Lafayette College: A Comprehensive Overview
Lafayette College, a private liberal arts college situated on College Hill in Easton, Pennsylvania, offers a rigorous academic experience within a vibrant and historic setting. Founded in 1826, the college has a long-standing tradition of fostering intellectual curiosity, leadership, and community engagement. Its location in the Lehigh Valley, a metropolitan area of 800,000 people, places it within convenient distance of both Philadelphia (58 miles) and New York City (70 miles), providing students with access to a wide array of cultural and professional opportunities. The college enrolls approximately 2,700 undergraduate students and offers programs in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering.
Historical Context and Founding
The genesis of Lafayette College can be traced back to December 27, 1824, when a group of Easton residents, led by James Madison Porter, convened at White's Tavern to discuss the establishment of a local college. Inspired by General Lafayette's visit to the United States in 1824 and 1825, the founders named the college in his honor, recognizing his "talents, virtues, and signal services" during the American Revolutionary War.
The college officially opened its doors on May 1, 1829, with an initial enrollment of four students under the guidance of John Monteith. In the following year, George Junkin, a Presbyterian minister, was appointed as the first official president. Junkin played a crucial role in the college's early development, including moving the all-male Manual Labor Academy of Pennsylvania from Germantown to Easton to aid in the construction of the college's first building. Classes formally began on May 9, 1832, with 43 students receiving instruction in a rented farmhouse on the south bank of the Lehigh River.
Academic Programs and Opportunities
Lafayette College offers a diverse range of academic programs, awarding Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees in 37 fields and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in 14 fields, including science and engineering. The college is particularly known for integrating engineering programs within a liberal arts setting.
The engineering division offers six majors:
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- Chemical Engineering
- Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Engineering Studies
- Integrative Engineering
Integrative engineering is an interdisciplinary program with focuses in robotics, environment and energy, and bioengineering. In 2012, 94% of Lafayette's candidates passed the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination, the first step toward obtaining a professional engineering license.
Lafayette students have access to a wide range of resources and support services to enhance their academic experience. The Hub provides peer tutoring, study skills workshops, academic counseling, disability services, academic support for student-athletes, and supplemental instruction. Students are encouraged to engage in interdisciplinary collaborations with faculty and students from various majors to address problems on a local and global scale.
Specific departments and programs include:
- English: The English Department, housed in Pardee Hall, offers courses in creative writing (poetry, fiction, screenwriting, environmental writing, creative nonfiction, and new media) and fosters an environment of intellectual exchange.
- Art: The Art Department offers courses in art history and studio art.
- Asian Studies: Students can explore the culture, traditions, history, and politics of Asia through a variety of course offerings and related programs.
- Biology: Biology majors benefit from small classes and laboratory sections.
- Computer Science: The Computer Science department explores new ideas and develops tools to solve problems using computers.
- Digital Scholarship Services (DSS): Located in Skillman Library, DSS partners with faculty to develop digital projects and create customized research tools, including digital collection building and GIS visualization.
- Economics: The Economics department challenges students to actively engage in contemporary issues.
- Environmental Studies: Lafayette takes an interdisciplinary approach to environmental concerns.
- Film and Media Studies (FAMS): FAMS emphasizes connections among cinema, visual media, electronic arts, social technologies, and cultural contexts.
- Languages and Literary Studies: The Languages and Literary Studies curriculum helps students develop linguistic proficiency and cultural competency.
- Mechanical Engineering: The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers a comprehensive curriculum.
- Music: The department is committed to the study of music as integral to a liberal arts education.
- Neuroscience: Neuroscience tries to answer difficult questions about how the brain works and why it works the way it does.
- Philosophy: Studying philosophy helps students to think critically and understand the contributions of the Western philosophical tradition.
- Physics: Physics is the empirical, mathematical, and philosophical basis for all natural science and engineering.
- Policy Studies: The policy studies major offers a multidisciplinary curriculum.
- Psychology: Psychology majors examine behavior, thinking, emotions, and physiological processes.
- Religion: The study of religion provides a way toward understanding the various cultures of the world, conflicts among peoples, and the human condition.
- Women’s and Gender Studies: Women’s and Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary academic program that uses gender as a central framework for inquiry, analysis, and action.
