Vox Clamantis in Deserto
A Voice Crying out in the Wilderness

“"It is, Sir, as I have said, a small college. And yet there are those who love it."
Daniel Webster

ARRIVAL
Winding through the almost silent country roads of New Hampshire, it seems unlikely there is any sort of town nearby, especially one that houses one of the schools of the prestigious Ivy League. As the car moves on, the static on the stereo becomes the sounds of the Dartmouth College radio station and it is then we see the first signs that lets us know we are approaching the town of Hanover. Soon, we turn a corner and unexpectedly, there it is: Dartmouth College. In all its austere New England architectural splendor, it is quite a sight!
If one had the ability to invent the quintessential college town it would look exactly like Hanover, New Hampshire. Dartmouth College sits firmly on the border of the meandering Connecticut River, and if one were to look across it, the state of Vermont is to be seen on the other side. The town of Hanover is dwarfed by the shadows of rolling mountains which are indicative of the Northeast. To the West of the town are the stark and powerful White Mountains and to the East the more placid Green Mountains of the state they lend their name to.
In the summer the mountains and the rest of the landscape are a magnificent green, not giving a hint of the brutal winters that will come. As most New Englanders know, the winter gives and it takes. The winters are so hard and barren in Hanover it forces those who live there to spend more time inside, to go slower, and to ruminate more about their place in life, or hopefully their studies. One might think they are ready for a New England winter, but until one experience it there is no knowing for sure. Here in Hanover, the winters are long and unforgiving.
But possibly the season that represents Dartmouth best is the fall, with the crisp days, and the leaves turning into a symphony of colors. The perfect time for a freshman to check out their new environment. In the center of the campus one finds “The Green” a large open space where students gather with their friends on nice days, but is a place that is often empty during the brutal winter.
Near the green is Main Street where an unsuspecting visitor will find much more than expected from a town the size of Hanover, which at the time of this writing has 11,485 residents. There are numerous coffee shops, restaurants, clothing stores, and bookstores, all of the highest quality. When asked what the winters are like in Hanover, one local at the counter of Lou's Restaurant & Bakery had this to say “If the dark, freezing cold weather and solitude is embraced it makes for a perfect environment for learning and studying. If not, well, one could be driven a bit insane.”
Hanover is unique. The town manages to have a small town vibe of being friendly and casual while still maintaining a sense of sophistication and worldliness. The 269 acre campus gives off a feel that is hard to describe, but it is one that tends to have an effect on people. When President Dwight D. Eisenhower, visited in 1953 he remarked, "This is what a college should look like."
The town was founded in 1761 and the college in 1769. Now it seems virtually impossible to separate the two, both are forever intertwined, one could not exist without the other. While the town is the center of a Dartmouth students’ universe, nature plays a huge role as well. The Appalachian Trail runs through town and borders The Hanover Inn, a lodging house that is owned by the college, it is the only inn on the entire trail. When the weather is warm and kind there are places to canoe and kayak near the college and when it becomes cold and cruel there is skating, and cross country and downhill skiing.
Dartmouth is a private college. As with all Ivy League institutions it is regarded as one of the best schools in the country. It is a small college indeed with an enrollment of approximately 4400 undergraduate students and 2100 graduate students.
Students don’t just flock to Dartmouth because of its academic prowess. Known for distinct Georgian style architecture, mountain views, and large tree lined green spaces, Dartmouth routinely shows up on lists of the most beautiful campuses in the United States. It is an area known as the Upper Valley and borders the Connecticut River. The campus is 269 acres in total and includes what is known as “the green” a 5 acre plot of grass that used to be fill with pine trees. It was cleared in 1771. Dartmouth is by far the largest landowner in Hanover. The college buildings and the land they sit on are estimated to be worth over 430 million dollars. Some of the campus buildings were constructed in the 1820’s others at the beginning of this century. The campus is known to be filled with many trees.
The college was originally founded as a school to “educate” Native Americans both in Christian religion and what was then understood as “the English way of life”. In other words it was created to evangelize American Indians. Its other main function was as a seminar to instruct Congregationalist ministers. Dartmouth is the ninth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nine colonial colleges founded before the American Revolution in 1776 along with Harvard, William and Mary, Yale, Rutgers, Columbia, Brown, University of Pennsylvania, and Princeton. Today Dartmouth is a full university with no less than 40 academic departments and/or interdisciplinary programs and boasting 57 majors in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering. With an enrollment of roughly 6,400 students in total Dartmouth is the smallest university in the Ivy League. This has not triggered the university to lower the acceptance rate. It sits at 7.9% for the Class of 2023 which are students who are freshmen in the 2019-2020 academic year.
In essence, Dartmouth is a liberal arts institution offering a four-year Bachelor of Arts and an ABET-accredited Bachelor of Engineering degree to undergraduate students. The college has 39 academic departments offering 56 major programs, while students are free to design special majors or engage in dual majors if they choose. For the graduating class of 2017, the most popular majors were economics, government, computer science, engineering sciences, and history. Dartmouth has five so called schools : the undergraduate college, the Thayer School of Engineering, and three professional schools: the Geisel School of Medicine (established 1797), Thayer School of Engineering (1867)—which also serves as the undergraduate department of engineering sciences—and Tuck School of Business (1900). Moreover Dartmouth has affiliations with the Dartmouth–Hitchcock Medical Center, the Rockefeller Institute for Public Policy, and the Hopkins Center for the Arts.
Like in other Ivy League Universities, Dartmouth College has its own way with their curriculum. In order to graduate, a student must complete a total of 35 courses eight to ten of which are typically part of a student’s chosen major program. Other requirements for graduation include the completion of ten "distributive requirements" in a variety of academic fields, proficiency in a foreign language, and completion of a writing class and first-year seminar in writing. Many departments offer honors programs requiring students seeking that distinction to engage in "independent, sustained work," culminating in the production of a thesis. Through the Graduate Studies program, Dartmouth grants doctorate and master's degrees in 19 Arts & Sciences graduate programs. In addition to the courses offered in Hanover, Dartmouth offers 57 different off-campus programs. These include foreign study programs, language study abroad programs, and exchange programs.
Although the first graduate degree at Dartmouth, a PhD in classics, was awarded in 1885, many of the current PhD programs have only existed since the 1960s. Furthermore, with these professional schools and graduate programs, conventional American usage would accord Dartmouth the label of "Dartmouth University"; But, because of historical and nostalgic reasons (Dartmouth College v. Woodward), the school uses the name "Dartmouth College" to refer to the entire institution.
To make such an elaborate educational and research program possible, Dartmouth employs a total of 607 tenured or tenure-track faculty members, including the highest proportion of female tenured professors among the Ivy League universities. Like all Ivy League colleges Dartmouth heavily promotes co-education and the same rights for males and females. Faculty members have been at the forefront of such major academic developments as the Dartmouth Workshop, the Dartmouth Time Sharing System, Dartmouth BASIC, and Dartmouth ALGOL 30. In 2005, sponsored project awards to Dartmouth faculty research amounted to $169 million. Finally and interestingly enough, Dartmouth serves as the host institution of the University Press of New England. This is a university press founded in 1970 supported by a consortium of schools that also includes Brandeis University, the University of New Hampshire, Northeastern University, Tufts University and the University of Vermont.

History of Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College was founded during what is known in America as colonial times. This was before the United States was a sovereign country and existed as colonies of England.
While Dartmouth is now a prestigious Ivy League school its first incantation was as a school for Native Americans. Because of its long and fabled history Dartmouth continues to pride itself on being known as Dartmouth College and not Dartmouth University.
Eleazar Wheelock, a Congregational minister and educator from Columbia, Connecticut originally “founded” what is now known as Dartmouth College. Wheelock’s goal was to establish a school to educate Native Americans, which in his mind meant exposing them to the Christian values that were so prevalent at the time. Wheelock had a strong relationship with a Mohegan Indian named Samson Occom. A member of the Mohegan Indian tribe, Occom had studied under Whealock and eventually become a Congregationalist minister himself. Occom was known as one of the first missionaries to attempt to ingrain Christian European culture into Native American communities. After he studied under Wheelock he moved to Long Island to preach the Christian faith to the Montauks.
Congregationalists believe in the Bible but hold that each individual church and member can interpret its teachings their own way. The Congregationalist tradition goes all the way back to 16th century England when independent churches were formed that were governed by the members of the congregation and not by the hierarchal Church of England. Then as well as today, Congregational churches have a broad influence on American culture.
Wheelock had an idea but he needed money, as well as land to make it come to fruition. His old student Occom, accompanied by the Reverend Nathaniel Whitaker traveled to England in 1766 to attempt to raise money from churches. They had success and a trust was established to help Wheelock achieve his goals. A Methodist named William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth presided over the trust funds.
Initially, Wheelock had difficulties in recruiting native Indians as the location of his school was far from their territories and for the simple fact many Native Americans were not interested and were perfectly happy with their own culture. Therefore the school was relocated to Hanover, in the Province of New Hampshire. The Royal Governor of New Hampshire, John Wentworth, provided the land upon which Dartmouth would be built and on December 13, 1769, he issued a royal charter in the name of King George III to establish what became known as Dartmouth College.
The charter reads the college was created "for the education and instruction of Youth of the Indian Tribes in this Land in reading, writing & all parts of Learning which shall appear necessary and expedient for civilizing & Christianizing Children of Pagans as well as in all Liberal Arts and Sciences and also of English Youth and any others." Even though the college was named after William Legge, the second Earl of Dartmouth, Legge himself opposed the creation of a college and actually never donated to it. The college granted its first degrees in 1771.
The school’s intent, to evangelize Native Americans, soon fell by the wayside and Dartmouth quickly became a college featuring traditional programs for a student body that almost all Caucasian. Occom was disappointed in Wheelock and left New England for New York where he founded his own community school for Native Americans called Brothertown.
The original goal of the college was a failure. In fact, Dartmouth only graduated 19 Native American during its’ first 200 years. The school attempted to make amends for this and in 1970 rededicated itself to increasing enrollment by Native Americans. Since then over 700 American students from over 200 different tribe have graduated from Dartmouth College. This is more than the other seven Ivy League universities combined.
Dartmouth taught its first African-American students in 1775. By the end of the Civil War, 20 black men had attended the college or its medical school. Dartmouth was one of the first colleges in the United States that became known as a place where people of color could find instruction at a university level.

