of dairy based sauces and beverages, headquartered in Wisconsin.   He serves on the Board of CP Kelco, LLC.  For the past ten years Eric has supported Vassar’s Exploring Transfer program, with a focus on Native American participants.  He has also funded a scholarship at Cornell University, targeting Vassar College graduates seeking graduate management degrees.  Eric also is major supporter of the Student Conservation Association, having set up the first program for Native American participants.  Eric has a daughter, Mary, currently attending Hamilton College, as well as two younger boys, Nine and Dane.

Jamshed J. Bharucha ’78

Jamshed Bharucha, who was an international student at Vassar from Mumbai, India, graduated with a degree in biopsychology and went on to receive an M.A. in Philosophy from Yale and a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Harvard. 17 From 2011 to 2015, Bharucha served as President of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City. During his tenure, Cooper Union began charging tuition for the first time since its establishment in 1859, despite fervent student protests. 18 Bharucha is currently a Distinguished Fellow at Dartmouth College. 19

Jason Blum ’91

Jason Blum, one of the youngest members of the Board of Trustees, graduated from Vassar in 1991 with degrees in economics and film. In 2000, he founded Blumhouse Productions and has since become known for producing low-budget horror film franchises such as “Insidious,” “The Purge” and “Paranormal Activity.” [20] Some of his more recent projects include “Whiplash,” “Get Out” and an upcoming HBO adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s novel “Sharp Objects.” 21 Estimates of Blum’s net worth range from $10 to 50 million. 22 23

Beth Burnam ’77, P’10

Beth Burnam studied Science, Technology and Society at Vassar before earning an M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. According to campaign donation records—since 2004, Burnam has donated about $235,000 to Democratic causes such as EMILY’s List and ActBlue—Burnam works as a self-employed investor. 24 Burnam’s mother, Marcia Garbus Burnam ’49, and her son, Michael Burnam-Fink ’10, also attended Vassar. 25 Along with her mother, she established the Burnam Summer Fellowships for Juniors, which provides grants for summer projects involving work with nonprofits or community-based agencies. 26 Burnam resides in Topanga, CA. 27

Mark Burstein ’84

Mark Burstein graduated from Vassar with degrees in history and independent studies and also holds an M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. Since 2013, he has served as President of Lawrence University in Appleton, WI and has previously worked at Princeton University and Columbia University. 28 On Vassar’s Board of Trustees, Burstein chairs the Personnel and Compensation Committee, and he also serves on the Board of ThedaCare, a Wisconsin health care provider. 29

Camilla Campbell P’17, P’19, P’22

The only Trustee aside from Bradley who didn’t attend Vassar, Camilla Campbell holds a B.A. from Boston University’s College of Communications. 30 Campbell is married to actor Oliver Platt 31 , and their three children all either have or will attend Vassar. She is currently the Director of Admissions for the High School Division of Grace Church School, a Manhattan private school. 32 Campbell resides in New York City.

Sharon Davidson Chang ’84, P’19

Sharon Davidson Chang studied English at Vassar and currently works as Vice President of Non-Scripted Television at William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC (WME), a talent agency. Since graduating from Vassar, Davidson Chang has also held numerous positions at CBS Sports and IMG Worldwide, Inc., which is owned by WME. 33 Davidson Chang also serves as Alumnae and Alumni of Vassar College Alumnae/i Recognition Committee Chair. 34

Leslie Jackson Chihuly ’83

Leslie Jackson Chihuly holds a B.A. from Vassar in English and an M.A. from the University of Washington in Russian Studies. 35 She is married to glass sculptor Dale Chihuly and is CEO and President of Chihuly Studios. Jackson Chihuly is also the chair of the Seattle Symphony Board of Trustees and serves on the Board of the Pilchuck Glass School. 36 Since 2000, Jackson Chihuly has donated almost $70,000 to Democratic PACs and candidates. 37

Barbara Danz ’66

Barbara Danz graduated from Vassar in 1966 with a degree in mathematics and in 1992 earned a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Southern California. She worked as an associate attorney for Paul Hastings, LLC but is now retired and resides in Incline Village, NV. 38

Linda Fairstein ’69

Linda Fairstein is a New York-based author and attorney. Former head prosecutor for the sex crimes unit of the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, (the unit which purportedly inspired the popular “Law and Order: SVU”), Fairstein is the author of over 15 crime novels. 39 Fairstein graduated from Vassar in 1969 and subsequently attended the University of Virginia’s School of Law, graduating with her J.D. in 1972. While working for the Manhattan DA, Fairstein oversaw the infamous 1990 “Central Park Jogger” case, which resulted in the false conviction and imprisonment of five young men, dubbed the “Central Park Five.” 40 Fairstein has been accused of rushing the prosecution. During the investigation, Fairstein reportedly barred one of the defendants from seeing or speaking with friends and family members. 41 The defendant’s convictions were vacated in 2002. Fairstein left the District Attorney’s office the same year.

Richard Feitler ’85

Richard Feitler is the President and Chief Operating Officer of TPN, a marketing and advertising firm. 42 TPN has done marketing for companies such as 7 Eleven, Tropicana, Hershey and Bank of America. 43 Feitler attended Vassar College, where he studied political science, and received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 1990. 44 Feilter has made small financial contributions to Democratic candidates over the years and also contributed to the LAZIO Political Action Committee in 2000, 45 which is affiliated with the Republican party. 46 LAZIO was a political action committee that was the principal campaign committee for Rick Lazio’s 2000 Senatorial Campaign in New York against Democrat Hillary Clinton. Lazio is a member of Vassar’s Class of 1980.

Robyn Field ’86

Robyn Field is a member of the Vassar Class of 1986. While at Vassar, Field studied history and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Field received her M.A. in architectural history and criticism in 1999 from the University of California, Los Angeles. 47 Currently, Field serves as the Director of Field Family Real Estate in Beverly Hills. She served as the Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Buckley School, a secondary school in Sherman Oaks, CA, from 2010 to 2015. 48 Field has made several small financial contributions to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Presidential Campaign. 49

Anthony J. Friscia ’78, P’15

Anthony Friscia is the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Advanced Market Research, Inc. (AMR), and the Independent Director of Forrester Research, Inc. Friscia founded AMR in 1986. Friscia has previously served as the Director of Product Management at Concord Data Systems, Inc.; the President and Chief Executive Officer of Eduventures; the Director of the Integrated Manufacturing Research Service at Yankee Group, Inc.; and a Systems Developer at IBM. 50 While at Vassar, Friscia studied English. 51 Friscia has contributed to political campaigns in the past, including Barack Obama’s 2008 and 2012 campaigns, and the LAZIO 2000 PAC. 52

Jeffrey A. Goldstein ’77, P’12

Jeffrey Goldstein is currently the Managing Director at Hellman & Friedman, a private equity firm with offices in New York, San Francisco and London. 53 He also serves on the Board of Directors of Bank of New York Mellon Corporation and Westfield Corporation. Goldstein temporarily left Hellman & Friedman from 2009 to 2011 to serve as Undersecretary of Domestic Finance for the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Goldstein has also served as the Chief Financial Officer at World Bank. 54 He received his B.A. in economics from Vassar and his M.A., M.Phil. and Ph.D. from Yale University. 55

