Vassar College
Vassar College, an independent liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York. Vassar College confers A.B., M.A., and M.S. degrees. Qualified students may study in Europe during the junior year, and there is opportunity for independent study beginning in the freshman year. Extensive field work in the social sciences is available.
The Vassar campus covers about 1,000 acres (405 hectares) and has more than 100 buildings. Among the more outstanding structures are a residence hall by Eero Saarinen and Main Building, a replica of the Tuileries in France. The main library has a notable collection of rare books and manuscripts, including papers of the poet Elizabeth Bishop, the writers Mark Twain and John Burroughs, and many others. The college's art gallery has a permanent collection that includes works by Drer and Rembrandt.
Vassar was chartered in 1861 as a college for women and opened for instruction in 1865. It was named after its founder, Matthew Vassar, a wealthy brewer. The institution became coeducational in 1969.