The Dartmouth College Case
The Dartmouth College Case of 1819 is one of the most important cases around constitutional law ever in the United States and one that is still referred to today. The results of this case still resonate, as it is something all private organizations in America can point towards to keep the government from interfering in their affairs.
In 1769 King George III granted a charter to Dartmouth College which gave land to the college, set up its structure and outlined its purpose. Then in 1816, 33 years after the end of the American Revolution, the New Hampshire legislature attempted to change the charter of Dartmouth. Some of what they wished to do included allowing the Governor of New Hampshire to appoint positions at the college and adding new members to the board, in effect allowing the government to control the college, which in essence would make the school public and not private. Basically, the state was attempting a bit of a coup.
The group established by the New Hampshire legislature began calling itself Dartmouth University. They took over the buildings of the original college and started activities in Hanover in 1817. Nevertheless, the college refused to give up and continued teaching classes in rented rooms nearby.
Daniel Webster an alumnus of the class of 1801 and who later was the United States Secretary of State under Presidents William Henry Harrison, (Elected in 1841, died while in still in his first year in office0 John Tyler, (1841-1845) and Millard Fillmore (1850-1853) presented the College's case to the Supreme Court. Webster concluded his defense with the famous words: "It is, Sir, as I have said, a small college. And yet there are those who love it."
When the Supreme Court decision was handed down on February 2, of 1819 the college was victorious. It ruled the actions of the New Hampshire Legislature were invalid. Dartmouth took back its buildings and charter, and continued as a private institution, and not one controlled by the state thus setting precedent about the power of states to interfere with private charters.

20th CENTURY

While Dartmouth was thought of as a good school it was still not that well known until the turn of the 20th century, it then became a strong competitor on the American educational scene. Dartmouth president William Jewett Tucker (1893–1909) played an important role in advancing this cause. Through his stewardship Dartmouth received a large endowment from its alumnus including former law professor John Ordronaux. The money was used for a revitalization of the campus as many old buildings were replaced by new facilities. At the same time an expansion in both students and faculty took place, slowly but surely leading to national prestige of the future Ivy league University. Tucker’s successors Ernest Fox Nichols (1909–16) and Ernest Martin Hopkins (1916–45) continued his trend of modernization, further improving campus facilities and introducing selective admissions in the 1920s. During WWII, education, like everything else was put on hold as most able bodied American men were called to military service.
In 1945 controversy arose as Dartmouth used racial quotas to restrict the entrance of Jews. In a New York Post article from 1945 the then president of Dartmouth Ernest M. Hopkins said, many Jewish students were turned down for admission to the college for no other reason than they were Jews saying: ‘Dartmouth is a Christian College founded for the Christianization of its students.'' Dartmouth has strongly repudiated these past views.
John Sloan Dickey who served as president from 1945 - 1970. He strongly emphasized the liberal arts, particularly public policy and international relations. He is credited with revitalizing the college. His goal was to make Dartmouth the best liberal arts college in the country.
In the 1970s the college adopted the so called “Dartmouth Plan." This allowed for women to be accepted at the college and also attempted to improve opportunities for both minorities and economically disadvantaged students to attend the school.
The nineties brought new challenges one of which had to do with fraternities and sororities. As in most universities Dartmouth had two distinct categories when it came to Greek life. There were fraternities for the men and sororities for the women. Dartmouth President James O. Freedman tried to persuade the single sex houses to become ones that were coed. This was not only controversial but unsuccessful.
With the rise of the new century the College felt the need to keep up with the times and keep Dartmouth relevant and began to raise funds to increase faculty resources, expand financial aid, and enrich residential and campus life. The name of this campaign was the $1.3 billion Campaign for the Dartmouth Experience. They fell a bit short of their ambitious goals but still raised $1 billion by 2008. The 21st century also meant large revisions on campus including new housing and dormitories for students, a life sciences center and a visual arts center.
In May 2010 Dartmouth went international by becoming a member of the Matariki Network of Universities, joining an international group of universities that focuses on strong links between research and undergraduate teaching. Other members of the group include (Durham University (UK), Queen's University (Canada), University of Otago (New Zealand), University of Tübingen (Germany), University of Western Australia (Australia) and Uppsala University (Sweden).
But the new times, generate new problems…. In early August 2019, Dartmouth College agreed to pay nine current and former students a total of $14 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging they were sexually harassed by three former neuroscience professors. The professors, Todd Heatherton, William Kelley and Paul Whalen, were accused of turning the school's Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences into a "21st Century Animal House," treating women as sex objects, groping and also coercing them into drinking. One retired and two resigned. None are allowed on campus.

Organization
Admissions to Dartmouth is extremely competitive as the Dartmouth acceptance rate is currently 10%. For the Class of 2022 there were 22,033 applications and 1,169 students enrolled. As of the Fall of 2018 6,571 students were enrolled, 3,385 men and 3,186 women. About 48 percent of students receive financial aid from Dartmouth.
Popular majors include Economics, Political Science and Government, and Computer Science. Graduating 96% of students, Dartmouth alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $58,900.
As of the 2019-20 academic year Undergraduate tuition was $55,605; room, board, and mandatory fees were $17,973 for a total $76,623. As far as graduate schools, Geisel School of Medicine costs $65,566, Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies was $55,605, the Thayer School of Engineering $55,605 and the Tuck School of Business was $75,108
38 percent of undergraduate students were people of color while 10 percent were international students. When it comes to graduate students 23 percent were people of color while 27 percent were international students.
Dartmouth’s graduate schools are all highly respected. The Geisel School of Medicine is one of America’s top medical schools, the Frank J. Guariani School of Graduate and Advanced Studies was created in 2018, making it the first new school at Dartmouth in more than a hundred years. The Thayer School of Engineering is both for undergraduates in the Department of Engineering Sciences as well as a professional school with degrees through the doctorate. Finally, the Tuck School of Business is the first graduate school of management in the country and is thought of as one of the best business schools in the world.
Dartmouth functions on a quarter system, eschewing the more traditional college academic calendar which operates on semesters. The Dartmouth Plan (or simply "D-Plan") is an academic scheduling system that permits the customization of each student's academic year. All undergraduates are required to be in residence for the fall, winter, and spring terms of their freshman and senior years, as well as the summer term of their sophomore year. However, students may petition to alter this plan so that they may be off during their freshman, senior, or sophomore summer terms. During all terms, students are permitted to choose between studying on-campus, studying at an off-campus program, or taking a term off for vacation, outside internships, or research projects. The typical course load is three classes per term, and students will generally enroll in classes for 12 total terms over the course of their academic career.
The D-Plan was instituted in the early 1970s at the same time that Dartmouth began accepting female undergraduates. It was initially devised as a plan to increase the enrollment without enlarging campus accommodations, and has been described as "a way to put 4,000 students into 3,000 beds." Although new dormitories have been built since, the number of students has also increased and the D-Plan remains in effect. It was modified in the 1980s in an attempt to reduce the problems of lack of social and academic continuity.

Student Groups
While Dartmouth college is a prestigious Ivy League college located in a small town, the student groups and organizations within are quite diverse. Dartmouth has a very active student body. There are more than 200 student organizations at the school in total. These include academic groups, cultural groups, honor societies, "issue-oriented" groups, performing groups, pre-professional groups, publications, and recreational groups.
Some of the most memorable of these groups include the Dartmouth Outing Club, which is the oldest collegiate outdoors club in the United States and The Dartmouth which describes itself as “America’s Oldest College Newspaper.” It was first published on August 27, 1799,


At Dartmouth, the Greek system of fraternities and sororities is rather a big deal. This could in part be because of the rural location of the school as there isn’t as much to do socially nearby as at other Ivy schools so the Greek system is the hub of social life. This was even more true in the early days of Dartmouth. In fact when they first started they were the only real form of social life available at the college Fraternities and sororities at Dartmouth grew out of what were literary societies which began in the 18th and 19th centuries.
There are 32 recognized Greek houses in total at Dartmouth, 17 fraternities, 12 sororities, and three that are coed. The thought of a co-ed Greek organization is still controversial to this day and is something many Ivy League institutions struggle with. Approximately 60 percent of students are involved in Greek Life in some way. As with many fraternities and sororities across the United States there have been issues with hazing, sexual harassment and alcohol abuse at Dartmouth.

