Dominican College in Blauvelt, New York, offers a welcoming, small college experience in a safe, beautiful community outside one of the world’s most dynamic cities. Located just 17 miles from New York City in the scenic Hudson Valley, the College provides students with a friendly, but challenging atmosphere. The environment is ideal for students to flourish because they are nurtured and supported in the classroom. Professors at the College are involved and accessible, with a student–faculty ratio of 15 to 1. In addition, students have plenty of opportunities to get involved outside of the classroom by participating in athletics, student activities, or community service.
Students receive a broad-based liberal arts education at Dominican College with specialized academic tracks to prepare them for a successful and fulfilling career. The College offers professional undergraduate programs -- including ones in nursing, health sciences, teacher education, marketing, and social work. In all, more than 30 programs are offered on the undergraduate and master’s level. In addition, there are doctoral programs in nursing practice and physical therapy.
The Freshman Year Program helps make the transition to college life easier for incoming students. Students are paired with a faculty advisor and upperclassmen to help them adjust to campus living. The Academic Success Center offers tutors to help students study for tests or complete term papers and assignments. When students are ready for a job or an internship, the Career Development Center helps them prepare their résumés and sharpen their interview skills. Because of the College’s location, students have access to outstanding internships, clinical opportunities, and the New York City job market.
Dominican College sponsors 17 intercollegiate sports that compete for championships at the NCAA Division II level. The College is also a member of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC), a conference comprised of 13 schools from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Pennsylvania and the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). Dominican College sports teams include men’s and women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s lacrosse, and men’s and women’s track and field. Two new club sports at the school are men’s and women’s rowing and esports, which has begun recruiting. Intramural sports are offered as well, and the state-of-the-art Fitness Center in the Hennessy Center is available to all students, free of charge.
There are many other ways for students to get involved in campus life at Dominican College, in addition to its athletic teams. The Office of Student Life offers events, clubs, and activities to keep students engaged. Dominican College has more than 25 clubs and organizations including student government, the drama society, campus ministry, and the Caribbean dance crew. Students are always welcome to form new clubs as well. There are also opportunities for students to perform community service and be committed to social justice. This helps students reach their potential as responsible citizens who enrich the world around them.
Dominican College’s student body is richly diverse and is composed of students who commute or reside on campus. The College has three Residence Centers that are equipped with wireless internet, cable TV, and Ethernet ports. The buildings provide 24-hour front desk security coverage, card access entry points and security cameras. The residence halls have lounges with study spaces, game rooms, student computers, and casual hang-out spaces.
Dominican College was founded by the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt in 1952 and is an independent institution of higher learning, Catholic in origin and heritage. The mission of the College is to promote educational excellence, leadership, and service in an environment characterized by respect for the individual and concern for the community and its needs. The College has received a number of awards and honors in recognition of academic excellence and the high level of support it provides to its students. It is among a select group of colleges to be named a College of Distinction based on its excellence in four distinctions – engaged students, great teaching, vibrant campus communities, and successful outcomes.
U.S. News & World Report ranked Dominican College a Top Performer on Social Mobility on its 2022 Best Colleges list. Dominican College was ranked #21 out of Regional Universities North for social mobility because it enrolls and graduates large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded Pell Grants. Furthermore, the College has been named Military Friendly for exhibiting best practices in support of military students and is recognized as a Hispanic Serving Institution.