815 North Broadway
Saratoga Springs,
New York, 12866
SKIDMORE PHONE
518-580-5000
Val H. Wilson
Val H. Wilson became Skidmore’s third president in 1957. He concentrated
on strengthening the faculty and academic programs, initiated inroads in
the creation of interdepartmental offerings, and encouraged more and
more students to enter graduate school.
Under Dr. Wilson, Skidmore’s growth strained its campus at the
seams. Enrollment had risen to 1,300, and many of the turn-of-the-century
buildings were growing obsolete, requiring increased maintenance
and renovation. The adequacy of the physical plant also was
threatened by the loss of 50 acres of athletic fields to a new
superhighway as Interstate 87 worked its way northward.
It was at this critical time in Skidmore’s history that the board of
trustees decided to build a completely new campus on a 650-acre
tract on North Broadway.
By the time his tenure was cut short by his sudden death in 1964, Dr.
Wilson saw construction begin on the Lucy Scribner Library and on the
first residential and dining complex.
Wilson Chapel, on the edge of North Woods, is named for him.
Creative Thought Matters.
Skidmore College · 815 North Broadway · Saratoga Springs, NY · 12866