There are also some secret societies at Dartmouth, the most prominent of which is known as The Sphinx, which is located in a building in the center of campus which looks a bit like an Egyptian tomb. It was inspired by a trend of Egytian revival architecture that was popular during the 19th century. It was founded in 1886 by 14 male students and today selects 24 members per year. Their identities are kept secret until graduation when they march during commencement carrying canes that identify their membership. Numerous rumors have circled around this organization, some good and some bad. They are thought to routinely do anonymous acts of community service but also have been accused of stealing artwork from the college during a scavenger hunt.
Dartmouth College sports teams are known as the Big Green. They compete in the Ivy League conference in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. They compete in Division 1, which is the highest level of competition collegiately, although the Ivy League is not known for being good at sports. In fact Ivy League teams do not give athletic scholarships, putting them at a great disadvantage against most schools. The College has 34 varsity teams, 17 club sports, and 24 intramural teams. The majority of students participate in sports in some way.
Dartmouth competes in traditional American team sports such as football, basketball, baseball and hockey. It also competes in track and field, softball, squash, sailing, tennis, rowing, soccer, skiing, and lacrosse among others. While Dartmouth has not had much success at sports it has won a national championship in fencing and in figure skating and its rugby team has been good for many years.

Interesting Features
As a school set in a rural environment with a rich tradition Dartmouth has many features which are unique to the Ivy League.
Dartmouth has a long tradition of hosting events for presidential candidates. Since the state of New Hampshire always has the countries first presidential primary, Dartmouth has become the home to numerous presidential debates.
Since the school operates on a quarter system one weekend a term is set aside for a big celebration. In the Fall it is Dartmouth Night and Homecoming, where students and alumni celebrate a tradition that has been occurring since 1888. First they participate in an annual parade which then ends in a bonfire on the Green.
In the winter they have a Winter Carnival which promotes winter sports and has been occurring since 1911. In spring they have Green Key, which is a weekend for parties and celebrations on campus. The summer term features Fieldstock which includes a barbecue, live music, and the traditional racing of racing homemade chariots around the Green.
Famous is a four day trip for incoming freshman run by the Dartmouth Outing Club which began in 1935 that concludes at the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge in Warren, New Hampshire. The vast majority of freshman choose to participate.
Attractions
While Hanover is a small town, there is no shortage of local attractions and good options for food and drink.
The Appalachian Trail winds past the college-owned inn (the only inn on the 2,200-mile trail). Nearby, there’s Ledyard Canoe Club for canoeing and kayaking, Occom Pond for skating, Dartmouth Skiway for downhill, and the Dartmouth Cross Country Ski Center for those students who are willing to brave the elements and get outside in the winter.
The historical Baker-Berry Library is the main library at Dartmouth College. It opened its doors in 1928 and now attracts a diverse array of students and visitors. The library has an impressive collection of permanents exhibits of artwork and historical artefacts.
The Hopkins Center for the Arts is an on-campus auditorium for films and performances of all sorts. The arts centre at Dartmouth College is designed to provide arts, culture, and entertainment not only for Dartmouth students but also for the surrounding communities. Since its opening it has attracted various notable traveling performers as well as putting on art workshops including jewellery making, and woodworking, which are open to both the students and the public.
Dartmouth College is known for having the oldest and largest collections compared to any college or university in the United States and many can be found atThe Hood Museum of Art. It has collections worthy of an art museum in a much more urban environment. Operating since 1772, it is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the nation. It has a permanent collection featuring over 65,000 works, and it often hosts prestigious traveling shows. Some are the more notable permanent collections feature former Dartmouth students Robert Frost and Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel was better known by his pen name, Dr. Seuss
Just a mile or so from Dartmouth on the other side of the river is the Montshire Museum of the Arts. It’s located on over 100 acres of land and has over 150 exhibits relating to the natural and physical sciences, ecology, and technology. It features many nature trail and has many outdoor exhibits which include a hive of honeybees that is connected to the outdoors, a colony of leafcutter ants, and aquariums that feature local aquatic life.
Dining
While Hanover is a small town, there is no shortage of the type of food and drink which makes a visitor feel they’re in the midst of a much more urban environment.
Pine, which is located in the Hanover Inn, was picked by the Editors’ of Yankee magazine as “Best Farm-to-Table Dining” in the area. The food and ingredients are all locally sourced and the bar is known for its excellent craft cocktails
If one has a hankering for something a bit different, look no further than the Base Camp Cafe which serves up authentic Nepali cuisine. The food receives rare reviews and is indicative of how much of the dining options in Hanover have a big city flair.
Murphy’s on the Green is a fine restaurant but in a small town like Hanover it also serves as a watering hole for many locals, Dartmouth students included. Many have their first legal drink here.
Ours is not our first. For now, it is time to visit a more urban area, perhaps one on the banks of the Charles River in Cambridge Massachusetts, just a few miles from downtown Boston. Seeing Harvard, the university with the most alumni billionaires triggers curiosity. We get on Interstate 89 and head south. Daan tries to tune his voice as highly pitched as Alice Keyes’ while I am suffering from a regression to childhood: building a huge snowman on Dartmouth’s green next winter.

Harvard’s Location

Harvard is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The main campus is located in Cambridge but they are two other campuses in Allston and Longwood, Boston (Muniz, 2019). Cambridge is found within Middlesex County, in the northwest of Boston across the Charles River; the area is part of the Boston metropolitan. The area is part of the Boston metropolitan area. The main campus in Cambridge lies along the Charles River. It is a few miles west of downtown Boston. It has easy access to public transport to and from Boston as it is served by the Massachusetts Bus and Transportation Authority (MBTA) (Grove, 2018). The campus at Allston has the renowned Harvard Business School and major athletic facilities. Allston is a neighborhood of Boston and located southwest of Harvard's main campus across the Charles River. The Harvard campus at Longwood, Boston is in the south of the Charles River. The three campuses are near each other as seen in figure below.

Source: https://blog.prepscholar.com/where-is-harvard

Harvard University sits on 5,083 acres of real estate. The main campus in Cambridge occupies several locations including the famous and historic Harvard yard. As of 2017, Cambridge had a population of 113, 630 people. The major cities nearby are Boston with 3.5 million people and Salem with 19 million people (Grove, 2018). Any student wishing to enroll at Harvard should not mind extreme weather. The Cambridge area has summers which are often humid, and winters that are snowy and cold.

A drive from Dartmouth College to Harvard University takes an average of 2h 3m. Dartmouth College is located in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The drive distance is 124 miles which takes an average of 2 h 3 min. From Dartmouth you should merge onto I-89 S/NH-10 S. Continue to follow I-89 S 8. Take the exit onto I-93 S toward Manchester/Boston Toll road 9. Keep right at the fork to stay on I-93 S, follow signs for Interstate 93 S/Salem/Boston Toll road 10. Keep left to stay on I-93 S Entering Massachusetts 11. Take exit 31 to merge onto MA-16 E/Mystic Valley Pkwy toward Everett/Revere Take Bonner Ave and Cedar St to Oxford St in Cambridge 12. Merge onto MA-16 E/Mystic Valley Pkwy 13. Turn right toward Mystic Ave 14. Turn left onto Mystic Ave 15. Turn right onto Bonner Ave 16. Turn left onto Main St 17. Continue onto Medford St 18. Turn right onto Albion St 19. Turn left at the 1st cross street onto William St 20. Turn right onto Broadway 21. Turn left onto Cedar St Pass by E Cambridge Savings Bank (on the left in 0.5 mi) 22. Continue onto Mossland St, Turn left onto Somerville Ave, Turn right onto Beacon St, slight right onto Oxford St and you will have arrived at the Harvard University.

John Harvard the First Benefactor

John Harvard was born and raised in London, England in November 1607. Harvard was born to Robert Harvard and Katherine Rodgers. His father was a butcher and tavern owner (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019). In 1625, Harvard lost his father and most of his siblings to the plague that struck in 1625 (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019). His mother remarried again and in 1627 Harvard was sent by his stepfather and mother to Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Harvard graduated in 1631 with a degree after studying for seven years, before pursuing a Master’s degree which he earned in 1635 from the same college (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019). In 1636, Harvard married Ann Sadler who was a sister to his college classmate and daughter to John Sadler the vicar of Ringmer (Encyclopedia.com, 2019). Harvard and his wife moved to New England in 1637 as part of the Puritan migration and settled in Charlestown and became a freeman of Massachusetts Bay Colony. The couple did not have any children. In Massachusetts, Harvard served as a teaching elder and assistant pastor of the First Church of Charlestown (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019). He was also appointed as a member of the committee to help compose the Body of Liberties which related to certain laws. Harvard died of tuberculosis on 14th September 1638. His remains were buried at Charlestown, Phipps Street Burying Ground. Harvard had inherited significant property back in England and left behind an estate valued at about £1,600 upon his death (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019).

In his will, Harvard donated half of his money together with his collection of theological and classical literature to a school that had been started in 1636 in New Towne, soon renamed to Cambridge. Harvard's donation ensured that the school continued in operation (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019). The amount of Harvard's bequest was never officially determined. The bequest provided enough money to construct a building called Harvard College which was later called Harvard Hall (Encyclopedia.com, 2019). The school was named to Harvard College in 1639, after a decree by the Massachusetts General Court in honor of its first large benefactor (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019).