Lorna Bade Goodman ’63, P’88

Lorna Bade Goodman is a New York-based attorney. She studied English at Vassar College and graduated with her J.D. from Hofstra University. 56 Bade Goodman has had a solo mediation practice since 2010 and is a member of the New York Supreme Court’s Corporate Mediation Panel and the Southern District of New York’s Federal Mediation Panel. In 2010, Bade Goodman served as the Executive Director of the New York City Charter Revision Commission. Prior to her work with the Commission, Bade Goodman was the Nassau County Attorney from 2002 to 2010. 57 Bade Goodman has financially contributed to Democratic candidates during many of the last several major election cycles. 58

Heather Sturt Haaga ’72

Heather Sturt Haaga is a California-based oil painter and philanthropist. While at Vassar, Sturt Hagga studied political science, and she has been on Vassar’s Board of Trustees since 2011. 59 She is also the current chair of the Board of Directors of The Salzburg Global Seminar, a member of the Princeton Art Museum Advisory Council and a trustee of the African Wildlife Foundation, the Princeton Theological Seminary and the Descanso Gardens. 60 Sturt Haaga was also closely involved in the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. 61 Sturt Haaga has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Republican candidates and the Republican National Committee during many election cycles. 62

Stephen Hankins ’85, P’13, P’17

Stephen Hankins is a trial attorney practicing law in the Bay Area, CA. 63 Hankins studied English and art history while at Vassar and earned his J.D. from the University of California, Davis in 1991. Hankins has been admitted to eleven bar associations, including the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. 64 He is a founding partner of the Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila, LLP (RSHC) national law firm, which mainly represents corporations in matters such as regulatory, employment and intellectual property disputes. 65 Hankins is an adjunct professor at the University of California, Hastings Law School. 66

Maryellen Cattani Herringer ’65

Maryellen Cattani Herringer graduated from Vassar with a degree in economics in 1965. She subsequently studied law at the University of California, Berkeley, where she received her J.D. 67 Herringer is a member of the California State Bar Association. 68 She served as the Non-Executive Chairman of ABM Industries, Inc. from 2006 until March 2017. 69 She is also the retired former Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of APL Limited 70 and the Interim Independent Lead Director of Pacific Gas and Electric Company. 71 Cattani Herrington serves on the Board of Trustees of Vassar College, Mills College and the University of California at Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. 72

Huang Hung ’84

Huang Hung is an Beijing-based fashion mogul, television host, publisher and media figure. Huang was listed in Time Magazine’s annual “TIME 100” list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2011. 73 Hung is the publisher and editor of iLook, a Chinese fashion magazine. 74 Hung has served as the Chief Executive Officer of the China Interactive Media Group. She opened a Chinese designer boutique in Beijing in 2010. Before entering publishing, Hung was a socialist activist in China. 75

Philip N. Jefferson ’83

Philip Jefferson is an economist and professor of economics at Swarthmore College. He has previously taught at Columbia University and the University of Virginia. Jefferson studied economics at Vassar, earning a B.A. in 1983. He subsequently earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Virginia. His research focuses on macroeconomics, poverty and applied econometrics. 76 Jefferson served as the President of the National Economic Association in 2005. 77 He is also a former research economist at the Federal Reserve Board, the main governing body of the United States’s Federal Reserve system. 78

Henry P. Johnson ’88

Henry Johnson is the President of Wealth Manangement at the Northern Trust Corporation’s East Division. Prior to his his time at Northern Trust, Johnson served as the president and CEO of Fiduciary Trust International from 1994 to 2016. After receiving his B.A. from Vassar in 1988, Johnson went on to receive his MBA from the Yale School of Management. 79 In addition to serving on Vassar’s Board of Trustees, where he oversees the College’s endowment, Johnson serves on the boards of the New York Botanical Garden, American Ballet Theatre, The Garden Conservancy, the Josiah H. Macy Jr. Foundation and Greenwood Gardens. 80

Lisa Kudrow ’85

Lisa Kudrow graduated from Vassar College with a biology degree in 1985 and began a career as an actress, scriptwriter and film producer. 81 82 Her performance on the American television sitcom “Friends” won the Primetime Emmy Award in 1998 and the Screen Actors Guild Award in 1996 and 2000. 83 Kudrow ranks among the highest paid television stars, as she was paid $1 million per “Friends” episode during several seasons of the show. 84

Geraldine Bond Laybourne ’69, P’93

Geraldine Bond Laybourne completed an art concentration at Vassar College before receiving her M.S. in Elementary Education at the University of Pennsylvania in 1971. 85 She currently serves on the Board of Symantec and acts as board chairperson for Alloy Inc. and Katapult. Symantec regularly contracts for data security projects with Euro-Atlantic gas and oil firms. 86 In the past, Bond Laybourne led Nickelodeon under Viacom Media Networks from 1980 to 1996, the Disney-ABC Cable Networks from 1996 to 1998 and Oxygen Media from 1998 to 2007. During her time at Nickelodeon, the company developed an $8 billion business with 40 percent annual profit margins on selling advertisements targeted to children. 87

Susan Zadek Mandel ’78

Susan Zadek Mandel studied mathematics at Vassar College, graduated in 1978 and went on to earn an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School in 1982. 88 She is also a trustee of the Environmental Defense Fund, which seeks to use economic incentives to drive down global carbon emissions and represents environmental concerns to state and federal governments. 89 90 Zadek Mandel co-produced the Showtime and National Geographic Channel television miniseries “The Years of Living Dangerously,” 91 which provided extensive reports on biodiversity loss, deforestation and desertification, droughts, flooding and rising sea levels in various parts of the world impacted by climate change. The first episode had 290,000 live viewers and received glowing reviews by Time Magazine, The Guardian and the Yale Forum on Climate Change. 92

Susan Zadek Mandel ’78, In Her Own Words

Susan Zadek Mandel joined the Vassar board in 2011.  Following her graduation from Vassar, with a major in mathematics, Sue earned an MBA from Harvard University in 1982.  She is a trustee of Environmental Defense Fund and a co-founder of Moms Clean Air Force, a national movement of over 1,000,000 moms (and dads) who are protecting children’s right to clean air.

Tanya M. Odom ’92

Tanya Odom holds a M.Ed. from Harvard University and graduated from Vassar College with a dual concentration in anthropology and sociology. 93 Odom is Director of Innovation and Executive Coach at The Futurework Institute. 94 The organization consults with companies in finance and retail on sustainable growth and workplace diversity. Some of her work has been in the European Union with the European Peer Training Organization, and she was a delegate to the World Conference against Racism in South Africa. Odom coauthored a book on education in relation to human rights and democracy. Diversity Best Practices and the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia have cited Odom as a leading advocate for diversity in the workplace. 95

Carol S. Ostrow ’77, P ’09, P ’15

Carol Ostrow studied drama at Vassar College and continued to earn a theatre arts M.F.A. at Yale University in 1980. 96 Ostrow’s productions include “Berlin to Broadway,” “After-Play,” “Beau Jest” and “Elektra.” 97 Since 2001, Ostrow has been a producing director at The Flea Theater in Tribeca, with season performances focused on new and experimental drama in off-Broadway stage settings. 98 99 Over the years, Ostrow has also returned as an adjunct professor at Vassar College, as well as Chatman College and McGill University. 100 In 1985, Ostrow helped found the Powerhouse Summer Theater Program with Leslie Urdang, Mark Linn-Baker, Max Mayer and Evert Sprinchom, 101 which today continues to welcome theatre students to campus with a six-week program fee of $5,000. 102

