Parsons School Of Design: Campus Life

Parsons School of Design, The New School is situated in New York City’s Greenwich Village, with an academic quad that extends from 11th to 16th Streets along Fifth and Sixth Avenues and both the faculty and students considers New York City an integral part of the educational experience.

Whether you’re on the main campus in New York City or at Parsons Paris, the boundaries of the classroom dissolve as students get access to lectures, exhibitions, and performances by the world’s most celebrated artists and leaders. In a single year, students at The New School interned at 900+ organisations throughout New York City. Here, there is always a person, organisation, nonprofit, or group that shares your passions. Throughout the city, you will build a community centered around what you care about most.

“Studying in New York affords you situations, friend groups, and things to do outside of your school community, which I think a lot of people take advantage of.” — Aiden Farrell, BA Literary Studies, Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts

“The School of Jazz gave me the option to study with whomever I wanted to in the city of New York. It literally granted me access to the city.” —James Francies, BFA Jazz and Contemporary Music, School of Jazz and Contemporary Music

There are 75+ Student organizations and clubs on campus and 1K+ Public programs every year. The Office of Student Leadership and Involvement supports students by encouraging them to join a Registered Student Organizations. Participating in a student organization is a rewarding experience that allow students to build leadership skills and establish lasting connections, communities, friendships, and support.

Living on campus provides opportunities to form bonds, ease the transition from home to college, and make new friends for life. The Residential Education staff is available to support students as they live with students from different backgrounds and make connections, meet collaborators, and learn more about themselves while living on their own for the first time. The college mission is to create an environment that fosters a safe, inclusive, and just community in which students engage through meaningful residential learning experiences.

Each of the four residence halls is co-ed, with the option to select gender-inclusive housing, and each includes a lounge, an art studio, a music practice room, a kitchen, and washers and dryers. The college offers a safe, convenient home base in Manhattan for anyone taking classes, working, or completing an internship in New York City during the summer. Rooms are available near Union Square and in Chelsea. Many students choose to live in New York City through off-campus housing so Housing and Residential Education maintains a list of apartments for lease, sublet, or share.

“Living on campus has been a dream. I’m on Fifth Avenue, like two seconds away from everything, which is really nice.” — Bailey Baerwolf, BS Urban Design, Parsons School of Design

Live and study as part of a diverse community and make friends for life. In our residence halls, photography majors live with sociologists, and anthropology students with jazz musicians. Our four on-campus residences in Greenwich Village offer students the opportunity to live and learn in a nurturing, supportive, and collaborative environment.

Students can find state-of-the-art resources in any one of our university buildings located in the heart of Greenwich Village. And the community they need to help them unleash their intellect, energy, and creativity, both in and outside of the classroom. There are more than forty student organisations on campus as well as athletics and fitness classes, ensuring that students will find people who share their passion.

Social awareness is core to the university’s ethos, so many students dedicate their out-of-class time to making a positive impact on the world or taking advantage of the opportunity to see groundbreaking speakers, exhibitions, and performances through our public programs.

Emma Wernsdorfer, BFA Integrated Design, Parsons School of Design:”I’ve met some of my best friends through living on campus. It was a really great way to understand the community and integrate myself into it.”

Brenda Rodriguez, BFA Fashion Design, Parsons Paris: “Studying at Parsons Paris means being part of an amazing community, a diverse group of people who share common interests and goals.”

Amanda Zaldivar, BS Interdisciplinary Science, Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts: “The New School community has provided me many great opportunities, like free screenings, talks, and my job at The New Store.”