Evolution of Harvard University

At its beginning, Harvard was under church sponsorship but it was not affiliated with a religious group or organization. Harvard's main purpose was to educate the clergy (Best College Reviews, 2019). In its first two centuries, Harvard College used a set curriculum that was consistent with the instructional style of the period. The college emphasized rote learning, rhetorical principles and constant drilling ("Brief History of Harvard College"). The college had a small faculty composed of professors with illustrious reputations as the most learned men of their generation ("Brief History of Harvard College").

More buildings were constructed on the college and additional programs were incorporated into the school's courses. For instance, in 1782 medical studies were added to the school's program (Best College Reviews, 2019). Some of the buildings found on the university grounds were opened in the 18th century. Wadsworth House was constructed in 1726 and Massachusetts Hall was built in 1720. None of the original buildings from the 17th century survived (Best College Reviews, 2019). In the 19th century, programs of law and divinity were added in 1816 and 1817 respectively. The university gained an aspect of a true university in the mid-century when a Library (1841), an observatory (1846), a scientific school (1847), chemistry laboratory (1857) and a natural history museum (1860) were constructed ("Brief History of Harvard College"). During the presidency of Charles William Eliot between 1869 and 1909, the variety and number of courses multiplied. The older method of recitation was replaced by the lecture system and students were permitted a free choice of courses. In the early twentieth century, every professional school program was built a new building: Medicine school in 1906, Law school in 1907 and Business administration in 1926 ("Brief History of Harvard College").

Structure and Composition of Harvard

Harvard has an enrollment of at least 20,000 degree candidates currently as undergraduate, graduate and professional students (Harvard University, 2019). The University has over 16,000 faculty and staff including at least 2,400 lecturers, professors and instructors (Harvard University). The Harvard Schools are led by deans and officers who are responsible for Harvard's academic curricula and programs.

Harvard's leadership has the responsibility of ensuring the university remains in line with its strategic vision. Currently, Harvard is led by Lawrence S. Bacow who is also the 29th President of the University. The president is a member of all major university committees including the Board of Overseers and the Corporation. The President is appointed by the Harvard Corporation which is a governing body of the University.

Harvard University is composed of 11 vice presidents who lead other departments and organization activities (Harvard University, 2019). They are the Executive Vice President, Vice President for Alumni Affairs and Development, Vice President, Secretary of the University, Secretary to the Corporation, Assistant to the President; Secretary of the Board of Overseers, Chief of Staff and Strategic Advisor to the President, Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer, Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications, Vice President for Human Resources, Vice President for Harvard Information Technology Services and Chief Information Officer (CIO), Vice President for the Harvard Library, and the Vice President for Campus Services (Harvard University, 2019).

The Office of the Provost works in collaboration with the University's administrative and academic leaders. The provost is Harvard's chief academic officer who works with the college's president to oversee academic activities and policies in the whole university. The office of the Provost is led by Provost Alan M Garber. The duties of the provost include fostering interfaculty collaboration, improving Harvard's performance in the development of a pool of scholars in all disciplines. The provost supports students, faculty and academic professionals in advancing innovations in learning and teaching. The provost also coordinates and oversees the University's international activities.

Governance

Harvard's Charter identifies The Corporation (The President and Fellows of Harvard College) and the Board of overseers as the two governing boards. The University’s charter defines the structure of the two-board system and the responsibility of each component. It is contained in a series of documents that date back to the mid-seventeenth century. The two boards complement each other by performing essential roles that are normally associated with a board of trustees. The governing boards help shape Harvard's agenda by ensuring the university remains true to its mission by inquiring into the progress and quality of its activities (Harvard University).

The Harvard Corporation

The corporation was chartered in 1650 to exercise fiduciary responsibility on matters relating to University's financial, physical and academic resources and overall well-being. The corporation is made up of the president, the treasurer and other members referred to as fellows. Procedures are already in place to expand the corporation from seven to thirteen members and revising the committee structure as per the reforms that were adopted by the governing boards back in 2010. The corporation is charged with evaluating long term strategies, planning, policies and transactions that may have unusual consequences. The corporation provides an opportunity for the president to meet with deans, vice presidents and other University stakeholders and understand issues affecting Harvard. The corporation approves the University’s budgets, tuition charges, endowment spending, capital budgets and other matters (Harvard University).\

The Board of Overseers

The Board of Overseers is larger than the Corporation. It is composed of thirty elected members including the President, the Treasurer who serves ex officio. The members of the Board of Overseers are elected by University officers and Harvard degree holders other than Corporation members. The Board of Overseers influences Harvard's strategic directions and provides advice to the University leadership on plans and priorities. The Board of Overseers also has the power of consent on certain decisions of the corporation. The Board's main function includes superintendence of the visitation process, which is the chief mechanism used for periodic review of the quality and procedures implemented by Harvard's schools, departments and programs. The Board carries out this function through the operations of at least fifty visiting committees whose work is reported to and overseen by the board. (Harvard University, 2019).

Harvard Campus Today

Harvard is the oldest higher education institution in the United States. Currently, it has 2,400 faculty members and at least 10,400 academic appointments in affiliated teaching hospitals. In the 2017-2018 academic years, Harvard College had 6,699 students, while Graduate and professional Students were 13,120 and the Harvard Extension School had 16,193 students making it a total of 36,012 students (Harvard University). Harvard has an acceptance rate ranking of 5% making it an extremely competitive school to get into since it has a very minimal chance of acceptance. In 2018, only 2,037 candidates out of 39,506 applicants were admitted to Harvard (CollegeSimply, 2019). Harvard has exceptionally high requirements for its admission test scores as it is known to admit students who score in the top 2%. Harvard's admission is highly desirable among applicants as 83% of the admitted applicants chose to enroll (CollegeSimply, 2019).

The official school color is Crimson. The Motto is Veritas which is Latin for truth. The school motto forms part of the Harvard "arms". The Harvard "arms" - three books, a shield and the word Veritas are the decorative version of the college seal. The seal is used as a legal tool for authenticating documents (Ireland, 2015). Veritas was adopted in 1643 as Harvard’s motto but remained unused for two centuries. The Harvard Corporation had chosen ‘In Christi Gloriam’ in 1650 a Latin phrase that meant "For the glory of Christ" over Veritas as the college motto (Ireland, 2015).

The university houses the Harvard Library which is the largest Library in the world. The library has at least 20.4 million books, approximately 400 million manuscripts items, 180,000 serial titles, 124 million archived web pages, 10 million photographs, and 5.4 terabytes of born-digital manuscripts and archives. This rich library collection is accessible through 800 library employees who run more than 70 separate library units (Harvard, University, 2019).

Harvard's museums are stewards of at least 28 million works of art, materials, instruments, specimens, and artifacts. The museum collections are fundamental to the continuation and development of many disciplines as they have deep roots in learning and scholarship. Harvard's museum ranks alongside the greatest museums in the world and is open to members of the public. Each year, Harvard Museum attracts over 650,000 local and international tourists (Harvard University, 2019).

Harvard University has 11 principal academic units- the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study and ten faculties. The ten faculties are charged with overseeing schools and divisions that award academic degrees and offer courses. Despite comprising of an Undergraduate college, graduate schools, affiliated institutions, research centers, and other academic bodies, Harvard University does not have a formal mission statement. However, Harvard's mission is seen as to educate the citizens and leaders of its society. The institution does it through its commitment to the transformative power of sciences education and liberal arts (Harvard University, 2019).

Undergraduate Cost and Financial Aid

Today students who are on scholarship pay an average of $12,000 yearly as the cost of a Harvard education. They are 55% of Harvard college students who are receiving scholarship aid. The average grant in 2018 was at least $53,000. Harvard families who have an annual income of below $65,000 are not required to contribute anything by the Harvard College Financial aid program. Families of an income of below $150,000 can pay 0 to 10% of their income as college fees. Families who have an income of above $150,000 are expected to contribute proportionally higher than those below this income bracket (Harvard, University, 2019). Harvard College has a user-friendly net price calculator that applicants input their financial data to get an estimate of the net price they are expected to pay annually at Harvard. In the 2018 – 2019 academic years, the annual cost of attending Harvard College without any financial aid was $46,340 for tuition and $67, 50 for tuition, fees, board, and room combined (Harvard, University, 2019).

Why Student’s Chose Harvard and its impact in Producing Rich Billionaires

Harvard is the best higher learning institution since the best students choose Harvard (Zhou, 2014). Harvard is recognized globally for producing the best professionals in various fields. Good examples are Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, and Microsoft's founder, Bill Gates (Wile, 2017). Students benefit from having talented classmates as Harvard attracts and accepts 'A' high school students (CollegeSimply, 2019). Harvard students have free access to research institutes, courses and faculty mentors from across all parts of Harvard. The institution has state-of-the-art resources, world-renowned faculty and individualized instruction. Harvard University offers the perfect place to study one's academic interest ("Why Harvard," 2019).

Harvard has at least 371,000 living alumni across the world with over 279,000 in the United States and at least 59,000 in other countries. Harvard has worked with the greatest minds in society to produce people who have had a huge impact on the world. Among its students and graduates, there have been 49 Nobel Laureates, 48 Pulitzer Prize Winners and 32 heads of states (Harvard, University, 2019).