Tamar Smith Pichette ’86

Tamar Smith Pichette continued from Vassar to study law at Oxford University and Osgoode Hall in Toronto. 103 She also acts as the Board chairperson to JobTrain, an educational organization that trains and places unemployed individuals in Silicon Valley. In 2017, the program worked with 7,393 people at a job placement rate of 81 percent. 104 105 Smith Pichette regularly donates to Engineers Without Borders Canada, 106 a non-profit organization that seeks to foster social enterprise and sustainable growth. 107 108 Before moving to California with her husband, Senior Vice President of Google Patrick Pichette, Tamar Smith Pichette practiced commercial litigation and contracts in Toronto. 109

Kathy Zillweger Putnam ’75

Kathy Zillweger Putnam graduated from Vassar College with an art concentration in 1975. She went on to found the manufacturing firm Kathy Zillweger Associates and has now entered retirement. 110 Her father-in-law George Putnam Sr. founded the financial company Putnam Investments in 1937. 111 Zillweger Putnam donates to the Winchester Thurston School in Pennsylvania, where she graduated from high school in 1971. 112

Kathy Zillweger Putnam ’75, In Her Own Words

Kathy Zillweger Putnam graduated from Vassar College with an art history concentration in 1975. She became an entrepreneur, founding Kathy Zillweger Associates, a firm that represented companies in the sale of gourmet housewares, both imported and domestically made. She ran the company for fourteen years and is now retired. Ms. Putnam was a member of Vassar President’s advisory council from 2007 – 2016, and was co-chair for the last three years of her tenure.  She was also a member of the Capital Campaign committee. Ms. Putnam has supported financial aid through scholarship support, innovation for faculty, academic buildings and the Vassar Fund. Ms. Putnam is a member of the Leadership Council of the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts and a member of the council of Emmanuel Church in Manchester, MA.

Eve E. Slater ’67

Eve Slater became an M.D. in allopathic medicine from Columbia University after receiving a B.A. in chemistry from Vassar College. 113 Slater graduated from Vassar magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa. Slater is a Professor of Clinical Medicine at Columbia University and holds a certification in internal medicine and cardiology. 114 In 2001, President George Bush appointed Slater as the Assistant Secretary of Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the first woman to hold this position. 115 116

Karen Strain Smythe ’82

Karen Strain Smythe graduated in 1982 from Vassar College with a B.A. in drama and later acquired an M.B.A. in 1987 from the University of Virginia. 117 Strain Smythe is also President of the Board to the Bardavon Opera House 118 and Executive Director at the Beatrix Farrand Garden Association. 119 120 Beatrix Farrand was a landscape designer who worked on blueprints for Hyde Park, Morgan Library, the National Cathedral, the White House and Dumbarton Oaks. In the past, Strain Smythe served as Vice President and later President of mechanical contractor group C.B. Strain & Son and has worked for the real estate agency De Lisle Company, as well as food manufacturers such as Frito-Lay and the Dannon Company. 121

Milbrey “Missie” Rennie Taylor ’68

Missie Rennie Taylor graduated from Vassar College in 1968 with a B.A. in political science. 122 She has been a media consultant for the CBS News Group since 2000 and was a CBS Executive Producer from 1990 to 2000. 123 In 2011, Rennie Taylor received the AAVC 2011 Outstanding Service to Vassar award. Her contributions have been through office and fundraising work in the Vassar Club of New York, Vassar 150, President’s Advisory Council and the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center. 124 Her work at CBS was recognized by eight Emmy Awards and the George Foster Peabody Award. She is currently AAVC President. 125

Debra Fagel Treyz ’74

Debra Fagel Treyz earned her J.D. in 1977 from the Albany Law School after studying political science at Vassar College. 126 127 128 Fagel Treyz retired in 2013 from J.P. Morgan Private Bank, where she had served as a vice chairman and CEO of the European, Mid-East and Africa division. 129

Christianna A. Wood ’81

Christianna Wood graduated with an economics degree from Vassar College in 1981 and later acquired an M.B.A. from New York University. 130 131 Wood has served as chairman of the board of the Global Reporting Initiative, as CEO of Capital Z Asset Management and as senior investment officer to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. 132 133 Her work was recognized for business ethics by the Ethisphere Institute and for corporate governance by the National Association of Corporate Directors. 134 135 Her areas of expertise include risk management, portfolio construction and seeding investment. 136

1 Sullivan and Cromwell, LLP “William A. Plapinger”

2 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “William A. Plapinger ’74”

3 Sullivan and Cromwell, LLP “William A. Plapinger”

4 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “William A. Plapinger ’74”

5 Campaign Money, “Political Campaign Contributors by Last Name: William Plapinger”

6 Vassar Stories, “Elizabeth Howe Bradley,” 01.017.2017

7 Vassar Stories, “Elizabeth Howe Bradley,” 01.017.2017

8 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Karen Herskovitz Ackman ‘88”

9 Human Rights Watch, “Karen Herskovitz Ackman”

10 Vanity Fair, “Billionaire Bill Ackman Reportedly Ends 2016 with a 9-Figure Divorce,” 12.23.2016

11 Campaign Money, “Political Campaign Contributors by Last Name: Karen Ackman”

12 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Eric H. Beringause ‘80”

13 LinkedIn, “Eric Beringause”

14 Gehl Foods, “Gehl Foods Acquired by Wind Point Partners and Announces New CEO,” 03.27.2015

15 Leveraged Loan, “Gehl Foods nets $161.5M from SSLP for Wind Point buyout,” 05.11.2015

16 LinkedIn, “Eric Beringause”

17 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Jamshed J. Bharucha ‘78”

18 The New York Times, “College Ends Free Tuition, and an Era,” 04.23.2017

19 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Jamshed J. Bharucha ‘78”

20 The New York Times Magazine, “The Scarily Profitable Hits of Jason Blum,” 05.11.2017

21 Vassar Stories, “Get Out’s Jason Blum ’91,” 03.23.2017

22 Top Celebrity Net Worths, “Jason Blum Net Worth”

23 Celebrity Net Worth, “Jason Blum Net Worth”

24 Campaign Money, “Political Campaign Contributors by Last Name: Beth Burnam”

25 Vassar Quarterly, “The College’s history of multidisciplinary programs now encompasses two generations of Vassar students,” 03.01.2009

26 Vassar College, “Burnam Summer Fellowships for Juniors”

27 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Beth Burnam ’77”

28 Lawrence University, “President Mark Burstein, Biography”

29 Lawrence University, “President Mark Burstein, Biography”

30 Grace Church School News, “Senior Administration Named,” 06.13.2011

31 The New York Times, “Weddings; Camilla Campbell, Oliver Platt,” 09.13.1992

32 Grace Church School News, “Senior Administration Named,” 06.13.2011

33 LinkedIn, “Sharon Chang”

34 Vassar Alumnae/i, “AAVC Trustee and Alumnae/i Recognition Committee Chair”

35 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Leslie Jackson Chihuly ‘83”

