Marist College

Date: Jan 18 2010
Major: Communications (This Major's Salary over time)
What I probably like most about Marist is that it is an "up and coming" institution. I could very well see Marist in the future being among the top schools in the Northeast, if not in the whole country. A degree from here is becoming more and more valuable, but the tuition, although pricey, is not out of reach. I like to think of my time here as an investment in the future and a chance for me to think about where my place in the world is.

The campus is nicely landscaped, and lately the ever-expanding college has been focusing on returning to a more classic campus look in terms of architecture. We're on the banks of the Hudson River and we have the Fern Tor Arboretum (a small preserve), so there's a little bit of nature on campus. I'm not a huge fan of the fact that Rte. 9 runs next to our main campus, but the bright side is that we have easy access to the commercial Rte. 9 corridor.

In terms of the area, I'm from the area so I know what to see and do. There is more here than most Marist students think, and I wish the college would let students know that. Granted, our College Activities Office does a great job organizing events for us on campus, but there are things to do around here (besides going to a nightclub or bar.) If you love nature and history, the Hudson Valley is the place for you. We are right near the FDR Estate and Presidential Library, which provides a great opportunity for our history majors. There are a number of other historic mansions and estates around here, which gave the area the nickname

America's Loire Valley.

Marist has a riverfront park (each spring there is a concert down there) which will eventually be connected to riverfront trails around the area. I admit I have a more mature taste than most people my age, so I do wish more Marist students took advantage of these kind of things that are offered in the area. Perhaps, though, they simply are not aware of them.

The Poughkeepsie/Hudson Valley area is kind of a mix of urban, suburban, and rural. As a local, I am well aware of the fact that Poughkeepsie has seen better days, just like many other city centers in the Northeast that have fallen victim to shifting economic and social conditions. A lot of Marist students only see the facade of a "ghetto" but what they don't realize is that there are indeed worthwhile things to see and do in Poughkeepsie. We have the historic Bardavon Opera House, which is an important performing arts/cultural institution in the area, as well as The Chance and the Mid-Hudson Civic Center, which draws some big name performers to the area.

Last fall, the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park, (a converted railroad bridge connecting Poughkeepsie to Highland) opened as the world's longest pedestrian bridge. It has been attracting attention back to the area, so hopefully more business opportunities will move back into the area. The best part about Walkway is that it is free, the views are breathtaking, and it is close to campus! I think Marist - its students, faculty, and alumni can play an important role in making this area better. Marist already plays some role by having alumni who are active in the community, as well as students who participate in community service, in being an integral institution in the area. In that respect, I view the fact that Poughkeepsie isn't as prosperous as other places as an asset, rather than a drawback. College is about preparing for the "real world" after all, isn't it?

I should note that the campus is, in my opinion, very safe. The main campus is also, despite being a well-populated location, fairly isolated. The only vehicular access point is really Rte. 9. Other than that, the campus is surrounded by woods and a river, which helps make the campus quite secure. The college also has security guards here all day long, blue light call boxes, as well as SNAP (Student Nighttime Auxiliary Patrol) where you can call for trained students to escort you to your destination on campus at night. The college's administration is also taking a proactive patrol in terms of raising awareness about such common college issues such as sexual assault by starting programs to train students how to be active bystanders.

On a lighter note, there are many things to do on campus when you're not studying, thanks to the fine people at College Activities and on the Student Programming Council. There are always concerts, lectures, and other activities going on, and most of them are cheap or free to go to. I've seen some good musicians and comedians here for a very very affordable price. Big names like Jack's Mannequin, Matt Nathanson, Lewis Black, Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood from "Who's Line is it, Anyway?", are some of the performers that I've seen. So there's lots to do on the weekends. We're definitely not a "suitcase school."

Academically, I'm very pleased with Marist. There are a lot of majors to choose from, so if you want to change your major, you probably won't have to transfer to a different college. It's also nice that there are a lot of different majors in that I have friends who are art majors, accounting majors, science majors, education majors, communication majors, and so forth.

Academic facilities are exceptional here, especially the library. The Cannavino Library has a great view of the river, and a fine collection of books. There are lots of computers on campus which are constantly updated due to our partnership with IBM. Since we only have about 4,000-5,000 undergrad students, there is a lot of personal attention here. You know your professors, and your professors know you.

We have a new computer science and math building under construction. We also just acquired a mansion across the river from us which will become the Raymond Rich Institute for Leadership Development. The mansion, plus the money that was willed to us by Raymond Rich, totals about $75 million. See what I mean about an up and coming institution?

As a commuter, I feel quite connected. I've joined a lot of clubs, so I met most of my friends that way. (Good way to meet people with common interests.) One thing resident students have that commuters don't is the priority points system, which is used to determine the order of housing selection (yes, you get a voice in where you're going to live.) The points are assigned based on GPA, room condition, disciplinary history, and club involvement. Unfortunately, commuters don't have a system like that which would encourage commuters to get more involved on campus. Some of the commuter representatives in the student senate have been working to fix that. A big plus to being a local at Marist is I have connections in the community which helps with finding internships and so forth.

Overall, going to Marist was one of the best decisions I've made. Sorry for the lengthy essay, but hopefully this will help you with your college search process. Good luck!