It has been found that there is a correlation between wealth and the institution of higher learning that one chooses (Grant, 2016). Harvard University is ranked as the top University for producing billionaires (Smyth, 2013). In 2016, the University had 35 alumni who had a combined net worth of $309 billion. Harvard has more alumni in the top 500 billionaires list than the next three top-producing billionaires’ universities (Grant, 2016). In fact, the highest-ranked alumnus on the list of billionaires does not include key notable Harvard dropouts such as Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg (Grant, 2016).

Harvard has limitless possibilities for students as an Academics hub. The University has more than 3,700 courses that are taught by professional faculty members ("Why Harvard," 2019). The institution also provides students with unmatched resources and libraries to enhance their research. The college's financial aid program has made Harvard affordable for every family in the world. Students at Harvard have can use the aid packages which stops them from taking loans or any contributions from families with an income of less than $65,000 (Harvard University, 2019). Harvard is affordable to students who get accepted to the school and there is no stress for college fees.

References

Best College Reviews. (2019). The History Behind Harvard University. Retrieved from https://www.bestcollegereviews.org/history-behind-harvard-university/

A Brief History of Harvard College. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://handbook.fas.harvard.edu/book/brief-history-harvard-college

CollegeSimply. (2019). Harvard University - Admission Requirements, SAT, ACT, GPA and chance of acceptance. Retrieved from https://www.collegesimply.com/colleges/massachusetts/harvard-university/admission/

Directions. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.harvard.edu/on-campus/visit-harvard/directions

Encyclopedia Britannica. (2019, October 28). John Harvard | British minister. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Harvard

Encyclopedia.com. (2019, November 13). John Harvard. Retrieved from https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/social-sciences-and-law/education-biographies/john-harvard

Grant, T. (2016, November 7). How to become a billionaire: where the world's super-rich went to university. Retrieved from https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/news/how-become-billionaire-where-worlds-super-rich-went-university

Grove, A. (2018, August 8). Where is Harvard University Located? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/where-is-harvard-university-786988

Harvard University. (n.d.). Harvard at a Glance. Retrieved from https://www.harvard.edu/about-harvard/harvard-glance

Harvard University. (2019). Harvard's President & Leadership. Retrieved from https://www.harvard.edu/about-harvard/harvards-president-leadership

Harvard University. (2019). Harvard's President & Leadership. Retrieved from https://www.harvard.edu/about-harvard/harvards-president-leadership

Ireland, C. (2015, May 14). Seal of approval. Retrieved from https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2015/05/seal-of-approval/

Muniz, H. (2019, November). Where Is Harvard University Located? Retrieved from https://blog.prepscholar.com/where-is-harvard

Smyth, S. (2013, April 25). Harvard tops graduate 'rich list' of colleges that will make you a millionaire but University of Virginia has highest number of self-made men. Retrieved from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2314669/Harvards-billionaires-Ivy-League-college-leads-world-richest-alumni.html

Why Harvard. (2019). Retrieved from https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/why-harvard

Zhou, J. Z. (2014, April 28). Choose Harvard | Opinion. Retrieved from https://www.thecrimson.com/column/homo-economicus/article/2014/4/28/come-to-harvard/

Brown University

Location

Brown University is located at College Hill in Providence, Rhode Island State. Providence is the capital of the state of Rhode Island and is the most populous city. Brown university is in a city setting and has a campus size of 146 acres (U.S.News, 2019). Rhode Island has a humid climate with short summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature is around 50°F (10°C) (http://www.city-data.com/states/Rhode-Island-Climate.html). Providence is an hour’s drive south of Boston and three hours’ drive north of New York City (Brown University, 2019).

A road trip from Harvard University to Brown University takes about 56 to 58 minutes while by train it would take approximately take 1hr 41 min. The distance is about 54.5 miles. If driving from Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States, get on I-90 W/Massachusetts, Turnpike in Boston, which takes about 3 min. Head west on Western Ave toward Riverside Pl 0.2 mi then turn left onto Soldiers Field Rd. Use the right lane to take the I-90 ramp, which is a Toll road. Keep on your right and be keen to follow signs for Massachusetts Turnpike W/Interstate 90 W/Worcester and then merge onto I-90 W/Massachusetts Turnpike Toll road. Follow I-90 W/Massachusetts Turnpike and I-95 S to Memorial Blvd in Providence. Take exit 22A-22B-22C from I-95 S, 50, and then merge onto I-90 W/Massachusetts Turnpike, Toll road. Take exit 15A toward I-95 S, Toll road. Use the right lane to continue toward I-95 S. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for I-95 S/State Route 128 S/Cape Cod/S Shore and merge onto I-95 S. Use the right 2 lanes to take the I-95 S exit toward Providence RI. Continue onto I-95 S, entering Rhode Island. Use the 2nd from the right lane to take exit 22A-22B-22C for RI-10 W/Providence Pl toward US-6 W. Use the left lane to continue toward Memorial Blvd. Keep left at the fork to continue on Exit 22A, follow signs for Downtown/Memorial Blvd. Continue on Memorial Blvd. Drive to Waterman St. Continue onto Memorial Blvd. Turn left onto Washington PI. Continue onto Waterman St and you will arrive at Brown University, Providence. While at the University, connect to Thayer St and head south towards Bowen St and after a 3 min drive, the Bookstore will be on the right.

Figure 1 Source:www.google.com/maps/dir/Harvard+University,+Cambridge,+MA,+United+States/Brown+University,+Providence,+RI+02912,+United+States/@42.1010877,-

Brown’s is located in a city setting which is a vibrant and conducive place to live, study and work (Schuschu, 2017). Rhode Island is rich in cultural diversity as it serves as a bedrock of innovative arts, exceptional culinary offerings and unpretentious vibe. The campus is also just a 30-minute drive to the beach. Housing options in the area include traditional singles, doubles, triples and suites (Brown University, 2018).

Figure 2, source: https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/brown-university/overview/location

The Historical Connection to the Brown Brothers

Nicholas Brown, John Brown, Joseph Brown and Moses Brown played instrumental roles in moving the College to Providence and securing its endowment. Joseph Brown served as a professor of natural philosophy at the College. John Brown served as the College's treasurer from 1775 to 1796. Nicholas Brown Junior, the son of Nicholas Brown, succeeded John, his uncle, as the treasurer from 1796 to 1825. During a meeting on 8th September 1803, the Corporation

voted that the donation of $5000, if made to this College, within one year from the late Commencement, shall entitle the donor to name the College.” The following year, 1804, on September 6th, Nicholas Brown gave a gift of $5,000 to the Corporation. The corporation then voted that the College would be known and called by the name of Brown University in Providence in the State of Rhode Island and Providence plantations (Brown University, 2019).

Over the years, the benefactions of Nicholas Brown included the buildings Manning Hall (1834-35) and Hope College (1821-22). The four Brown brothers were the most prominent of the important Providence merchants of 18th century Rhode Island. They traded under the name of Nicholas Brown and Company (Gaspee.Info History,2015). The Brown family has a connection with Brown University that spans for two centuries. The Brown family helped in the relocation of the original college to Providence from Wallen (Encyclopedia Brunoniana, 2019). When discussing the College's relocation in a letter Moses Brown wrote, “Thou may see by this, our family had an interest in promoting the Institution now called Brown University, besides the purchase of the name by my worthy nephew Nicholas” (Encyclopedia Brunoniana, 2019).

Chad Brown was the founding father of the Brown family in America. He settled in Boston in 1638 after emigrating from England (Encyclopedia Brunoniana, 2019). He immediately moved to Providence and became an elder in a new Roger Williams’ Baptist church (Encyclopedia Brunoniana, 2019). The family thrived and four generations later, James and Obadiah Brown were born. They involved themselves in the trade of goods where they brought livestock and food from Rhode Island to the West Indies and in return delivered in molasses and rum. They also engaged in slave trade as they transported slaves from Africa. James Brown died in 1750 leaving behind five sons where the oldest of them died shortly after. The remaining four brothers, Nicholas, Joseph, John and Moses, were famously known as the “four brothers”. They later formed the Nicholas Brown and Company (Encyclopedia Brunoniana, 2019).

Joseph and John Brown were awarded honorary degrees by the University in the years 1770 and 1773 respectively. Later on, other members of the Brown family followed suit and took their studies at the University (Encyclopedia Brunoniana, 2019). Among them were Nicholas Brown in 1786 and Moses Brown in 1790. In 1783, John Brown gave part of his fortune towards the acquisition of philosophical apparatus and building of a library in the University (Encyclopedia Brunoniana, 2019). In the year 1784, Joseph Brown became a professor of Experimental Philosophy at the College. The college was named after Brown’s family in 1804 due to Nicholas Brown’s donation. Most of the University’s buildings are named after members of the Brown family due to their substantial contributions towards their constructions (Encyclopedia Brunoniana, 2019). Nicholas Brown helped build the University Hall as well as the Hope College and Manning Hall in 1786. He also gave a generous donation towards the building of Rhode Island hall. Robinson Hall which was later converted into a library was built by John Carter Brown in 1816. Carrie Tower was built in 1811, and it was in honor of Carrie Mathilde Brown from his husband Paul Bajnotti. Carrie was the daughter of Nicholas Brown. The Annmary Brown Memorial was built in honor of another daughter to Nicholas. With the Brown family spanning five generations, the nightingale-Brown house which was home to the Brown for all those centuries was donated to the University in the year 1995. It now stands as a Museum and the main study center for students (Encyclopedia Brunoniana, 2019).