36 Seattle Symphony, “Leslie Jackson Chihuly Names President & CEO Position with $2.5M Gift to Seattle Symphony” 03.05.2015

37 Campaign Money, “Political Campaign Contributors by Last Name: Leslie Chihuly”

38 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Barbara Ludlam Danz ‘66”

39 Linda Fairstein, “Novels”

40 The Village Voice, “A Journey Through the Tangled Case of the Central Park Jogger,” 11.19.2002

41 The Village Voice, “Ash-Blond Ambition,” 11.19.2002

42 LinkedIn, “Rich Feilter”

43 TPN Retail, “Clients”

44 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Richard Feilter ’85”

45 Campaign Money, “Political Campaign Contributors by Last Name: Richard Feilter”

46 Federal Election Commission, “LAZIO 2000 INC”

47 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Robyn Field ’86”

48 LinkedIn, “Robyn Field”

49 Campaign Money, “Political Campaign Contributors by Last Name: Robyn Field”

50 Bloomberg, “Company Overview of AMR Research, Inc.”

51 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Anthony J. Friscia ‘78”

52 Campaign Money, “Political Campaign Contributors by Last Name: Anthony Friscia”

53 Hellman & Friedman, “About”

54 Hellman & Friedman, “Jeffrey Goldstein”

55 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Jeffrey Goldstein”

56 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Lorna Bade Goodman ‘63”

57 Mediation, “Lorna B. Goodman”

58 Campaign Money, “Political Campaign Contributors by Last Name: Lorna Goodman”

59 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Heather Sturt Haaga ‘72”

60 LinkedIn, “Heather Sturt Haaga”

61 Association of Fundraising Professionals, “2014 Outstanding Philanthropists – Paul and Heather Haaga,” 2014

62 Campaign Money, “Political Campaign Contributors by Last Name: Heather Haaga”

63 LinkedIn, “Stephen Hankins”

64 Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila, “Stephen M. Hankins”

65 Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila, “About RSHC”

66 LinkedIn, “Stephen Hankins”

67 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Maryellen Cattani Herringer ‘65”

68 Justia Lawyers, “Maryellen Cattani Herringer”

69 PG&E Corporation, “Board of Directors, Maryellen C. Herringer”

70 Direct Women, “Maryellen C. Herringer”

71 Bloomberg, “Company Overview of Mills College”

72 Direct Women, “Maryellen C. Herringer”

73 TIME, “The 2011 TIME 100: Hung Huang”

74 WNYC, “Huang Hung”

75 Business of Fashion, “Hung Huang”

76 Swarthmore College, “Profile: Philip Jefferson”

77 American Economic Association, “CSMGEP Profiles: Philip N. Jefferson, Swarthmore College”

78 Swarthmore College, “Profile: Philip Jefferson”

79 LinkedIn, “Henry P. Johnson”

80 Northern Trust, “Henry Johnson”

81 IMDB, “Lisa Kudrow – Biography”

82 Wikipedia, “Lisa Kudrow”

83 Wikipedia, “List of highest paid American television stars”

84 IMDB, “Lisa Kudrow – Biography”

85 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Geraldine Bond Laybourne ‘69”

86 Oil Price, “The U.S. Oil Patch Has A Serious Cybersecurity Problem,” 09.10.2017

87 Wikipedia, “Geraldine Laybourne”

88 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Susan Zadek Mandel ’78”

89 Environmental Defense Fund, “Our impact”

90 Environmental Defense Fund, “What we do”

91 Years of Living Dangerously, “Sue Mandel – Co-Producer”

92 Wikipedia, “Years of Living Dangerously”

93 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Tanya M. Odom ’92”

94 LinkedIn, “Tanya M. Odom”

95 Future Work Institute, “Tanya M. Odom”

96 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Carol S. Ostrow ’77”

97 Broadway World, “Carol Ostrow Broadway and Theatre Credits”

98 Women Around Town, “Carol Ostrow – Many Lives,” 08.16.2010

99 The Flea Theater, “Carol Ostrow”

100 Wikipedia, “The Flea Theater”

101 Vassar Innovators, “The Power Behind Powerhouse,” 2004

102 Powerhouse Theater, “The Powerhouse Theater Training Program”

103 Wise SV, “Board”

104 JobTrain, “History and Mission”

105 JobTrain

106 Relationship Science, “Tamar Smith Pichette”

107 Wikipedia, “Engineers Without Borders (Canada)”

108 Engineers Without Borders Canada

109 The Washington Post, “This retirement letter from Google’s CFO is like few you’ll ever read,” 03.11.2015

110 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Kathy Zillweger Putnam ’75”

111 Wikipedia, “Putnam Investments”

112 Thistle Talk Magazine, “WT Fund Gifts: 07-08 School Year,” 2008

113 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Eve E. Slater ’67”

114 Columbia University, “Eve Slater, MD”

115 Synergy Partners, “Eve E. Slater, MD”

116 NewYork-Presbyterian, “Eve E. Slater, MD”

117 Vassar Alumnae/i Finder, “Karen Strain Smythe ’82”

118 Vassar Transparency Coalition, “Karen Strain Smythe”

119 Beatrix Farrand Garden Association, “Board and Staff”

120 Vassar Alumnae/i, “AAVC Trustee and Career Networking Committee Chair”

121 LinkedIn, “Karen Strain Smythe”

122 Vassar Quarterly, “Milbrey “Missie” Rennie Taylor ’68—Recipient of the AAVC 2011 Outstanding Service to Vassar Award”

123 Vassar Transparency Coalition, “Milbrey Rennie Taylor”

124 Give2Asia, “Missie Rennie, Director Emeritus”

125 Vassar Alumnae/i, “AAVC President and AAVC Trustee”

126 Vassar Alumnae/i, “Debra Fagel Treyz ’74”

127 Albany Law School, “Debra Treyz ‘77”

128 Who’s Who Legal, “Debra Treyz”

129 JPMorgan Chase and Co, “JPMorgan Private Bank names Debra Treyz head of business in Europe, Middle East, and Africa,” 06.30.2002

130 Global Philanthropy Forum, “Christianna Wood”

131 The Michel-Shaked Group, “Christianna Wood”

132 Vassar Info, “Trustee Christianna Wood to discuss institutional investing, Thursday, May 2, 2013,” 05.01.2013

133 Vassar Transparency Coalition, “Christianna A. Wood”

134 Bloomberg, “Company Overview of H&R Block, Inc.”

135 Global Reporting Initiative, “GRI appoints CSR leader Tim Mohin as new Chief Executive,” 12.14.2016

136 H&R Block, “Christianna Wood”

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How to Get Into Vassar: Admissions Stats + Tips

What’s covered:, average academic profile of accepted vassar students, what is vassar looking for, how to improve your chances of getting into vassar, how to apply to vassar.

• How Hard Is It to Get Into Vassar?

Meryl Streep, Anthony Bourdain, Jane Fonda, Mark Ronson, Grace Hopper, Mary Oliver, and Katharine Graham all graduated from Vassar College. Founded in 1861, the prestigious institution was only the second college of higher learning for women in the US, before becoming coeducational in 1969.

Today, this member of the Seven Sisters is one of the most highly regarded and selective liberal arts colleges in the country, with thousands applying for admission every year.

Read on for information about applying to Vassar and tips for getting in. 

