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State University of New York
at Old Westbury
Former names	State University of New York College at Old Westbury (1965–2023)
Motto	"Own Your Future"
Type	Public university
Established	1965; 61 years ago
Parent institution	State University of New York
President	Timothy E. Sams
Provost	David Lanoue
Students	4,948 (fall 2025)
Undergraduates	4,478 (fall 2025)
Postgraduates	470 (fall 2025)
Location	Old Westbury, New York, U.S.; 40°47′57″N 73°34′27″W / 40.7993°N 73.5741°W
Campus	Suburban, 605 acres (245 ha)
Colors	Green & ivory
Nickname	Panthers
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division III Skyline
Mascot	OWWIN the Panther
Website	oldwestbury.edu

The State University of New York at Old Westbury (SUNY at Old Westbury) is a public university in Old Westbury, New York, United States,^[3] with portions in the neighboring town of Jericho.^[4] It enrolls just over 5,000 students.

History

The State University of New York at Old Westbury was founded in 1965 as the "State University of New York College at Old Westbury" by the State University of New York (SUNY) Board of Trustees. It began in 1968 at Planting Fields, the former Coe Estate and arboretum in Oyster Bay, New York. In 1971, the university moved to its present Old Westbury site in Nassau County, Long Island – an estate, known as "Broad Hollow," formerly owned by agriculturist, industrialist, sportsman and philanthropist F. Ambrose Clark.^[5]

The first president of the Old Westbury campus college was John D. Maguire, who had been a religion professor at Wesleyan University and a civil rights activist. He aimed to create a university devoted to social justice and racial equality.^[6]

In 1986, L. Eudora Pettigrew became president of Old Westbury, becoming the first African-American college president in the SUNY system.^[7]

In 2023, the college gained status as a university, becoming the "State University of New York at Old Westbury".^[8]

Academics

Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2023^[9]
Race and ethnicity	Total
Hispanic	32%
Black	25%
White	24%
Asian	12%
International student	4%
Two or more races	3%
Unknown	1%
Economic diversity
Low-income^[a]	49%
Affluent^[b]	51%

There are over 50 degree programs available at the university.

Of the university's 166 full-time professors,^[10] approximately 80% hold the highest degree in their discipline. Eight members of the faculty have been named Distinguished Teaching or Service Professors by the State University of New York,^[11] which are among the highest ranks available in the university system.^[12]

Academic offerings are housed in four schools.

School of Arts and Sciences
School of Business at SUNY-Old Westbury which is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)^[13]
School of Education
School of Professional Studies which offers evening, online, hybrid, and weekend courses

Athletics

SUNY Old Westbury athletics wordmark

SUNY Old Westbury teams, named the Panthers, participate as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III.^[14] The Panthers are a member of the Skyline Conference. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, softball and volleyball.

Athletic facilities

The F. Ambrose Clark Physical Education & Recreation Center, also known as the Clark Athletic Center, houses a 25-meter swimming pool; a gymnasium with seating for 2,000; a strength and conditioning facility; and an aerobic workout room with physical fitness accessories.

The Clark Center is a venue for the Nassau County, New York, high school men's basketball playoffs as well as some women's tournament games. The events are shown on local Cablevision TV outlets News 12 Long Island and Telecare. Other Nassau high school basketball events are staged at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University's Pratt Center, north of the Clark Center in the neighboring region of Brookville, New York.

The neighboring Jackie Robinson Athletic Complex, dedicated in 2006, adjoins the Clark Center. It includes a baseball stadium and softball field. The baseball stadium seatings more than 1,000 fans, and a press box is available for game announcers and media personnel.

The university features two soccer fields, eight tennis courts, and two outdoor recreational basketball courts. Runners in cross country competition train on European-styled courses that traverse Old Westbury's 604-acre (2.44 km²) wooded campus.

Notable alumni

Kevin J. Greene — lawyer and law professor
A. Tom Grunfeld — sinologist
Craig S. Harris — jazz musician
David Liederman — chef and businessman
John McTiernan — movie producer
Andrea Navedo — actress
Lester Prosper — basketball player
Andrew P. Schafer Jr. — US Army major general^[15]
Jacob Staub — rabbi and author

Notes

^ The percentage of students who received an income-based federal Pell grant intended for low-income students.
^ The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum.