Structure and Composition

Currently, Brown University has 7,043 undergraduate students, 2,629 graduate students, and 585 medical school students. The total number of students at the University is 10,257. The Brown School of Professional Studies provides students’ with opportunities for blended learning. Brown University has 6,000 online, visiting and summer students. The university also has a full-time faculty with 816 members of staff (Brown University, 2019). Brown University maintains a 6:1 student to faculty ratio. 70% of classes at Brown have less than 20 students to ensure that students have a lot of face-to-face time with the best teachers and researchers in academia. Brown students can study from abroad in over 75 countries. They are 33 master's degree programs, 51 doctoral programs and over 80 undergraduate concentrations. They are 110,666 Brown alumni across the globe.

Brown University received 38,674 applications to the undergraduate class of 2023 (Brown Univeristy, 2019). Entry into Brown University is very competitive as it had a 7.1% acceptance rate in 2019. Brown University has a generous financial aid initiative to enrich its campus community by ensuring no student at Brown is hindered by cost. Brown University meets 100% of each student's financial need through scholarship grants that are included in University financial aid packages. The University does not support student education through loans. 100% of Brown students are receiving financial aid. https://www.brown.edu/admission-aid/tuition-and-aid. The total tuition and fees for the Academic year 2019-20 was $77,490 (Fall- $38,745, spring- $38,745) (Brown University, 2019). The average need-based award for the class of 2022 students who receive aid was $50,108 (Brown Univeristy, 2019).

Figure: 65 Countries represented for the Class of 2022 at Brown University

https://www.brown.edu/admission/undergraduate/facts

Leadership

Brown's top leaders guide the Ivy League college towards its set of goals and objectives to reach new levels of academic excellence by incorporating innovative education and integrative research in service to the community, state and the world.

The President

Christina Paxson is the current president at the University. Paxson was appointed the 19th president of Brown University in 2012. The Corporation of Brown University appoints the president. The president acts as the chief executive officer of the University and reports directly to the Corporation. The president oversees all the divisions of Brown University's administration. The president is the chief ambassador for Brown as she is a nationally recognized leader in higher education and an accomplished scholar who is a professor of economics and public policy. Paxson was reappointed by the Corporation in 2017 for her second tenure through June 30, 2022 (Brown University, 2019).

The President at Brown University has a cabinet recognized as the President's Cabinet. The President's Cabinet is composed of the provost, executive and senior vice presidents, senior deans, vice presidents for campus life and student services, equity and diversity, human resources, finance, communications and research and other senior leaders of the University (Brown Univerisity, 2019).

The Provost

Provost Richard M. Locke is the current and 13th provost of Brown University. The Provost is the University's chief budget officer and chief academic officer. The Provost works closely with the President to advance Brown University's mission of research, teaching and service. The provost is charged with ensuring academic excellence and efficient budgetary practices across programs in academic departments, interdisciplinary institutes, and research centers. The Provost also oversees the operations of the Graduate School, the College, School of Public Health, Warren Alpert Medical School, School of Professional Studies, School of Public Health and School of Engineering. Provost Locke's priorities are to enhance the community, academic excellence and ensure fiscal sustainability at Brown University (Brown University, 2019).

The Corporation

The Corporation of Brown University is the institution's primary governing body. The authority of the Corporation is defined in the Charter of the University that was granted by the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in 1764. The Corporation is composed of a 12-member Board of Fellows and a 42-member Board of Trustees. The Corporations holds meetings thrice annually and creates policy decisions in areas of budget and finance, academic affairs, advancement and campus life (Brown University, 2019). The Corporation is charged with selecting the president, setting the budget, setting fees and tuition, siting buildings, appointing faculty and senior administrative officers, establishing strategic plans and policy and naming opportunities and accepting gifts. The Corporation members serve as ultimate fiduciaries of Brown University. The Corporation does not involve itself in the daily administration of Brown as it concerns itself with matters of policy (Brown University, 2019).

The Corporation uses a bicameral structure, with a 42-member board of Trustees and 12-member Board. Among the 42 trustees, 13 are elected by alumni as per an agreement between the Alumni Association and the Corporation (Brown University, 2019). The remainders of the trustees are nominated by the Corporation's Committee on Trustee Vacancies. Internally nominated trustees are carefully selected, and those elected through the alumni provide the Corporation with members who have personal and professional backgrounds to meet the oversight and fiduciary responsibilities (Brown University, 2019).

Attractions at Brown University

The Brown Bookstore

The Brown Bookstore is one of Brown's university’s artistic buildings that serve as a key attraction for students, staff, faculty, visitors, alumni, professionals and area residents. The Bookstore is known for its academic and general book selections and quality Brown apparel and gifts, cards and stationery, computer products and other supplies. The Bookstore is found at 244 Thayer Street, on the corner of Thayer & Angell. The Brown Bookstore is three-stories high and has a floor space of 26,000 square foot. The Brown Bookstore is located at 244 Thayer Street, on Angell & Thayer (ArtsNowRi, 2019).

The Bookstore is a delight for book lovers and collectors. Brown University has operated the Bookstore independently since 1970. In 2009, the Bookstore had a major renovation that surpassed the previous modest upgrades it had received since 1970 (Baum, 2009). The Bookstore was renovated with a welcoming consumer experience with designs that are meant to give the building a new retail design that elevates its brand and appeal to faculty, staff, students and residents. Bergmeyer, the architects, began the design strategy from the outside of the building. They understood that shopper’s impression form on the street. They designed a bold new signage system and extra entries at the back of the building and the cafe to give the building a new street presence to the Bookstore. The signage makes it easier for visitors to locate the store. The inside of the Bookstore feels like a bustling neighborhood bookshop. First floor spaces were made bright and airy by relocating the cash desk and removing display cases. Two central stairways provide unique visual connection and a clear pathway of circulation between floors. The Bookstore is also equipped with a kid’s area, a campus shop, a community meeting room a cafe, and several seating areas that redefine the Bookstore experience and enhance interaction between the university residents and community (Bergmeyer, 2019). The first floor of the Bookstore has academic and professional books. The second floor has merchandise products that include sweatpants, mugs, electronics, and gifts. The two central stairways connect the first and the second floor (Brown Bookstore, 2019).

The Van Wickle Gates

The Van Wickle Gates is located at the top of College Hill. The Van Wickle Gates offers a glimpse of the Providence skyline and inspires a flashback reflection of Brown's history. As part of Brown University’s tradition, the main Van Wickle Gate which is the center gate is opened only twice every year. They open inward’s once for the entering class who are to start their studies at Brown and the beginning of the second semester and outwards on Commencement Day when the graduates leave their college years behind to allow the procession to pass through ("Van Wickle Gates," 2019; Mitchell, 1993). The Van Wickle Gates was dedicated on June 18, 1901, as the symbol for the University and its long history. The Van Wickle Gates is the ornamental entrance to the University’s main campus. The gates were built of iron with stone piers and brick (Mitchell, 1993).

The Van Wickle Gates were constructed with the bequest of August Stout Van Wickle in 1876. Van Wickle was the president of a bank and multiple coal corporations. He was killed in a skeet shooting accident in 1898 ("Encyclopedia Brunoniana | Van Wickle Gates). The seal of Brown University is over the center gate and are adorned by entwined letters B and U. The seals of the City of Providence and the State of Rhode Island are reproduced in stone on the brick piers at each side of the center gate. Above them are stone ornaments that depict a lamp upon a book, an hour-glass, an owl and a globe ("Encyclopedia Brunoniana | Van Wickle Gates).

John Carter Library

The John Carter Brown University is the preeminent research collection in the world for the study of the Americas before 1825 ("John Carter Brown Library," 2019). It is an independently funded and autonomously administered library at Brown University that was opened in 1904. The library preserves a collection of Americana which John Carter Brown started to collect in 1846. The library is situated within an ornate neo-classical building on a bucolic corner at Brown University ("John Carter Brown Library," 2019). The arms of the Brown family, as well as an inscription of AMERICANA, are carved above the door ("Encyclopedia Brunoniana | John Carter Brown Library"). The library was expanded by constructing the Caspersen Building. The name was in honor of the parents of the benefactor called Finn Casperson who was in the class of 1963.

The JCB library preserves one of the most outstanding collections of primary sources that include books, manuscripts, maps, and other printed materials. The objects the Library preserves relate to the age of the New World in all aspects in the period stretching from the late-fifteenth century up to the middle of the nineteenth century. The JCB library has manuscripts and printed forms that relate to the indigenous inhabitants of the America's. Materials were collected from Patagonia to Greenland by merchants, travellers and missionaries who placed the Native peoples at the heart of a historical narrative. The library also has familiar histories relating to European colonization and conquest as told from the perspective of interested agents of the expanding empires. The library actively supports the history of Africans in the Americas as this area of research has become an emerging scholarship ("John Carter Brown Library," 2019).