Campus and Facilities
Lafayette College's 340-acre campus is located on College Hill in Easton, Pennsylvania. The campus comprises 69 buildings, totaling approximately 1.76 million square feet, including a 230-acre athletic campus. The architectural styles of the buildings range from the Second Empire design of Pardee Hall to the Collegiate Gothic style of Hogg Hall and the modern architecture of the Williams Center for the Arts.
Notable buildings and facilities include:
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- Pardee Hall: Completed in 1873 and funded by Ario Pardee, Pardee Hall was one of the largest academic buildings of its time and initially housed all the science programs.
- Williams Center for the Arts: The college's performing arts center.
- Kirby Hall of Civil Rights: Constructed in the late 1920s, Kirby Hall houses the Government & Law department and features architectural styles of Republic Rome, the Renaissance, 17th English classicism, and Beaux-Arts.
- Skillman Library: Skillman Library provides ample room for its more than 500,000 volumes, learning and study spaces, technology resources, and special collections. It received the 2014 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award from the Association of College and Research Libraries.
- Metzgar Fields Athletic Complex: Contains practice and playing surfaces for various sports, including baseball, cross country, field hockey, football, lacrosse, soccer, and track & field.
- Fred Morgan Kirby Library: Houses 30,000 volumes related to government and law.
The college guarantees campus housing to all enrolled students and requires them to live on campus unless approved as commuters or released seniors. On-campus housing options include traditional communal living halls, suite-style buildings, apartments, and Greek chapter houses.
Student Life and Activities
Lafayette College offers a wide array of extracurricular activities and organizations to enhance student life, including:
- Athletics: The Lafayette Leopards compete in the Patriot League, offering 23 NCAA Division I sports, 18 club sports, and over 30 intramural sports. The college has a historic rivalry with Lehigh University, known as "The Rivalry," one of the oldest and longest-running rivalries in college football.
- Greek Life: Approximately 39% of eligible students participate in fraternities and sororities, most of which are located on campus.
- Student Government: Lafayette College Student Government is composed of elected executive officers and general body members.
- The Lafayette: The Lafayette, the college's weekly student newspaper, was founded in 1870 and is the oldest college newspaper in Pennsylvania.
- Investment Club: Founded in 1946, the club is the oldest student-run investment club in the country.
- Engineers Without Borders (EWB): The club is a member of EWB-USA and works on projects in rural villages in Honduras to promote better life.
- Lafayette Activities Forum (LAF): LAF is a student-run organization that promotes campus interaction and student relations through various programs and entertainment.
Other student life resources include:
- The Counseling Center: Provides counseling and educational programs to help students achieve their academic, social, and personal development goals.
- The Office of the Dean of Students: Oversees the Departments of Recreation Services, Residence Life, Student Development, and Student Life Programs.
- The Landis Center for Community Engagement: Facilitates relationships between the campus and Easton communities through community-engaged learning and research activities.
- The Office of Student Involvement: Helps students create meaningful connections and a sense of belonging through mentorship and intentional programming.
- Recreation Services: Provides exercise-centered experiences that encourage lifelong healthy habits and positive use of leisure time.
- Religious and Spiritual Life: Lafayette has a long tradition of nurturing religious and spiritual development.
Admissions and Financial Aid
Lafayette College uses the Common Application as the sole method for students to apply. Applicants may apply through early decision I or II for an earlier response, or through regular decision. The Financial Aid Office is committed to helping students of all financial backgrounds afford the college's education. Scholarships can empower students to study, conduct research, travel, and become leaders in their chosen careers.
Location and Directions
Lafayette College is located on College Hill in Easton, Pennsylvania.
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Directions:
- From I-78: Follow I-78 to US-22 into Easton. Immediately after crossing the bridge into Pennsylvania, take the N. Proceed to the stop sign. Turn left onto High Street, proceed through the stop sign at Williams Center for the Arts and make the next right toward the Markle Parking Deck.
- Entering from the front: If your GPS directs you to exit from US-22 at the 13th Street exit, drive past the 13th St. Proceed to the stop sign. Turn left onto High Street, proceed through the stop sign at Williams Center for the Arts and make the next right toward the Markle Parking Deck.
- From Main Street: At the stoplight, turn right onto Main Street. Turn right onto McCartney Street and proceed through one stop sign until you reach the stop sign at High Street. Turn right onto High Street, proceed through the stop sign at Williams Center for the Arts and make the next right toward the Markle Parking Deck.
During business hours, visitors should proceed through the double doors of the Hugel Welcome Center to enter Markle Hall.
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