Our Campus on Long Island

Usdan Land Acknowledgement 

Usdan sits on the territory and ancestral homelands of the Matinecock, Nissequogue, and Massapequa peoples, the peoples of “great water land.”  We offer this acknowledgement to take a step toward correcting the stories and practices that erase Indigenous people’s history and culture. We can honor the living heritage of the Matinecock, Nissequogue, and Massapequa by aiming to live peacefully and harmoniously with the natural life of these woods. 

This is a living land acknowledgement, and we will continue to revise and strengthen it in collaboration with community members.

By design, the Usdan campus combines welcome and wonder. With 140 acres of natural beauty, our campus forges the literal and metaphoric space students need in order to feel both safe and independent enough to step out of their school-year selves. When parents and campers describe the Usdan campus, “Amazing,” “Exciting,” “Inspiring,” “Awesome,” “Magical,” “Beautiful,” “Transforming,” and “Unforgettable” top the list, alongside “Safe,” “Home,” and “Family.”

Over Usdan’s five-decade history, three celebrated architectural firms have shaped the campus. Today, students have access to 70 studios and theaters, including the Andrew and Lily McKinley Amphitheater, a 900-seat, award-winning campus center that hosts Usdan’s daily Festival Performances. Other major campus buildings include: the Jerrold Ross Discovery Center and the Maurice B. Hexter Center. Clustered closely by department, students can move easily from studio to studio for collaboration and camaraderie. The campus also has four modern tennis courts, three large outdoor swimming pools, two yoga platforms, an archery range, a quidditch field, and a recreation area for basketball and other games.