SUNY Orange

{{Short description|Community college in Orange County, New York, U.S.}}

{{Infobox university

| name = SUNY Orange
(Orange County Community College)

| image_name = Orange County Community College seal.jpg

| motto = If you have the dream, we have the way!

| established = {{start date and age|1950}}

| type = Public community college

| parent = State University of New York

| endowment =

| president = Kristine M. Young

| faculty =

| staff =

| undergrad = 5,386{{cite web |url=https://www.suny.edu/about/fast-facts/ |title=SUNY Fast Facts |publisher=State University of New York (SUNY)}}

| city = Middletown

| state = New York

| country = United States

| coor = {{Coord|41.439863|-74.426923|region:US_type:edu|display=inline,title}}

| campus = Suburban
{{convert|37|acre|km2}}{{cite web|url=https://www.suny.edu/campuses/orange/|title=Orange County Community College|access-date=2023-08-18}}

| former_names =

| colors = navy blue and orange {{color box|navy}}{{color box|orange}}

| nickname = Colts

| mascot =

| sporting_affiliations = NJCAA – Region XV, Mid-Hudson Athletic Conference

| website = {{URL|http://www.sunyorange.edu}}

| logo = SUNY Orange Logo.jpg

| logo_size = 240px

}}

SUNY Orange (Orange County Community College) is a public community college with two campuses, one in Middletown, New York, and one in Newburgh, New York. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system and offers almost 40 associate degrees and certificate programs. SUNY Orange is accredited by Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The college employs an open enrollment policy to all applicants who are graduates of an accredited high school or recipients of a state high school equivalency diploma.{{cite web|last=Orange|first=SUNY|title=Registrar - New Students |url=https://sunyorange.edu/registrar/new_student.html|work=SUNY Orange Website|publisher=SUNY Orange|accessdate=9 June 2019}}

History

As late as 1945, on the west side of the Hudson River from New York City to the state capital at Albany, there were only two colleges, the United States Military Academy at West Point and what would become SUNY New Paltz.{{cite web|title=Orange County Gets a College|url=http://www.sunyorange.edu/history/college.shtml|work=SUNY Orange Website|publisher=SUNY Orange|accessdate=28 March 2014}} Orange County did not have a public college, and consequently in 1948, research began to find a suitable site.

The Webb Horton House and property, now the 'mansion' at the Middletown campus, was chosen for founding the college. Built by Webb Horton, the mansion was left to his cousin, John H. Morrison, upon his death. His wife Mrs. Christine Morrison, lived there alone after the death of her husband in 1946. In 1950, she donated the mansion and property as the home of Orange County Community College.

The College was founded in 1950, opening its doors to 160 students as the first county-sponsored community college in the SUNY system. It was the first community college in the nation to offer a two-year nursing degree program.{{cite web|last=Orange|first=SUNY|title=About SUNY Orange|url=http://www.sunyorange.edu/aboutus/|work=SUNY Orange Website|publisher=SUNY Orange|accessdate=27 February 2014}}

When it opened, the College consisted of Morrison Hall and Horton Hall, on 14 acres. Today, it has 12 buildings at the Middletown campus, and two buildings at the Newburgh campus.{{cite web|title=Quick Facts|url=http://www.sunyorange.edu/aboutus/quick_facts.shtml|work=SUNY Orange Website|publisher=SUNY Orange|accessdate=28 March 2014}}

Campuses

SUNY Orange comprises two campuses: the main one in city of Middletown, New York and the Newburgh branch campus, situated on the banks of the Hudson River.

valign="top" | File:Morrison Hall, SUNY Orange, Middletown, NY.jpg

| valign="top" | File:Rowley Center for Science and Engineering.jpg

| valign="top" | File:Kaplan Hall - SUNY Orange Newburgh Campus.jpg

| valign="top" | File:Tower Building - SUNY Orange Newburgh Campus.jpg

Academics

SUNY Orange offers a total of 39 associate degrees and certificate programs.{{cite web|title=Degree and Certificate Programs|url=http://www.sunyorange.edu/admissions/programs/index.shtml|work=SUNY Orange Website|publisher=SUNY Orange|accessdate=27 February 2014}} As of 2023, the college enrolled approximately 6,500 students annually.{{Cite web |title=DFR Report HTML |url=https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/dfr/2023/ReportHTML.aspx?unitId=194240 |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=nces.ed.gov}} The college has matriculation agreements with more than 30 four-year institutions, facilitating the transfer of SUNY Orange students graduating with an associate degree who want to complete 4-year degrees.{{cite web|title=Articulation/Transfer Agreements by Institution|url=http://www.sunyorange.edu/oep/pp/articulations/institution.shtml|work=SUNY Orange Website|publisher=SUNY Orange|accessdate=27 February 2014}}

Student life

The Middletown campus offers a dental clinic,{{cite web |title=Dental Clinic |url=http://www.sunyorange.edu/dentalhygiene/clinic/index.shtml |accessdate=27 February 2014 |work=SUNY Orange Website |publisher=SUNY Orange}} fitness studios, a swimming pool, soccer and softball fields, computer and tutorial labs, child-care facilities, theatre, gymnasium, art gallery, gaming rooms and micro-markets on-campus. The Newburgh campus has its own child-care facilities, fitness room, micro-market, art gallery, and gaming room.{{cite web |title=SUNY Orange Catalog |url=http://www.sunyorange.edu/catalog/docs/AboutSUNYOrange-2013-2014_fix.pdf |accessdate=27 February 2014 |work=SUNY Orange Website |publisher=SUNY Orange}} The college also has a chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honors society for two-year colleges.{{cite web |title=Phi Theta Kappa |url=http://www.sunyorange.edu/ptk/ |accessdate=27 February 2014 |work=SUNY Orange Website |publisher=SUNY Orange}}

The college also has an Alumni Relations office which holds events specifically for alumni throughout the year.{{cite web |title=Alumni Relations Events |url=http://www.sunyorange.edu/alumni/events.shtml |work=SUNY Orange Website |publisher=SUNY Orange |accessdate=27 February 2014}}

Community programs and events

The college's Continuing and Professional Education department offers G.E.D. programs, industry certifications and personal enrichments programs.{{cite web|title=Browse CAPE Courses|url=http://www.sunyorange.edu/ce/courses/index.php|work=SUNY Orange Website|publisher=SUNY Orange|accessdate=27 February 2014}} The ENCORE program offers classes for people over 50.{{cite web|title=ENCORE Program|url=http://www.sunyorange.edu/encore/|work=SUNY Orange Website|publisher=SUNY Orange|accessdate=27 February 2014}} The college allows free auditing of classes for community members 60 or above.{{cite web|title=Special College Programs|url=http://www.sunyorange.edu/ce/special/college.shtml|work=SUNY Orange Website|publisher=SUNY Orange|accessdate=27 February 2014}} The college's Cultural Affairs department has a variety of exhibits, lectures, master classes, theater performances and concerts each semester which are open to the public.{{cite web|title=The Arts at SUNY Orange|url=http://www.sunyorange.edu/culturalaffairs/|work=SUNY Orange Website|publisher=SUNY Orange|accessdate=27 February 2014}}