Union College (New York)

Union College

Motto	Sous les lois de Minerve nous devenons tous frères et sœurs (French)
Motto in English	Under the laws of Minerva, we all become brothers and sisters
Type	Private liberal arts college
Established	February 25, 1795
Endowment	$385.2 million (2016)
President	Stephen Ainlay
Academic staff	228
Undergraduates	2,242 (Fall 2014)
Location	Schenectady, New York, United States
Campus	Urban: 120 acres, including 8 acres of formal gardens
Colors	Union garnet
Athletics	NCAA Div I – ECAC Hockey Div III – Liberty League
Nickname	Dutchmen/Dutchwomen
Affiliations	NAICU Annapolis Group Oberlin Group CLAC
Website	www.union.edu

Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as three of the earliest such organizations were established there. After 175 years as a traditional all-male institution, Union College began enrolling women in 1970.

The college offers a liberal arts curriculum across some 21 academic departments, as well as opportunities for interdepartmental majors and self-designed organizing theme majors. In common with most liberal arts colleges, Union offers a wide array of courses in arts, sciences, literature, and foreign languages, but, in common with only a few other liberal arts colleges, Union also offers ABET-accredited undergraduate degrees in computer engineering, bioengineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. Approximately 25% of students major in the social sciences; 10% in psychology; 11% in engineering; 10% in biology; 9% in history; and 10% in the humanities; while some 5% design their own majors. By the time they graduate, about 60% of Union students will have engaged in some form of international study or study abroad.

Places of higher learning were few in the early days of the Americas. During the colonial period (1636–1769) of American history, nine surviving institutions of higher education were founded, largely in association with religious denominations and devoted to the perpetuation of traditional forms of religious culture.