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School of Liberal Arts

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A Unique Liberal Arts Education That Goes Beyond The Textbook.

Marist’s School of Liberal Arts program exposes students to an interdisciplinary academic experience. Through which, they are encouraged to become creative thinkers, skilled writers, and innovative problem solvers. By exploring multiple academic areas, students increase their marketability post-graduation and diversify their thinking for their future and beyond.

 

A Distinct Learning Experience For A Dynamic Future

The School of Liberal Arts provides ample learning opportunities for students to learn inside and outside the classroom. Students receive hands-on, real-world experience while they develop a collaborative relationship with faculty and engage with a broad knowledge base. The School of Liberal Arts encourages students to explore the many paths of their course study, and gain skills in critical thinking, composition, and communication. Through which, students are better prepared for a dynamic and complex future.

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Center for Civic Engagement and Leadership

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Tarver Internship

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Global Experiences

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Albany Summer Internship Program (ASIP)

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Student Clubs and Organizations

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Academic Triangle

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Connect to the Past in the Present at the FDR Library

Conveniently located approximately five miles from the Marist campus, the College hosts the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library’s digital archives, making it one of only six colleges or universities in the nation affiliated with a Presidential Library. Administered by the National Archives and Records Administration since 1941, the Library preserves and makes accessible to the American people the records of FDR's Presidency. The Roosevelt Library's mission is to foster a deeper understanding of the lives and times of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt and their continuing impact on contemporary life. This work is carried out through the Library's archives and research room, museum collections and exhibitions, innovative educational programs, and engaging public programming.

GLI Scholarship for Incoming Freshman History Majors

The newly established Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (GLI) Scholarship at Marist College is awarded to students from GLI’s vast national network of affiliated schools who demonstrate exceptional achievement in the study of history. This scholarship is designed to give History majors at Marist the opportunity and freedom to pursue exciting undergraduate research and apply it to their future careers. All incoming freshman history majors are eligible for one of three $10,000 scholarships, and we encourage all who fit these criteria to apply and make a difference with their history degree from Marist.

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The School of Liberal Arts: A Dynamic Learning Community

When students and their families visit the College, we often suggest that the best way to understand the liberal arts at Marist is to take a walk around Fontaine Hall, the award-winning building that houses our school. The variety of conversations taking place in Fontaine Hall makes the School of Liberal Arts a dynamic learning community. Close faculty and student relationships and interdisciplinary analysis, including team-taught courses, are crucial to our work here. In a given semester, students might have the opportunity to take Religion and the Law with a political scientist and theologian, Blues Poetry with a poet and historian, or Environmental Literature with a literary scholar and a scientist.

 

Learn From Contemporary Thinkers With Diverse Knowledge and Expertise

Marist's School of Liberal Arts faculty are dedicated to students' collegiate success. With their combined knowledge and expertise, dueled with ample opportunity to learn beyond the classroom, students are able to receive a well-rounded education, which in turn allows them to flourish in their fields of study. View All of the School of Liberal Arts Faculty >

 

David Woolner
History

Dr. Woolner is an American history scholar who teaches popular courses like World War II and the FDR Seminar. Dr. Woolner is Senior Fellow and Resident Historian at the Roosevelt Institute, and he has published many books including The Last 100 Days: FDR at War and Peace. A frequent commentator on the links between the past and the present, his media appearances include interviews with CNN, the BBC, the History Channel, NPR, and more.

Melissa Gaeke
Political Science

Melissa A. Gaeke, Ph.D. is the Director of the Center for Civic Engagement & Leadership and Senior Professional Lecturer in Political Science at Marist College. She holds a doctorate in Public Administration from the University of Southern California’s Sol Price School of Public Policy. Her interests include engaging students in activities that teach them about civic engagement and working with nonprofit organizations to build their capacity to access resources and connect with stakeholders.

Brian Loh
Philosophy

Loh is a specialist in early Chinese religious philosophy. At Marist, he teaches courses on Asian religion and religion’s treatment and use of the body. His current project is a study of the treatment of strangers and the formation of philosophical lineages in early China.
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The History of the Hudson River Valley Surrounds You

The Hudson River Valley Institute at Marist College is the academic arm of the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. Our location not only provides ample opportunity to learn from and promote the surrounding area but additionally, it serves as an educational resource for students and scholars alike. Rich in history, utilizing our region as a classroom allows students to immerse themselves into a program with deep connections to the historic Hudson River Valley, New York State, and study a region that has been called “the Landscape that defined America.”

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Earn College Credit While In High School With Marist Summer Pre-College

For over fifteen years, Marist has created a top-ranked summer pre-college program that gives students a sense of college life, provides a taste of a college major, and allows students to earn college credit while still in high school. At Marist's Summer Pre-College program, you'll engage in daily class sessions with leading faculty and explore exciting career opportunities in your field. High school sophomores and juniors will engage in hands-on learning experiences either in-person or virtually, while working with industry professionals and like-minded peers.

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I started out as a biology major, but I ended up being really influenced by my First Year Seminar on the drug trade [taught by Assistant Professor of History Kristin Bayer]. That class really challenged how I think about the world and made me fall in love with history as a discipline.

Sage Kawelo

History Major

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The more I thought about it, I didn’t want to let these frustrations prevent me from getting a college degree. I view life as an exercise in resiliency, and I’m as stubborn as an ox.

Marc Andrews

Philosophy Major

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Five years ago, if you asked me if I can achieve everything I do today I don’t think I would have the answer. I think from a young age I realized that you can reach your fullest potential once you realize you can define your own paths and choose your own way.

Qadan Mohamed

Psychology Major, Business Minor

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One thing that made me stay at Marist was the fact that I knew when I graduated I was going to be successful. The teachers, the staff, and the professors provide a community feeling, and people have pushed me to do better. I’m not just a number, people want me to do well.

Cameron Smith

Fashion Merchandising Major, English Minor, Theatre Minor, Business Minor

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Eventually, I’d like to be a full-time author, supporting myself through my books. It’s my greatest passion in life. I want to share these stories with people. I want my readers to feel inspired, to close my books with a renewed sense of strength.

Erin Forbes

Digital Media Major, Creative Writing Minor

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I think Marist has a lot of unique opportunities, and that’s what really sets it apart from other schools, and that’s what drew me in. Make sure that you talk to some of the students, and maybe reach out to some of the professors. I can sit here and tell you a whole list of reasons why to come to Marist!

Elio Velazquez

Business Administration Major, Philosophy Minor, Global Studies Minor

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