Gaining admission to Vassar is hard. During the 2022–2023 admissions cycle, 11,412 students applied, and just 2,129 were admitted—an admissions rate of 18.6%. Meanwhile, 940 students applied Early Decision, and 363 were accepted—an Early Decision admissions rate of 38.6%. 

The average academic profile of accepted students for the Class of 2027:

• SAT/ACT: The middle 50% SAT score range was 1440-1510 and the middle 50% ACT score range was 32-34*
• Class Rank: 77% of accepted students were in the top 10% of their high school class, and 94% were in the top 25%

* only 32% of Vassar’s freshman class submitted SAT scores and 16% submitted ACT scores. 

“Each year, Vassar aims to enroll the most interesting, talented, and diverse first-year class possible,” says Vassar. “We admit students based on their academic and personal accomplishments, as well as their potential to contribute to the Vassar community, not on their ability to pay.”

Students show their potential to contribute to the Vassar community by taking a challenging curriculum, including advanced courses in core academic subjects: math, literature, foreign language, natural science, and history/social Science. Vassar also looks for leadership and the strength of your extracurricular profile. 

Vassar is an incredibly diverse college, with students from all states and more than 50 countries. It welcomes students of many different backgrounds, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, religions, gender identities, and much more. These qualities should be exemplified in your application. 

How Vassar Evaluates Applications

According to the 2022–23 Common Data Set, these are “ very important ” factors in the admissions process:

• Course rigor
• Recommendation(s)
• Extracurricular activities
• Talent-ability
• Character/personal qualities 

These are “ important ”:

• Class rank 
• Volunteer work
• Work experience 

These are “ considered ”:

• Standardized test scores 
• First generation
• Geographical residence
• Racial/ethnic status
• Religious affiliation/commitment 

And these are “ not considered ”: 

• State residency
• Level of applicant’s interest

1. Achieve a high GPA while taking the most challenging classes available.

According to Vassar, the average unweighted GPA of the class of 2026 is 3.9. Applicants are typically at the top of their class—94% were in the top quarter of their graduating class. GPA is a major factor in calculating your Academic Index score, which is used to filter out candidates who don’t meet Vassar’s academic standards.

If your GPA is lower, and you’re earlier on in your high school career, check out our tips for increasing your GPA . If you’re a junior or senior, it will be harder to increase your GPA, so the easiest way to increase your Academic Index is to get higher test scores.

Keep in mind that Vassar “seriously considers” the quality of your senior year program. Vassar seeks out students who take the most challenging curriculum available to them. It is not enough to get good grades in easy classes. Rigor matters.

2. Aim for a 1510 SAT and 34 ACT.

Vassar practices test-optional admissions, but CollegeVine recommends taking the SAT or ACT. Moreover, you should submit scores if they’re at or above the 25th percentile for the college (1440 SAT and 32 ACT at Vassar), since students who submit scores are generally admitted at higher rates than those who don’t. Students can get recommendations on whether or not they should apply test-optional using our free chancing engine .  

Because Vassar superscores, it’s a good idea to take the SAT or ACT 2-3 times to maximize your overall score.

To improve your SAT/ACT score, check out these free CollegeVine resources:

• How to Get a Perfect 1600 Score on the SAT
• How to Get a Perfect 36 Score on the ACT
• More SAT Info and Tips
• More ACT Info and Tips

3. Cultivate a strong portfolio of extracurriculars.

Selective colleges like Vassar evaluate activities according to the 4 Tiers of Extracurriculars . Tier 1 is considered the most prestigious and unique and Tier 4 is considered the most common—activities admissions committees see routinely. 

You should aim to have a couple of Tier 1-2 activities on your resume, and all your extracurriculars should be grouped around a few major interests, demonstrating real passion and commitment.

If you plan to study art, music, or dance at Vassar, the college recommends submitting materials that showcase your talent. Check out these Guidelines for Optional Art, Music, and Dance Submissions .

4. Write engaging essays.

Your essays are a critical way of distinguishing yourself and setting yourself apart from other academically qualified applicants. Take your time writing your essays , and get feedback from others to ensure that they reflect your best work, personality, and authentic voice.

5. Apply Early Decision.

Vassar’s Early Decision (ED) acceptance rate is 38.6%. Meanwhile, its Regular Decision (RD) acceptance rate is 18.6%. According to Vassar, ED “allows the Admission Committee to take your commitment to Vassar into account in the selection process,” which is reflected in the considerably higher acceptance rate of ED applicants. 

Before you commit, however, you should be aware of the drawbacks and limitations of applying ED. This type of application is binding, meaning that you are required to matriculate at Vassar and withdraw your applications from other schools if admitted.  

6. Secure strong recommendations.

Vassar weighs recommendations heavily in the admissions process. The college requires applicants to submit a teacher evaluation. You should develop strong relationships with teachers to ensure that they can speak knowledgeably about your strengths and qualities.

Application requirements:

• Common Application or Coalition Application
• School report 
• High school transcript 
• Teacher evaluation 
• Mid-year grade report
• Standardized test scores (optional)

How Hard Is It To Get Into Vassar? 

Vassar is highly selective. During the 2022–2023 admissions cycle, the school had an admissions rate of 18.6% for regular decision applicants and 38.6% for ED applicants. This makes it a target school for many students and a reach school for many others.

Although acceptance rates at Vassar are low, keep in mind that your personal chances of admission depend on your profile. CollegeVine’s free admissions calculator can help you to better understand your odds of acceptance. It can estimate your chances of admission to Vassar—along with hundreds of other colleges and universities—and give you tips to improve your profile. 

You can also search for schools based on preferences like location, major, cost, and more. Give it a try to get a jumpstart on your college strategy. 

Learn More About Applying to Vassar

• How to Write the Vassar College Essays 2022-2023
• 2 Vassar College Essay Examples by Accepted Students
• How Much Does it Cost to Attend Vassar College?

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

• By Department

Anna Polonsky

Anna Polonsky is widely in demand as a soloist and chamber musician. She has appeared with the Moscow Virtuosi, the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the Memphis Symphony, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble, and many others. Ms. Polonsky has collaborated with the Guarneri, Orion, Daedalus, and Shanghai Quartets, and with such musicians as Mitsuko Uchida, Yo-Yo Ma, David Shifrin, Richard Goode, Emanuel Ax, Arnold Steinhardt, Peter Wiley, and Jaime Laredo. She is regularly invited to perform chamber music at festivals such as Marlboro, Chamber Music Northwest, Seattle, Music@Menlo, Cartagena (Colombia), and Bard. A frequent guest at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, she was a member of the Chamber Music Society Two during 2002-2004. Ms. Polonsky has given concerts in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Alice Tully Hall, and Carnegie Hall’s Stern, Weill, and Zankel Halls, and has toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Anna Polonsky is widely in demand as a soloist and chamber musician. She has appeared with the Moscow Virtuosi, the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the Memphis Symphony, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble, and many others. Ms. Polonsky has collaborated with the Guarneri, Orion, Daedalus, and Shanghai Quartets, and with such musicians as Mitsuko Uchida, Yo-Yo Ma, David Shifrin, Richard Goode, Emanuel Ax, Arnold Steinhardt, Peter Wiley, and Jaime Laredo. She has performed chamber music at festivals such as Marlboro, Chamber Music Northwest, Seattle, Music@Menlo, Cartagena, Bard, and Caramoor, as well as at Bargemusic in New York City. Ms. Polonsky has given concerts in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Alice Tully Hall, and Carnegie Hall’s Stern, Weill, and Zankel Halls, and has toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. A frequent guest at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, she was a member of the Chamber Music Society Two during 2002-2004. In 2006 she took a part in the European Broadcasting Union's project to record and broadcast all of Mozart's keyboard sonatas, and in the spring of 2007, she performed a solo recital at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium to inaugurate the Emerson Quartet’s Perspectives Series. She is a recipient of a BorlettiBuitoni Trust Fellowship and the Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award.