The John Carter Library is considered one of the best libraries in the United States for having a unique collection of America’s history. The library gets funding to carry out advanced research focusing on the history and the humanities. The success of the John Carter Library is attributed to John Carter Brown’s passion for collecting rare books. John Carter Brown graduated from Brown University in 1816 (Find A Grave). In 1846 he bought a small collection of American books from his brother Nicholas Brown. He had started the habit of buying books relating to history and travel in his student days. In 1841 he inherited the family Library from his father ("Encyclopedia Brunoniana | John Carter Brown Library"). He later decided to collect books that had been printed before 1801. Upon his death, John Carter Brown left his books, a building fund of $150,000 and an endowment of $500,000 to be placed by his trustees wherever they saw best ("Encyclopedia Brunoniana | John Carter Brown Library"). The trustees selected Brown University, and the bequest was received in September 1901. In an agreement between the University and the trustees in 1902, the library is owned by the Corporation but has been run as a semi-autonomous institution with its own funding and administration ("Encyclopedia Brunoniana | John Carter Brown Library").

References

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Brown University. (2019). Leadership. Retrieved from https://www.brown.edu/about/leadership

Brown University. (2019). The Charter of Brown University with Amendments and Notes. Retrieved from https://www.brown.edu/web/documents/charter-of-brown-university.pdf

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Van Wickle Gates. (2019). Retrieved from https://m.brown.edu/visit/self-guided-tour/van-wickle-gates

Brown University. (2019). Where is Brown University located? | Undergraduate Admission. Retrieved from https://www.brown.edu/admission/undergraduate/content/where-brown-university-located

U.S.News. (2019). How Does Brown University Rank Among America's Best Colleges? Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/brown-university-3401

Baum, D. (2009, March 2). Brown University Bookstore Reopens Following Renovations. Retrieved from https://news.brown.edu/articles/2009/03/bookstore

Schuschu, M. (2017, June 7). 12 Things to See On Your Campus Visit to Brown University. Retrieved from https://blog.collegevine.com/12-things-to-see-on-your-campus-visit-to-brown/

YALE

Yale University Location

Yale University is a private institution located in New Haven, Connecticut. It has an annual undergraduate admission of around 5,964 students. The University sits on approximately 373 acres of land. The University consists of the Main College, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and 12 professional schools. The professional schools include law school, school of management, school of medicine, school of Nursing and the school of Art. Others include the school of drama, forestry, environmental studies, and divinity (U.S. News, 2018).

Figure 1 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Yale+University/@41.3162303,-72.924951,16.75z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89e7d9b6cd624945:0xae34a2c4b4d30427!8m2!3d41.3163244!4d-72.9223431

The distance from Brown University to Yale University is approximately 103 miles or 166km. A road trip by car will take approximately 1 hour and 39 minutes. To get to Yale University from Brown University, Get on I-195 W/US-6 W from Power St and Gano St (1.0 mi). Head north on Thayer St toward Power St, 210 ft. Turn right at the 1st cross street onto Power St, 0.5 mi. Turn right onto Gano St, 0.3 mi. Turn right onto the US-44 W/I-195 W/US-6 W ramp. Follow I-95 S to Trumbull St in New Haven. Take exit 3 from I-91 N. Merge onto I-195 W/US-6 W. Use the left 2 lanes to take exit 1B S for Interstate 95 S toward New York. Keep left to continue on Exit 18, follow signs for US 1A/Thurbers Ave and merge onto I-95 S. Keep right at the fork to stay on I-95 S. As you enter Connecticut, keep left to stay on I-95 S. Use the right lane to take exit 48 toward Hartford. Use the right lane to merge onto I-91 N. Take exit 3 for Trumbull St. Continue onto Trumbull St and you will arrive at Yale University.

Figure 2 https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Brown+University,+Providence,+RI+02912,+United+States/Yale+University,+New+Haven,+CT+06520,+United+States 2

New Haven, where Yale sits, experiences alternating weather and climate. Its Summers which are warm and temperatures rising further is usually in July to August Winter which is cold and snowy, occurs in December to February and is typically cold with lots of snow. Peak visiting periods are May – Jun when the International Festival for Arts and Ideas (June) and the Yale University Commencement (May) take place. New Haven is a coastal city located on Long Island Sound in Connecticut. Yale University's museums which include the Yale Art Gallery, the Yale Peabody Museum, of Natural History and the Yale Center for British Art, are the best sites to visit while in New Haven. New Haven is famous for its cultural life. The Yale Repertory Theatre focuses on new plays and is keeps visitors and residents entertained (New Haven Travel Guide).

The History of Yale University

Yale’s history can be traced back to the year 1638 when about 500 Puritans who had fled persecution in Anglican England established the New Haven Colony. Led by the religious leader of the colony, Reverend John Davenport, they decided to establish a theocracy and a college for the local community. The aim was to educate the colony leaders and students for them to be employable in the local church and civil state. According to Yale historians, in 1700, a group of ten church priests led by Reverend James Pierpont met in Branford, Connecticut and brought together books to form the first library of the college. The group is now famously known as the “Founders”( New World Encyclopedia, 2019).

New Haven was elevated to become a co-capital of the colony with Hartford. The Connecticut legislature formulated and adopted a charter in 1701 to establish a Collegiate School. The first rector or president was known as Abraham Pierson. He was a minister in Killingworth and he operated the college from his home until he passed on in 1707. It was later moved to Saybrook and then Wethersfield (Yale University Library, 2019). After a while, this location became unpopular as it was viewed as “out-of-the-way” and in 1718, the college was moved to New Haven where it remains to date. During its early decades of operation, the institution faced a lot of challenges mostly financial. This was greatly as a result of low student enrollment which fluctuated from year to year. The class of 1714 had only 9 students while that of 1715 had only 3 students. Student unrest was also another challenge facing the institution. This was attributed to the age of incoming freshmen who were being admitted at the relative age of sixteen https://guides.library.yale.edu/yalehistory.

All the while, about a hundred miles away, Increase Mather was running Harvard University as its sixth president. There were differences between himself and the other Harvard clergy because he viewed them as increasingly embracing liberalism. In 1718 he resigned and decided to pursue the success of the New Haven Collegiate School to promote the Puritan religious orthodoxy that Harvard could not. His son Cotton Mather who was also in Harvard, was rejected to succeed him as president and he also left. They decided to work together towards the success of the newly established college at New Haven. CYale made his first gift donation of 32 books to the institution in 1713 when it was still referred to as the Collegiate School at Saybrook. In 1718, Cotton Mather sent a letter to Yale, stating that the Saybrook school had been moved to New Haven and that making a significant donation to the school would ensure it was renamed in Yale's honor as a show of gratitude. Yale donated 417 books, textiles from the east indies and a portrait of King George 1. The items were sold in Boston and the proceeds were used to construct a building in New Haven known as Yale College. In the same year, 1718, the school was officially named Yale College in his honor and as a gesture of gratitude. This naming was also meant to increase the probability that he would continue supporting the college with other huge donations (Yale University, 2019).

Elihu Yale

Elihu Yale, to whom the Yale University is named after, was an American merchant and slave trader. Elihu Yale was born in Boston, Massachusetts on 5th April in 1649. He was the second son to one of the most successful merchants in Boston known as David Yale. The Yale family had a long history in the area dating back in the 15th century where they adopted the Yale surname. Though Elihu Yale was born in the United States, he was taken to England at the age of three and he never returned to America. He was enrolled in private schools in London and later started working for his father’s firm, the East India Company in 1671. He started working as a clerk and traveled to India, where he was to live for over 27 years. From a low-level ranking position, Yale worked his way up to become the governor of Fort Saint George which was the company’s installation at Madras. He was later removed from the company with charges of self-aggrandizement. Yale was forced to stay at the Madras as a consequence of the fine imposed on him. In 1699, Yale moved back to England but with a sizeable fortune which enabled him to venture into the diamond trade. Yale devoted most of his time and money to philanthropy. He first made his donation of 32 books to the institution in 1713 when it was then known as Collegiate School of Saybrook https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elihu-Yale. Later on, he made larger donations after Cotton Mather request in 1718. With the hint from Cotton that the College could be named after his surname Yale, he gifted the institution with more books, a portrait of George 1 and textiles from the East Indies. The gifts were sold in Boston for £800, and the proceeds were used to construct a building known as Yale College in New Haven https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elihu-Yale. In 1745, through its charter and in recognition of his contributions, the entire institution was named Yale University. Yale died in London and was buried at Wrexham in North Wales (Britannica, 2018). On April 5, 1999, the University celebrated Elihu Yale by recognizing his 350th birthday anniversary.

Leadership and Organization

Yale has 5,964 undergraduate students, 7,469 graduate, and professional students, 2,694 international students, 4,739 faculty members. They are international students who represent 123 countries at Yale. Yale University is a large research university with a broad array of schools, programs, centers, museums and many affiliated organizations https://www.yale.edu/about-yale/yale-facts. Yale is led and managed by the University's board of trustees and the President. The current president is Peter Salovey. The president and the board of trustees compose the policy-making and governing body and were initially known as the Yale Corporation. Yale University is also led and supported by the University Cabinet. The cabinet is an advisory body that is convened by the president and made up of the vice presidents, the deans, and other senior academic and administrative leaders https://www.yale.edu/about-yale/leadership-organization.

Board of Trustees

The board of trustees or the Yale Corporation is Yale's principal governing body. The trustees play the role of fiduciaries by ensuring that Yale's administrative and academic leadership are guided by sound practices and policies and equipped with adequate resources to uphold Yale's mission. The board of trustees balances the needs of today's students, faculty, alumni, and staff with those of future generations. The Corporation has 16 trustees: six elected alumni fellows and ten appointed successor trustees, each limited to two six-year terms. The president of the university is a chair and member of the board. The governor and lieutenant governor of Connecticut are ex officio board members https://www.yale.edu/board-trustees.

