Student life
11,600 students. Hundreds of ways to live + grow.
Beyond academics — clubs, athletics, residential life, arts, leadership, identity-based communities, service. The Caldwell experience extends far beyond the classroom.
Campus community
320+
Student clubs + organizations
32
NCAA Division III teams
94%
Live on campus, first 2 years
21
Greek + identity-based houses
Residential life
Where you live
Required first 2 years on campus
Most first-year + sophomore students live in residential halls. Mix of singles, doubles, suites. Residential life integrated with academic + social programming.
Themed living-learning communities
12 themed communities — sustainability, leadership, arts, engineering, multicultural, LGBTQ+, gender, religious, language immersion, and more. Apply during housing selection.
Upperclass apartments + suites
Junior + senior students often move to apartment-style housing on campus. Singles + 2-4 person suites. Some have kitchens.
Off-campus housing
About 35% of upperclass students live off-campus. Local housing market well-served by student housing. Off-campus housing fair held annually.
Greek system housing
21 fraternities + sororities. Most have houses near campus. Greek life is one path among many; not central to most students’ experience.
Identity + affinity housing
Specific houses + floors for cultural + identity communities. Latin + Latina House, Black Student Living-Learning Community, LGBTQ Resource Center, etc.
Athletics + recreation
Get moving
32 NCAA Division III teams
Football, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, swimming, track, cross-country, baseball, softball, volleyball, hockey, rowing, gymnastics. Walk-on policy for many sports; tryouts for others.
Intramural sports
Highly active intramural program. Most students participate in 1-2 intramural sports per year. Levels for casual, competitive, and somewhere-in-between.
Club sports
30+ club sports — fencing, archery, ultimate frisbee, climbing, sailing, equestrian. Student-led + university-supported.
Recreation centers
Two on-campus recreation centers. Open 6am-midnight. Cardio + weights + classes (yoga, pilates, spin, dance, martial arts).
Outdoor program
Outdoor recreation program — backpacking, climbing, kayaking, skiing, biking. Trips throughout the year. Equipment rental on campus.
Aquatic + wellness center
Olympic-sized pool. Climbing wall (one of largest in the Northeast). Therapy pool. Sauna + steam.
Clubs + organizations
320+ student-led groups
Cultural + identity organizations
85+ cultural + identity-based groups. Asian, Black, Latinx, LGBTQ+, religious, regional, alumni-network. Active spaces for community + advocacy.
Academic + professional
60+ academic clubs (math team, debate, model UN, biology, computer science, business, premed). Major-specific student associations. Conference attendance + presentation.
Service + advocacy
40+ service organizations. Tutoring, mentoring, environmental advocacy, social justice. Many tied to local Ithaca + Tompkins County communities.
Arts + performance
30+ performing groups. Improv, theatrical productions, a cappella, student-run theater + film. Annual student arts festival.
Government + leadership
Student government, residence hall councils, judicial council, leadership programs. Leadership development opportunities for any student.
Religious + spiritual
20+ religious + spiritual organizations. Catholic Newman, Jewish Hillel, Muslim Student Association, Buddhist Sangha, Hindu Student Association, Christian fellowships, secular humanism, and more.
Academic resources
Beyond classrooms
Main library + 6 specialized libraries
Open 24/7 during academic semester. 1.4M physical volumes + extensive digital collections. Specialized libraries for engineering, business, health sciences, law.
Academic + writing center
Free tutoring + writing support. Drop-in or appointment. Subject-specific tutoring (math, sciences, languages). Writing center supports all writing intensities.
Career services
Career planning, internships, jobs, graduate school applications. Industry-specific career counselors. On-campus recruiting events. Strong industry network.
Wellness + counseling services
Confidential mental health counseling. Free for enrolled students. 24/7 crisis hotline. Group therapy + workshops + seminars.
Disability services
Accommodations for documented disabilities. Confidential, supportive process. Many accommodations available — extended time, alternative formats, accessibility-focused course design.
Specific identity centers
Asian Pacific American Center. Latinx Living-Learning Community. Black Student Center. LGBTQ Resource Center. Women’s Resource Center. International Student + Scholar Office.
Student life questions
What students ask
- Active but not dominant. About 18% of students join Greek life. The other 82% find community in dorms, clubs, athletics, identity-based organizations. Greek life is one path; not central to most students’ experience.