Anna Polonsky made her solo piano debut at the age of seven at the Special Central Music School in Moscow, Russia. She emigrated to the United States in 1990 and attended high school at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. She received her Bachelor of Music diploma from The Curtis Institute of Music under the tutelage of the renowned pianist Peter Serkin, and continued her studies with Jerome Lowenthal, earning her Master's Degree from the Juilliard School. In addition to performing, she serves on the piano faculty of Vassar College, and in the summer at the Marlboro and Kneisel Hall chamber music festivals.

Together with violinist Jaime Laredo, violist Milena Pájaro-van de Stadt, and cellist Sharon Robinson, Polonsky is a member of the Espressivo! Piano Quartet. With the clarinetist David Shifrin and cellist Peter Wiley, she performs with the Polonsky-ShifrinWiley Trio.

Ms. Polonsky is a Steinway Artist. 

Departments and Programs

MUSI 60 Piano MUSI 160 Piano MUSI 260 Piano MUSI 360 Piano MUSI 380 4th Year Instruction

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Welcome Class of 2024.

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Music: “Seven Bridges Road” by the Vassar Devils, one of Vassar’s acappella groups.

These Are The 10 Most Beautiful College Campuses In New York

• New York State is home to some of the most beautiful college campuses in Amerca, attracting students and visitors alike to explore these picture-perfect institutions.
• Columbia University, Cornell University, and Bard College are among the top colleges with stunning architecture and scenic surroundings, making them ideal places to study and take breaks from academics.
• From historic buildings to botanical gardens and vibrant college towns, these campuses offer a range of attractions and activities, ensuring there's something for everyone to enjoy year-round.

New York State is famous for its beautiful cities, picture-perfect mountain ranges, bustling neighborhoods, and unique landmarks. It is also a state full of opportunities, which attracts many people looking to grow into their own and find themselves. But for those looking to advance in academics, the Empire State is home to some of the best and most beautiful college campuses in the US. What is better, these colleges are conveniently situated near vibrant college towns that offer many things to do.

Many of the best college towns in New York State are included in this list since their respective universities are nothing short of picture-perfect. Travelers can take in the beauty of New York’s landscapes while driving between the colleges on road trips to see what they offer. Whether hunting for a vibrant place to spend a weekend or enjoy a classic dinner, here are the most beautiful campuses to visit in New York State.

Related: 10 Most Beautiful College Campuses & Universities In Canada

Columbia University

The oldest institution of higher education in New York, Columbia University consistently ranks amongst the best universities in the world. But it is also an architectural gem. The university's most notable structure is the Low Memorial Library. This 149,779-square-foot building is modeled after Rome's Pantheon and capped with a well-designed granite rotunda.

Today, Low Memorial Library houses administrative offices. Visitors should also take a trip to the Roy and Diana Vagelos Education Center to photograph the college's tiny skyscraper.

• Address: 116th and Broadway, New York, NY 10027
• Best time to visit: Year-round
• Nearby Attractions: Saint Paul Chapel, Riverside Park, Apollo Theater, African-American Wax Museum of Harlem

Cornell University

Standing on a hillside above Cayuga Lake (where travelers can explore wine trails) and among woodlands, gorges, and waterfalls, Cornell University in Ithaca is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful universities in New York State. It offers students numerous ways to unwind when breaking from academics.

Students and visitors are wowed by the blend of historical and contemporary architecture. Besides the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, anyone visiting Ithaca should not miss the Cornell Botanical Gardens. The surroundings transform into a kaleidoscope of colors in the fall, which makes it a great time to visit the university and even explore the nearby secret tunnel network of the Finger Lakes .

• Address: Ithaca, NY 14850
• Best time to visit: Throughout the year
• Top Attractions: Cornell Botanic Gardens, Ithaca Waterfalls, Cascadilla Gorge Trail

Bard College

The Catskill Mountains are not only one of the most scenic fall foliage destinations in Upstate New York , but the region is also home to one of the most beautiful colleges in New York State.

Bard College stands out with its unique mishmash of architecture. The library is a combo of three architectural styles: Greek Revival, postmodern, and Brutalist. Frank Gehry’s Fisher Center is a testament to the college's thriving art scene. With its beautiful structures and picturesque scenery, Bard College offers a serene environment to study in and take breaks from books.

• Address: 30 Campus Rd, Annandale-On-Hudson, NY 12504
• Best time to visit: Fall
• Nearby Attractions: Blythewood Manor, Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

Vassar College

Like many other Hidden Ivies, Vassar College might be famous for its excellence in academics. But the college is also among the prettiest college campuses in New York State. Located in the scenic Hudson Valley, Vassar College is one of the institutions of higher learning travelers can add to their fall foliage bucket list.

The buildings here showcase different intricate styles, ranging from International to Collegiate Gothic. The Vassar Farm and Ecological Preserve is lined with scenic trails where students and visitors can immerse themselves in autumn colors.

• Address: 124 Raymond Ave, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604
• Top Attractions: Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre, Vassar Farm and Ecological Preserve, Hudson River

Syracuse University

In the heart of Central New York is the scenic Syracuse University , a beautiful campus in one of the most livable cities in New York State . Students and visitors are thrilled by the historic buildings like Crouse College of Fine Arts and the Hall of Languages, which showcase classic Collegiate Gothic architecture.

The surrounding landscape is a mix of rolling hills and rich green spaces, which offer opportunities for interacting with nature. During their free time, students can explore Thornden Park and the Onondaga Creekwalk. While the university experiences all four seasons, there’s no better time to be here than during peak fall foliage!

• Address: 900 S Crouse Ave, Syracuse, NY 13244
• Best time to visit: Summer
• Top things to do: Hiking, exploring the architecture, exploring the Thornden Park

Related: 10 Of The Best State Parks Near Syracuse For Hiking & Trail Trekking

Colgate University

About 40 miles from Syracuse, visitors will find Colgate University , a distinctive, leading American university prominent for its rigorous academic programs. One of the most beautiful New York college campuses, the grounds sprawl around 575 acres in the Chenango Valley of central New York.

It is home to 88 buildings, including James B. Colgate Hall, all designed to complement each other for a singular architectural language. While strolling through the surrounding woodlands, one is likely to spot white-tailed deer and eastern gray squirrels.

• Address: 13 Oak Dr. E Ext, Hamilton, NY 13346
• Top things to do: Hiking, taking a drive in the surrounding

SUNY Geneseo

State University of New York College at Geneseo (SUNY Geneseo) in western New York is a school to behold. The college's oldest buildings, such as Sturges and Fraser Hall, are a unique blend of Collegiate Gothic and Georgian styles.