References

^ Kinane, Michael (November 4, 2020). "Dr. Timothy E. Sams Appointed President of SUNY Old Westbury". SUNY Old Westbury (Press release). Retrieved February 27, 2021.
^ "SUNY Enrollment". State University of New York. Retrieved February 16, 2026.
^ "Oyster Bay town, New York Deprecated link archived 2012-10-11 at archive.today." U.S. Census Bureau, on Long Island. Retrieved on May 25, 2009.
^ "Old Westbury village, New York Archived 2011-06-06 at the Wayback Machine." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on May 25, 2009.
^ Old Long Island: Broad Hollow House Archived 2010-08-18 at the Wayback Machine
^ "John Maguire, 86, Early Promoter of Diversity in Education, Dies". The New York Times. November 9, 2018. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
^ "In Memoriam: L. Eudora Pettigrew". UDaily. University of Delaware. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
^ "It's Official: SUNY Old Westbury is Now a University". oldwestbury.edu. SUNY Old Westbury. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
^ "College Scorecard: SUNY Old Westbury". College Scorecard. United States Department of Education. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
^ university Catalog, Pg 217–221 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2010. Retrieved August 6, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "About Us". July 27, 2012. Archived from the original on February 12, 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
^ SUNY Faculty Programs http://www.suny.edu/provost/facultyawards.cfm ^{[permanent dead link]}
^ Genn, Adina (August 10, 2023). "SUNY Old Westbury School of Business earns AACSB international accreditation | Long Island Business News".
^ NCAA "Who We Are" Member Search https://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/NCAA/About+the+NCAA/Who+We+Are/ Archived 2012-08-10 at the Wayback Machine
^ Pennsylvania Senate (June 22, 2017). "Biography, Brigadier General Andrew P. Schafer" (PDF). Pennsylvania Senate GOP.com. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Senate Republicans. pp. 1–3. Retrieved April 11, 2025.

External links

Official website
Athletics website

[10] The percentage of students who received an income-based federal Pell grant intended for low-income students.

[11] The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum.

[1] Kinane, Michael (November 4, 2020). "Dr. Timothy E. Sams Appointed President of SUNY Old Westbury". SUNY Old Westbury (Press release). Retrieved February 27, 2021.

[2] "SUNY Enrollment". State University of New York. Retrieved February 16, 2026.

[3] "Oyster Bay town, New York Deprecated link archived 2012-10-11 at archive.today." U.S. Census Bureau, on Long Island. Retrieved on May 25, 2009.

[4] "Old Westbury village, New York Archived 2011-06-06 at the Wayback Machine." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on May 25, 2009.

[5] Old Long Island: Broad Hollow House Archived 2010-08-18 at the Wayback Machine

[6] "John Maguire, 86, Early Promoter of Diversity in Education, Dies". The New York Times. November 9, 2018. Retrieved August 6, 2023.

[7] "In Memoriam: L. Eudora Pettigrew". UDaily. University of Delaware. Retrieved January 28, 2023.

[8] "It's Official: SUNY Old Westbury is Now a University". oldwestbury.edu. SUNY Old Westbury. Retrieved October 20, 2023.

[9] "College Scorecard: SUNY Old Westbury". College Scorecard. United States Department of Education. Retrieved August 15, 2025.

[12] university Catalog, Pg 217–221 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2010. Retrieved August 6, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[13] "About Us". July 27, 2012. Archived from the original on February 12, 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2015.

[14] SUNY Faculty Programs http://www.suny.edu/provost/facultyawards.cfm ^{[permanent dead link]}

[15] Genn, Adina (August 10, 2023). "SUNY Old Westbury School of Business earns AACSB international accreditation | Long Island Business News".

[16] NCAA "Who We Are" Member Search https://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/NCAA/About+the+NCAA/Who+We+Are/ Archived 2012-08-10 at the Wayback Machine

[SenateBio-17] Pennsylvania Senate (June 22, 2017). "Biography, Brigadier General Andrew P. Schafer" (PDF). Pennsylvania Senate GOP.com. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Senate Republicans. pp. 1–3. Retrieved April 11, 2025.

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