Kirkland College - Legacy at Hamilton College

Legacy At Hamilton College

When Kirkland was officially incorporated into and absorbed by Hamilton College in 1978, many continuing students elected to join the new co-ed college, and some faculty accepted equivalent positions in Hamilton's departments. Yet discontent with the way the merger was executed festered long after 1978, coloring both alumnae relations, inter-faculty relations and, to some degree, campus social dynamics. Despite such friction, many of the educational principles of Kirkland (such as student-designed majors and independent study) found their way into the Hamilton curriculum. Efforts on the part of both Kirkland and Hamilton alumni to acknowledge common interests have begun to mend these breaches by responding to the curiosity and interests of current Hamilton students regarding Kirkland and its influence on their college.