During the winter, the contrast between these brick-and-motor structures and the immaculate white snow blanket is stunning. Many visitors who come here return to immerse themselves in the vibrant college town vibe and take photos of the attention-grabbing sunsets.

• Address: 1 College Cir, Geneseo, NY 14454
• Best time to visit: Winter
• Top things to do: Stroll around, watch sunset, ski

Cooper Union

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in New York. While the college has many historical and contemporary structures, it has one unique modern building – 41 Cooper Square – where science fiction and architecture meet.

Completed in 2009, the 41 Cooper Square wows visitors with its unusual curves. The Foundation Building is also another highlight of the college. It is a historical building that has attracted several presidents.

• Address: 30 Cooper Sq, New York, NY 10003
• Top Attractions: 41 Cooper Square, the Foundation Building, Merchant's House Museum

Related: These U.S. Historic Landmarks Were The Most Popular In 2022

The Culinary Institute Of America

About 2 hours north of New York City, travelers find themselves in Hyde Park, which is home to one of the most beautiful New York university campuses. The region is famous for its diverse food scene, but visitors will want to explore the Culinary Institute of America and have lunch at the campus.

The campus is set overlooking the Hudson, which offers students and visitors views of the river and surrounding landscapes. There are also numerous walking trails where students can take leisurely walks when breaking from books. While here, take a scenic drive through the Palisade Mountains.

• Address: 1946 Campus Dr, Hyde Park, NY 12538
• Top things to do: Walk around, drive through the Palisade Mountains, Visit the Hudson River

Nazareth University

Nazareth University is one of the best institutions for undergraduate education in the state. It is a beautiful, small private college that offers an excellent environment for academics. It also happens to be one of the most beautiful New York colleges to visit.

The 150-acre wooded land here offers many opportunities for relaxing, but the college is particularly pretty in winter when a blanket of pristine white snow covers the college floor. There are also free bike and ski rentals available.

• Address: 4245 East Ave, Rochester, NY 14618
• Top things to do: Exploring Nazareth College Arts Center, biking, skiing

Idaho college student killings: A summary and timeline

The killings of four University of Idaho students in mid-November at an off-campus residence stunned the small community of Moscow, where investigators grappled with what the town's police chief would later describe as a "very complex" case.

No suspect was immediately named in the deaths of housemates Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Xana Kernodle, 20, as well as Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20. Nor was a murder weapon, believed to be a large fixed-blade knife, found.

But the intense scrutiny on the unsolved slayings sparked thousands of tips to the FBI.

Then, nearly seven weeks later — with the community on edge and speculation swirling about who could commit such violence — police announced an arrest in Pennsylvania of a doctoral student in criminal justice .

"This is not the end of this investigation," Latah County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson said at a news conference announcing the arrest in late December. "In fact, this is a new beginning."

Here's a timeline of key moments in the case.

Nov. 12, 2022

Starting at around 9 p.m., Kernodle and Chapin are seen at a party at Chapin's fraternity, Sigma Chi, a short walk from the King Road apartment house where the roommates lived, according to investigators.

That night, Goncalves uploads pictures to her Instagram account featuring photos of the friends with the caption, "One lucky girl to be surrounded by these pple everyday."

At about 10 p.m., Goncalves and Mogen go to a sports bar in Moscow, the Corner Club.

Nov. 13, 2022

At about 1:30 a.m., Goncalves and Mogen are seen ordering from a nearby food truck , according to the truck's livestream.

Investigators say Kernodle and Chapin return to their three-level house on King Road at about 1:45 a.m., while Goncalves and Mogen take a car ride home, arriving at about 1:56 a.m.

Meanwhile, two other housemates who had gone out that night had arrived home before the others, at about 1 a.m., Moscow police say.

At 11:58 a.m., a 911 call is placed on the cellphone of one of the other housemates requesting assistance for an "unconscious person." (Both housemates were unharmed.)

Police alert the public about the deaths in a news release and while they say no one is in custody, they do "not believe there is an ongoing community risk based on information gathered during the preliminary investigation."

Nov. 16, 2022

With no suspect apprehended, Moscow police walk back  previous comments that there was no threat to the largely rural city of almost 26,000 residents.

"We do not have a suspect at this time, and that individual is still out there," Moscow Police Chief James Fry says at a news conference. He adds that the more than 25 investigators with the Idaho State Police and the FBI are assisting in the case.

Nov. 17, 2022

Preliminary autopsy results show that the four victims were likely attacked with a large knife and died sometime after 2 a.m. from multiple stab wounds, Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt says .

She describes their wounds as "pretty extensive."

Nov. 18, 2022

Police say the victims were most likely asleep when they were slain, and some of them had defensive wounds. There was also no sign of sexual assault.

Meanwhile, detectives seize the contents of three dumpsters near the home to search for possible evidence, and they contact local businesses to determine if a knife had recently been purchased.

Nov. 30, 2022

A vigil is held at the University of Idaho in honor of the victims, with some family members in attendance.

"We're going to get our justice," Steven Goncalves, Kaylee's father, says, adding that his daughter and Mogen had been best friends since the sixth grade and he had learned that they were in the same bed when they were killed.

"They went to high school together, then they started looking at colleges, they came here together. They eventually get into the same apartment together," he said. "And in the end, they died together."

Dec. 1, 2022

Moscow police reaffirm the quadruple homicide was part of a "targeted attack," after authorities appeared to suggest the opposite.

"We remain consistent in our belief that this was indeed a targeted attack but have not concluded if the target was the residence or its occupants," a police spokesperson says.

The department also continues to dispel online rumors and speculation , and says it has cleared certain people seen interacting with Goncalves and Mogen on the evening they were killed. Police also say the two housemates who were home during the attack had been sleeping that night.

Dec. 2, 2022

The two housemates, Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen, release letters saying they are struggling to accept why the lives of "four beautiful people" were taken so brutally.

Dec. 5, 2022

Detectives focus on Chapin's and Kernodle's activities on the evening they were killed, and ask the public for information about the nearly five hours from when the couple arrived at the Sigma Chi party to the apartment house on King Road.

Dec. 6, 2022

Police say they recognize how frustrating the lack of news can be for the families and the public, but insist they do not want to jeopardize the case.

"We are at that point in the investigation where we're still gathering information, we're still gathering tips, we're still gathering evidence, we're still doing everything we need to do," Fry says in a  video  posted online.

Dec. 7, 2022

Police begin removing personal items of the victims from the apartment house and returning them to their families.

They also announce what appears to be an integral part of the investigation: They say they are looking to speak with any occupants of a white Hyundai Elantra from 2011-13 with unknown license plates. They do not say whether they believe the driver is linked to the killer but say that person may have "critical information" to share.

Dec. 15, 2022

Kristi Goncalves, Kaylee's mother, expresses frustration during an interview with NBC's "TODAY" show that she only learned about the police interest in the Hyundai Elentra when the rest of the public did — underscoring how some victims' families feel "left in the dark."

Dec. 21, 2022

Fry tells NBC News that his department is in daily contact with families and "we asked them to be patient" as the investigation progresses. The police chief again insists the investigation is not a cold case, and "our end goal is to bring somebody to justice for those families and for those victims."

