NYU Looks to Create Satellite Campus in Washington, D.C.

By Patrick Lattin

      With a recent pledge from NYU alumnus and trustee Ronald Abramson (WSC ’71), NYU has begun planning for its first domestic campus outside of New York City. With satellite campuses and study abroad programs worldwide, NYU now hopes to offer students such an academic experience in another influential American city: Washington, D.C. The planned satellite campus will provide undergraduate students the opportunity to explore national political life and the rich culture of the nation’s capital while gaining practical experience in a number of fields.
      While the D.C. campus and program is still in its infancy and initial fundraising stage, Abramson’s pledge has secured a plot of land at 1307 L Street NW, just blocks from the White House, the National Mall, and Capitol Hill. The University will now begin a fundraising effort to realize this vision.
      Since the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area has more than 6,500 NYU alumni and an active alumni community, the University hopes that a domestic satellite campus will also serve as a gateway between NYU’s current students and their academic endeavors and those who have established successful careers in the nation’s capital. The campus will allow alumni to reconnect with the University by creating an opportunity to network with, mentor, and provide inspiration to current students.
      “I believe NYU in D.C. will be a significant addition to the nation’s capital,” says Abramson. “The proximity to the three branches of government will provide students and faculty the opportunity to learn from policy makers and to experience a deeper understanding of leadership and the democratic process.”
      The academic vision of the D.C. campus is to offer semester and summer programs through the College of Arts and Science. Each student’s semester-long program will feature a core seminar and two accompanying courses. In addition to this coursework, students will complete internships in their particular fields. The internship program in D.C. will be coordinated through individual departments, as well as the John Brademas Center for the Study of Congress and the Wasserman Center for Career Development. The planning of the D.C. curriculum is being coordinated with several departments, including politics, economics, history, journalism, and art history, and other departments have also expressed an interest in participating.
      “Having a visible NYU presence in the heart of the nation’s capital will benefit both our students and our faculty,” said Matthew S. Santirocco, dean of the College of Arts and Science and associate provost for undergraduate education. “A natural extension of the global network university, it will also serve our broader D.C. community by providing a center for cultural and intellectual activities.”