Paul Smith's College

Paul Smith’s College is the only private four year institution in Adirondack Park. It has an unusual history for a college – Paul Smith’s was originally a lakeside hotel getaway in the Adirondacks during the peak in tourism during the second half of the 19th century. After Paul Smith, the original founder of the hotel, died in 1912, his son, Phelps, took over operation until it was destroyed by a fire in 1930. Finally, when Phelps died, he left money to the founding of a college in his father’s name. In 1937 Paul Smith’s College was established on the site of the old Paul Smith’s hotel with its first class entering in 1946.

Paul Smith's College sits on the shore of Lower St. Regis Lake (www.paulsmiths.edu)

Due to its unique location, Paul Smith’s boasts that is it able to provide students with a hands on education that will be applicable in the real world. In their mission, they state that they, “actively educate students to  become productive citizens by combining experiential and traditional instruction” and that their unique location, “promotes economic, social, and environmental sustainability” (paulsmiths.edu).

To do this, they offer a wide variety of courses in many different disciplines – many of which benefit from proximity to the park. They offer a variety of two and four year programs in six main areas: land, plants and timber, the great outdoors, culinary arts, life science, and leadership/business. Under each of these umbrella categories, there are more specific majors for students to choose from, and students even have the option to create their own interdisciplinary major.

While some students may hesitate to attend college somewhere as rural as the Adirondacks for fear of boredom, Paul Smith’s offers a variety of clubs and things to do. Many of their clubs are clearly related to their location in the Adirondacks, such as the Forestry Club, or the Fish and Game Club; however, there are also many opportunities for students with other interest as well, such as the Medical Emergency Response Team or the Cycling Club. Beyond this, since almost all of their students live in on campus housing, there are always other students to grab a meal with or socialize with.

Paul Smith’s College is in a position to offer the best of both worlds when it comes to a college experience. Students are still able enjoy many of the traditional college experiences like joining clubs and living in dorms; while they also have access to the experiential learning opportunities of the Adirondacks right at their fingertips. For anyone who loves the outdoors and is looking for a different kind of college experience, Paul Smith’s is definitely a great institution to explore!

Works Cited:

http://www.paulsmiths.edu