Dec. 30, 2022

Police announce an arrest of a suspect: Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28, a resident of Pullman, Washington, then a doctoral student at Washington State University. He is apprehended  in northeastern Pennsylvania , about 2,500 miles from the Idaho campus, and charged with four counts of first-degree murder and burglary.

According to two law enforcement sources, DNA evidence played a key role in linking the killings to Kohberger.

At a news conference, Fry says he believes Kohberger is the only suspect.

"What I can tell you is that we have an individual in custody who committed these horrible crimes," he says, "and I do believe our community is safe."

Dec. 31, 2022

The public defender of Monroe County, Pennsylvania, where Kohberger is being held, says the suspect intends to waive his extradition hearing to face charges in Idaho.

"He should be presumed innocent until proven otherwise — not tried in the court of public opinion," Jason LaBar says in a statement, adding, "Mr. Kohberger is eager to be exonerated of these charges and looks forward to resolving these matters as promptly as possible."

Jan. 3, 2023

Kohberger appears in court and agrees to return to Idaho.

Jan. 4, 2023

Kohberger is flown across country in a Pennsylvania State Police plane and booked into the Latah County, Idaho, jail.

Jan. 5, 2023

Kohberger makes his first appearance in an Idaho court and is ordered held without bail. Another pretrial hearing is set for Jan. 12.

Investigators say male DNA discovered on a knife sheath was used to link Kohberger to the crime scene and that they had been tracking his car, a white Hyundai Elantra, and cellphone use in the area, according to newly released court documents.

Jan. 18, 2023

A list of items seized from a search warrant for Kohberger's Pullman, Washington, apartment is made public. The belongings include a pillow with a "reddish/brown stain," a disposable glove and at least a dozen strands of hair.

Feb. 28, 2023

A search warrant for the home of Kohberger's parents in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, reveals more items seized, including four medical-style gloves, a silver flashlight and a buccal swab DNA test.

March 13, 2023

Prosecutors seek data from major tech firms , such as Apple and Amazon, as well as social media platforms and retailers as part of their investigation, according to court documents made public. They also request bank and social media information tied to the four victims in order to build a digital picture of the crime and the suspect.

April 21, 2023

Funke, one of the surviving housemates, files a motion to quash a subpoena that would require her to testify at Kohberger's preliminary hearing in June. While an investigator for his defense said in an affidavit that she knows information that would be "exculpatory to the defendant," Funke in her motion said the statement is "without support and there is no further information or detail pertaining to the substance of this testimony, its materiality or the alleged exculpatory information."

April 26, 2023

Funke agrees to interview with the defense counsel, according to a court filing, but she won't have to travel to Idaho.

May 4, 2023

Newly released police bodycam video shows Kohberger being pulled over for allegedly running a red light in Pullman, Washington, in October 2022, about a month before the slayings in Moscow. Washington State University campus police let him go with a warning.

May 16, 2023

A Latah County grand jury returns an indictment against Kohberger on the murder charges, paving the way for an arraignment and trial.

May 22, 2023

Kohberger during his arraignment stands silent when asked to enter a plea, prompting Latah County District Judge John Judge to enter not guilty pleas on his behalf on the murder and burglary charges. A trial is tentatively set for Oct. 2.

In addition, prosecutors have 60 days to give notice if they'll seek the death penalty.

June 16, 2023

DNA on the knife sheath found at the off-campus home directly links Kohberger to the crime scene, according to court documents filed by prosecutors .

June 22, 2023

Kohberger's attorney says in a court filing that there is "no connection" between him and the slain students and that other men's DNA was also found at the scene.

His attorney also claims that police investigated "various possible suspects," many of whom provided DNA — including at least one who allegedly "had his DNA surreptitiously taken from a discarded cigarette" and others who "had their phones taken and downloaded," the filing says.

June 26, 2023

Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty against Kohberger if he is convicted, writing in a court filing that "aggravating circumstances" in the "especially heinous" killings led to the decision.

Idaho has not carried out an execution since 2012.

July 4, 2023

Some families of the victims speak out against the University of Idaho's plan to demolish the King Road residence before the start of the fall semester on Aug. 21.

"The home itself has enormous evidentiary value as well as being the largest, and one of the most important, pieces of evidence in the case," an attorney for the Goncalves family tells the Idaho Statesman . But the school responds that neither the prosecution nor the defense is objecting to the demolition.

July 12, 2023

Reversing course, the University of Idaho says it will halt tearing down the King Road.

"We know that every action and decision around this horrific incident is painful and invokes emotions," university President Scott Green says in a statement. "That is why every decision we have made this far is with the families of the victims and our students in mind."

July 25, 2023

Kohberger's lawyers filed a motion seeking to get his indictment dismissed , arguing that the grand jury was "misled as to the standard of proof required for an indictment." They say the standard should be "beyond a reasonable doubt," but claim the grand jury was "erroneously instructed" with "presentment," which they say would mean having a "reasonable ground for believing the defendant has committed" an alleged offense.

Aug. 23, 2023

Kohberger  waives his right to a speedy trial  during an appearance in Latah County Court, where his legal team says it may not be ready by the October start date. A new date has not been immediately decided.

His lawyers also say they will file a motion to strike the death penalty and file another motion seeking to ban cameras in the courtroom.

Oct. 31, 2023

Federal investigators return to the Kind Road home to gather more evidence and create a replica of the residence that can be used at trial.

Nov. 13, 2023

The University of Idaho marks one year since the slayings with a vigil in the victims' honor.

Dec. 14, 2023

Kohberger's defense team is permitted inside the King Road home to gather documentation it needs before trial.

Dec. 15, 2023

A Latah County district court denies the defense team's request to dismiss the indictment against Kohbeger on various reasons.

"Kohberger has failed to successfully challenge the indictment on grounds of juror bias, lack of sufficient admissible evidence, or prosecutorial misconduct," Judge John Judge writes. "Kohberger was indicted by an impartial grand jury who had sufficient admissible evidence to find probable cause to believe Kohberger committed the crimes alleged by the state." Details of the ruling itself remain sealed.

Dec. 21, 2023

Latah County prosecutors file a request for Kohberger's trial to be held in summer 2024.

Dec. 28, 2023

The King Road house is demolished despite objections from two of the victims' families who say it should remain standing for trial in the event it would help understand what happened. But Latah County prosecutors tell the University of Idaho in an email from Dec. 22 that "the current condition of the premises is so substantially different than at the time of the homicides that a jury view would not be authorized."

The Goncalves and Kernodle families release a statement voicing their frustration after a judge at a hearing suggests the murder trial likely won't begin until 2025.

Kohberger's lawyers file an updated alibi defense saying that cellphone tower data will show he liked to take late-night drives along the Washington-Idaho border, but was miles away when the victims were killed. They said they intend to rely on testimony at trial from cell tower data expert Sy Ray .

A hearing scheduled for June over whether to move the trial out of Latah County is delayed until Aug. 29. The filing comes a day after another pretrial motions hearing in which Ray testified .

The judge lays out a plan that would allow Kohberger's trial to commence in June 2025 . Both his legal team and prosecutors agree.

A change of venue hearing is held to determine whether Kohberger's trial should be moved out of Latah Couty, but the judge says he needs more time to conduct research before making a decision.

Erik Ortiz is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital focusing on racial injustice and social inequality.