Lafayette College

Lafayette College
MottoVeritas liberabit (Latin) Cur Non? (Latin)
Motto in English
The truth shall set you free. Why Not?
TypePrivate liberal arts college
Established1826 (1826)
Academic affiliations
NAICU
CIC
LVAIC
Annapolis Group
CLAC
Oberlin Group
Endowment$1.2 billion (2025)
ChairmanRobert E. Sell
PresidentNicole Hurd
ProvostLaura E. McGrane
Academic staff
229 full-time members
Undergraduates2,729 (spring 2023)
Location,
U.S.

40°41′55″N 75°12′29″W / 40.69861°N 75.20806°W / 40.69861; -75.20806
CampusSuburban
110-acre (45 ha) main campus
and additional 230-acre (93 ha) athletic complex.
Colors    Maroon and white
NicknameLeopards
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division IPatriot League
Websitewww.lafayette.edu

Lafayette College is a private liberal arts college in Easton, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter and other citizens in Easton, the college first held classes in 1832. The founders voted to name the college after the Marquis de Lafayette, a hero of the American Revolution.

Located on College Hill in Easton, the campus overlooks the Delaware River and is situated in the Lehigh Valley, about 70 mi (110 km) west of New York City and 60 mi (97 km) north of Philadelphia. Lafayette enrolls approximately 2,700 undergraduate students and offers programs in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering. The college emphasizes small class sizes and undergraduate research, and it competes in NCAA Division I athletics as a member of the Patriot League. As of 2024, its endowment was valued at over $1 billion.