Purchase College

Purchase College, also known as SUNY Purchase or State University of New York College at Purchase, is a public liberal, visual, and performing arts college in Purchase, New York and is a part of the State University of New York system. It was founded in 1967 and was designed as a school that would combine conservatory training in the visual and performing arts with liberal arts and sciences programs. It has strong conservatory programs in Theater Arts & Film, Music, and Dance, and its' School of Art + Design is well-respected. It has an enrollment of approximately 4,000 students, and is one of the Princeton Review's top 387 American Universities.

Alumni

Notable alumni and former students of Purchase include:

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Actors

• Edie Falco
• Bob Gosse
• Josh Hartnett
• Michael C. Maronna
• Parker Posey
• Wesley Snipes
• Stanley Tucci

Playwrights

• Donald Margulies

Screenwriters

• Aaron Sorkin
• J.D. Zeik

Directors

• A. Dean Bell
• Nick Gomez
• Hal Hartley
• Chris Wedge

Musicians

• Imani Coppola
• Dan Deacon
• Seth Faergoalzia of Dufus
• Langhorne Slim
• Jeffrey Lewis
• Moby
• Anthony Perrino of the Ruff Ryders
• Alec Reinstein, a.k.a. Despot, of Def Jux Records
• Regina Spektor
• Rich Westover
• Bill Youngman a.k.a. DJ Audible

Artists

• Jon Kessler (sculptor)
• Fred Wilson

Some of these and other alumni compose what has been called The Purchase Mafia by several different sources, including Edie Falco and Hal Hartley http://www.villagevoice.com/film/9910,atkinson2,4358,20.html, http://www.filmmaker.com/reviews-800.html, http://www.hstech.org/college/Purchase.htm. It is difficult, however, to determine where the title originated. Graduates of the past 5-7 years are quickly becoming known as The Purchase Junior Mafia.

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