Clarkson University


Clarkson University is a private research university with its main campus in Potsdam, New York. Clarkson has additional graduate programs and research facilities in the New York Capital District. It was established in 1896 and enrolled over 4,000 students in 2024. Students pursue bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in each of its schools and institutes: the David D. Reh School of Business, Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Earl R. and Barbara D. Lewis School of Health and Life Sciences, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, and Institute for STEM Education. The university is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".
Clarkson's athletic teams, known as the Golden Knights, compete in 20 varsity sports. While predominantly an NCAA Division III school competing in the Liberty League, both men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Division I as members of ECAC Hockey. The women's hockey program has won three NCAA championships, marking the university's first national titles.

History

The school was founded in 1896 and was funded by the sisters of Thomas S. Clarkson, a local entrepreneur accidentally killed while working in his sandstone quarry. When a worker was in danger of being crushed by a loose pump, Clarkson pushed him out of the way, risking his own life. He died five days later. The Clarkson family realized great wealth in the development of such quarries, and Potsdam sandstone was highly sought after by developers of townhouses in New York City and elsewhere. The family were important benefactors in the Potsdam area. The school was called the Thomas S. Clarkson Memorial School of Technology.
In 1913, the name was changed to Thomas S. Clarkson Memorial College of Technology, which was used in a shortened version as Clarkson College of Technology. During the first half of the 20th century, most of the campus was located "downtown". The campus slowly expanded to an area known as the "Hill", located on the southwestern edge of Potsdam village. As of 2001, almost all academics and housing had moved to the hill campus. However, the university still uses the downtown buildings known as Old Snell and Old Main for administrative functions. In 2022, the Clarkson board of trustees named the Hill campus "The Collins Hill Campus" in honor of longtime President Tony Collins.
On February 24, 1984, the school officially became Clarkson University, although the pep band's rallying cry at hockey games is still "Let's Go Tech!". The institution and its hockey team have carried the nickname "Tech" since its 1896 founding. "CCT" is still printed on older school property and equipment.
On February 1, 2016, Union Graduate College merged into Clarkson University and became the Clarkson University Capital Region Campus in Schenectady, New York. This facility was closed in late 2024 and the Schenectady-based personnel transitioned to an office location in Latham, NY.
In the fall of 2023, the board of trustees approved a reorganization plan to gradually phase out all nine majors under the department of humanities and social sciences, as well as the department of communication, media and design, in an effort to cut down on net operating costs. The school of arts and sciences was consolidated with the Coulter School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and a smaller unit called the department of Arts, Culture and Technology was created.
In 2025, Michelle Larson became the university's 19th and first female president.

Academics

More than 50 undergraduate majors and minors are available at the university. The university also offers master's and doctoral degrees. These degree programs are offered through the David D. Reh School of Business, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the Earl R. and Barbara D. Lewis School of Health and Life Sciences, Institute for STEM Education, and the Clarkson School. Clarkson University is home to the Center for Advanced Materials Processing. CAMP is dedicated to developing Clarkson's research and educational programs in high-technology materials processing. It focuses on developing innovations in advanced materials processing and transferring this technology to businesses and industries. The center receives support from the New York State Office of Science, Technology, and Academic Research for research and operating expenses as one of 14 Centers for Advanced Technology. In addition, CAMP-related work receives several million dollars each year from the federal government and private industry.
Clarkson's 15 Student Projects for Engineering Experience and Design teams allow students across all majors to participate in hands-on, extracurricular projects.
Clarkson participates in student exchange programs with schools in Europe and Australia.

Rankings

U.S. News & World Report's 2019 rankings "America's Best Colleges" placed Clarkson University in the top 125 institutions in the nation and listed on the "Great Schools, Great Prices" list. Clarkson's supply chain management program was listed as one of the top 20 in the nation. The survey editors also placed Clarkson in the "A+ Options for B Students" list and the "Best Colleges for Veterans" list in the National University category.
Clarkson University ranked #8 among "Top Salary-Boosting Colleges" nationwide in Money's 2015 rankings.
Clarkson's online graduate business program is #12 nationwide.
Clarkson is ranked among the nation's most environmentally responsible colleges by Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2019 edition.
U.S. News & World Report's Best Graduate Schools 2019 ranked Clarkson 40th overall in Environmental Engineering.

The Clarkson School

The Clarkson School, a special division of Clarkson University, was founded in 1978. The school offers students an early entrance opportunity into college, replacing the typical senior year of high school with a year of college. It is one of few college early admission programs in the country that provides a community living/learning experience on a university campus.
The Clarkson School's Bridging Year is a "bridging year" between high school and college for students who are ready to enter college early. Every year, 50 to 80 high school students are accepted to The Clarkson School, where they may work towards a GED and take college classes. They may also work with their high schools to complete a high school diploma or drop out of high school entirely. After they complete the program, they can enter Clarkson University with all credits from the previous year or transfer to another school, usually as freshmen with advanced standing.
Students in The Clarkson School are fully matriculated undergraduates with freshman status at the university. They take classes with other University students and usually carry a course load of 15 to 18 credits per semester for two semesters. College credits may also be given for college and Advanced Placement courses taken before entering The Clarkson School. Cross-registration at colleges and universities in neighboring areas can provide additional college credits, particularly in art, music, and languages. These credits also appear on an official Clarkson University transcript.
The Clarkson School students are housed in Newell House and Ormsby House in Price Hall and the typical class size is about 50 students. Students participating in this program are often called "Schoolies" by other Clarkson students.

Clarkson Ignite

Founded in 2017, Clarkson Ignite is Clarkson University's innovation hub, providing students and members of the Clarkson community with various unique opportunities for experiential learning. Ignite oversees two hands-on learning facilities known as the Dorf Makerspace and Makers' Loft, which contain equipment for physical and digital creation, such as 3D printers, laser engravers, heat presses, digital cameras, sewing machines, and drones, among other tools. These facilities are staffed by Maker Mentors, specially-trained student workers who have chosen to take their passions for "Making" to the next level.
Ignite hosts multiple annual events and competitions, including the Ignite Project Expo, Research and Project Showcase, President's Challenge, and North Country Regional Business Plan Competition, which engage with students across all majors and academic standing. The organization also offers several opportunities for aspiring student entrepreneurs to develop and grow unique business ideas, with its Cube student business accelerator having supported several successful startup endeavors, including cement replacement producer KLAW Industries
Each year, 10 incoming students receive the Ignite Presidential Fellowship, a scholarship that covers the cost of tuition across up to eight semesters worth of undergraduate study. Along with a similar award known as the Young Innovators & Entrepreneurs scholarship, Ignite supports recipients throughout their entire time at Clarkson, planning special events and activities, such as an exciting Pre-Orientation week before classes begin each August. Several Ignite Presidential Fellows have made significant positive impacts at Clarkson and outside of academia, with multiple being recipients of the Levinus Clarkson and Frederica Clarkson Awards.

Campus

Clarkson has two campuses in Potsdam—the "downtown" campus and the Collins Hill Campus—and the Capital Region Campus in Schenectady, New York.
The health science departments of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Physician Assistant Studies are located on the downtown campus. The campus bookstore is located in downtown Potsdam. The last student dormitory located on the downtown campus closed in May 2006. The only buildings remaining in Clarkson's service at the downtown campus are a few administration buildings, the Army ROTC house, the Clarkson Hall Center for Health Sciences, and the Peyton Hall Business Incubator. Other downtown campus buildings contain leased space for businesses.