Geography was established in 1945 as part of the Department of Social Sciences at
Harpur College. Professor Joseph Van Riper was the founder and also served as Chair
of the Social Sciences Department of Harpur College. The graduate program and the
Department of Geography were established in 1966 when Harpur College became part of
the State University of New York at Binghamton. It has since remained a vibrant department
with active undergraduate and graduate programs.
