Ramapo Roadrunners football
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| Type | Public, Liberal Arts |
|---|---|
| Established | 1969 |
| Endowment | $16.1 million |
| President | Peter Mercer |
| Students | 5,775 |
| Postgraduates | 459 |
| Location | Mahwah, New Jersey, USA |
| Campus | Suburban 300 acres |
| Colors | Maroon & White |
| Sports | NCAA Division III |
| Mascot | Roadrunner |
| Website | www |
Ramapo College of New Jersey, abbreviated RCNJ, is a public liberal arts college located in Mahwah, New Jersey, near the Ramapo Mountains and just south of the New York state line. As of the spring 2017 semester, there were a total of 5,775 students enrolled at the college, including 459 graduate students. The campus covers approximately 300 acres, built on a former estate about one mile (1.6 km) from the intersection of Route 17, U.S. 202, and the I-87 and I-287.
In the late 19th century, the Ramapo Valley was developed for large estates by many wealthy families. Theodore Havemeyer and his family arrived in the area in the 1870s. Havemeyer, a founder of the American Sugar Company, purchased and renovated a home on Route 202 and developed more than 1,000 acres surrounding the mansion into a farm. In 1889 he had a second mansion built on the property for one of his daughters. That mansion and about 700 acres of the original 1,000 were later purchased by Stephen Birch, president of the Kennecott Copper Company.
In 1968, the New Jersey Department of Higher Education authorized establishing a new state college in Bergen County, due to its increasing population and suburbanization. The criteria for the new college's location were sufficient land for the construction of current needs and future expansion, and proximity to at least one major highway. The locations of existing public and private institutions in the state were also taken into consideration. The college was planned to serve economically deprived students from urban and rural areas, in addition to a full range of middle-class families.
George Potter, an administrator at Grand Valley State University in Michigan, was appointed the first President of the college before a location had been determined. After many board meetings, it was decided that the former Birch Estate in Mahwah would be the location for the new college. Although the land was farther north than originally intended for the campus, its proximity to Route 17 and mountainous surroundings made it an attractive site. The architects drew up plans for an L-shaped, glass-walled facility consisting of five 2-story academic buildings connected by large entry spaces, with each building devoted to a particular department or division. The architects recommended this approach to allow for rapid construction of additional wings onto the various entry spaces, allowing quick expansion of the college.
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