From December Term to J Term: A Hartwick Tradition
As another successful J Term comes to a close, the program remains a signature Hartwick College experience, connecting today’s students to a tradition that spans more than six decades.
Known for its immersive and interdisciplinary approach, J Term continues to offer students opportunities that extend beyond the traditional semester.
Introduced in 1964 as a December Term under President Frederick Binder, the program was held during the three weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and supported by a grant from the Ford Foundation’s Fund for the Advancement of Education. Although the idea of shifting the program to January was discussed as early as the 1970s, the transition was not implemented until 1981 under President Philip Wilder.
Early offerings included study abroad opportunities for foreign language students and a biology program on the island of San Salvador. These experiences helped pave the way for an expanding range of off-campus programs. By the mid-1980s, students could study biology in the Galapagos, theater arts in Trinidad, economics and management in Germany, history in France, political science in China, and sociology in Ireland. That same spirit of curiosity and global engagement continues today: this year, 141 students took courses in locations across the globe, including New Zealand, Spain, South Africa and Greece.
J Term in India, 1997, Professor Sandy Huntington
Hartwick in San Salvador, Bahamas. c.1970s
Hartwick in San Salvador, Bahamas, c.1970s
Unknown location, c. 1975-80
J Term in Syria, 1998. “Archaeology and Historical Geography of the Bible”, Professor Gary A. Herion
J Term in Israel, 1998, “Archaeology and Historical Geography of the Bible”, Professor Gary A. Herion
J Term in India, c.1990s, Professor Sandy Huntington
Photos are part of the collection in Hartwick College Paul F. Cooper, Jr. Archives.