The President and Office of the President

Yale University is led by the President. President Peter Salovey is the 23 president of Yale University. He became the president in July 2013. The president oversees the development of new facilities and programs across the departments and schools at Yale. The president is also responsible for restructuring the leadership of various faculties and departments https://president.yale.edu/. The board of trustees appoints the president who is to serve as the leader of the university. The president is the primary bridge between the board and the administrative and academic leadership of the University, staff, alumni, and students https://www.yale.edu/board-trustees/board-roles-selection-processes.

The Office of the President helps foster Yale's relationship with the community https://president.yale.edu/. President Salovey has been advancing innovative teaching on the Yale campus. His office has also been advancing Yale's partnerships in Asia, Africa, and other parts of the world. The office of the President has also been promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and entrepreneurial opportunities for students and faculty https://www.yale.edu/about-yale/leadership-organization/peter-salovey.

The Provost

The current Provost at Yale is Benjamin Polak. The Provost is Yale's chief budget and educational officer. The Office of the Provost is responsible for overseeing academic activities and policies university-wide. The provost is an ex-officio member of every governing board and faculty and of all committees that are concerned with educational policy or faculty appointments. The provost has institutional responsibility for the allocation of resources and has direct oversight of all academic support units. The Provost works in collaboration with the vice president for finance to present the University's annual operating and capital budgets to the Yale Corporation and the president. The provost is assisted by the deputy, assistant and associate provosts together with the provost's operations and administrative staff in carrying out these responsibilities https://provost.yale.edu/provost.

Administrative Divisions

Each of Yale's vice presidents is in charge of oversight of at least one administrative offices of the university. The major subdivisions Yale’s administration include the Secretary & Vice President for University Life, The Senior Vice President for Institutional Affairs & General Counsel, The Senior Vice President for Operations, The Vice President for Alumni Affairs & Development, The Vice President for Communications, The Vice President for Facilities & Campus Development, The Vice President for Finance & Chief Financial Officer, The Vice President for Global Strategy, The Vice President for Human Resources & Administration and The Vice President for West Campus Planning & Program Development. The Cores and Centers include the Analytical Core, Center for Genome Analysis, Center for Molecular Discovery, Center for Research Computing, the Cleanroom, the Imaging Core, Landscape Lab, and Materials Characterization Core. The institutes at Yale include Cancer Biology Institute, Chemical Biology Institute, Energy Sciences Institute, Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Microbial Sciences Institute, Nanobiology Institute, and the Systems Biology Institute https://www.yale.edu/about-yale/leadership-organization/administrative-divisions.

Yale Residential Colleges

Yale campus life begins with the residential colleges. The residential colleges allow students to have cohesive and intimate experiences of a small school while still enjoying the scholarly and cultural resources of a large university. Yale's residential college system is more than 75 years old. It is also one of the most distinctive features of the University. It provides students with a comfortable and familiar living environment. It also offers personal interaction with administrators and faculty members and exciting opportunities for extracurricular and academic exploration https://yalecollege.yale.edu/residential-colleges.

A residential college is a division of a university or college that places academic activity in a community setting of faculty and students. They are a combination of dining halls and dormitories in which Yale undergraduates live. Yale has 14 residential colleges which house three to four hundred students. Yale residential colleges were modeled after the college systems at Cambridge and Oxford. Yale students are assigned residential colleges at random after they are accepted and they serve as the backbone of undergraduate life https://www.quora.com/What-are-residential-colleges-at-Yale. Students remain affiliated to their residential college for all their four years and even beyond campus life.

Each residential college is a representation of the whole student population since Yale has made an effort to represent the diversity of the entire undergraduate community in every residential college. Each college has its own library, dining hall, computer cluster, music practice rooms, fitness center, and buttery. Some colleges also have unique facilities. For instance, in Morse College, there is a Fabric Arts Studio and at Berkeley College, there is a Woodshop. Every residential college has its own dean and head both of whom are Yale faculty members. The dean and the head live in the college together with their families and eat their meals with students in the dining hall https://yalecollege.yale.edu/residential-colleges

Heads and Deans of Residential Colleges

Deans and heads of every residential college live in the college at Yale. They do this so that they can get to know all residential college students on a personal level as it helps the dean and the head to address individual student concerns as effectively and personally as possible.

The head of College (HOC)

The HOC is the chief administrative officer and the presiding faculty presence in their respective residential colleges. He or she is responsible for the safety and physical well-being of students in the college as well as fostering, shaping the cultural, educational and social character and life of the college. The HOC hosts study breaks, special meals, and College Teas during the year, which are intimate gatherings where students get opportunities to engage with renowned guests from the government, the academy of popular culture https://yalecollege.yale.edu/residential-colleges.

The dean

The dean is the chief academic and personal adviser to students in their respective residential colleges. Students drop courses, submit course schedules, or convert a course from the credit/D/Fail option to a letter grade through the dean's office at the residential college. If a student is facing academic challenges, the college dean can assist them by offering strategies for effective studying and time management or by finding and connecting the student with on-campus tutors and also provide academic support resources https://yalecollege.yale.edu/residential-colleges.

Yale University Graduates

Yale University started by offering to educate the youth in classics and Puritanism, such as divinity, philosophy, and languages. Since its inception, most of the school’s graduates have entered into leadership positions both in the United States and globally. Major academic milestones - https://gsas.yale.edu/about-gsas/history-yale-graduate-school include the first PhD degree to be awarded to an African America Edward Alexander Bouche in 1876. This was followed by the first seven women including Elizabeth Deering Hanscom, to earn PhD degrees in 1894. Deering became a faculty member at Smith College working as a professor of English and American Literature.

Yale has also been associated with prominent graduates. This includes five United States Presidents such as George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. Other Yale University’s graduates who have made names for themselves include Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo, German President Karl Carstens, and Philippine President Jose Paciano.

Programs

Yale University which is a coeducational institution is ranked by U.S.News Best Colleges - - https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/yale-university-1426/overall-rankings number 3 in the United States. It’s not surprising that Yale University attracts highly motivated students given its reputation. However, this institution is a community on its own where people live, work, and learn. Each of the constituent schools has its own curriculum and programs. With the acceptance rate - https://blog.collegevine.com/yale-acceptance-rate-admissions-requirements/ standing at just 6.3%, the university doesn’t just enroll students based on their grades and scores. They consider the value that each student brings to the institution, their fitness to the school’s approach to education, and how they would impact the world.

Yale offers its undergraduates liberal arts education. This means students have to learn across multiple disciplines - https://admissions.yale.edu/liberal-arts-education to enable them to think out-of-the-box. First-year and second-year students take various classes that are centered on three study areas, the humanities and arts, the sciences, and the social sciences. In addition, the students take three skill areas which are writing, quantitative reasoning, as well as a foreign language.

Students intending to do humanities and social sciences degree programs, they have to take the right combination of courses from the first and second year. On the other hand, students have to take a sequence of courses from the first year to major in natural sciences, engineering or foreign language and literature. The institution has almost 12,000 students pursuing graduate and profession studies. The most popular majors at the university include economics, history, psychology, biology, and political science and government.

Admission at Yale University is competitive. The institution receives more than 30, 000 new applications every year but only about 1,300 students are enrolled - https://blog.collegevine.com/college-spotlight-series-everything-you-need-to-know-about-yale/. The university offers 2,000 courses with 80 Major subjects. Students are required to take four or five courses each semester to complete 36 courses needed to earn a degree.

Yale University’s 99.9% of first-year - https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/yale-university/academic-life/graduation-and-retention/ students proceed to the second year, meaning there is a large number of students returning to the university for their sophomore year. Nationwide, the freshman retention rate stands at 72.0% while the average for both colleges and universities in Connecticut is at 79.0%. This shows that Yale’s freshman retention is one of the best in the country.

Outreach programs

Yale University is comprised of student organizations that volunteer their expertise and services to the local communities in New Haven. For example, there is Dwight Hall - https://dwighthall.org/about-us at Yale University founded in 1886 by undergraduates, whose student members are involved in social justice activities. Each year, the members from this not-for-profit student organization contribute over 150,000 hours promoting service and justice in New Haven and globally.

Another notable organization is Elmseed - https://www.elmseed.org/about, which was established in 2001 by undergraduates. The student organization is focused on motivating small businesses in New Haven. They also offer business consultancy services, business training, and technical assistance. So far, the organization has provided assistance to more than 500 small businesses in New Haven.

Yale University - Skull and Bones and the Secret Societies

When you think of the Ivy League, rarely do people think more than the best quality education which these universities provide. But, there is a sinister side to these elite schools, which happens behind closed doors, and it has remained largely unknown for many decades. One such myth is the secret societies which have inspired curiosity, fascination, and doubts.

It was reported that there are 41 secret fraternities - https://yalealumnimagazine.com/articles/3910-list-41-secret-societies-at-yale at the university with each one having a membership of 15 people at most. Some of these secret societies are not as mysterious as people might believe.

Few societies meet in either halls or tombs and are registered as not-for-profit organizations with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Not all these registered societies gather in tombs, or they are worthy. There are so many groups and student organizations such as Yale Whiffenpoofs - https://whiffenpoof.com/, which is the oldest singing Cappella group in the United States. However, the group that stands out most is the Skulls and Bones.

The Skull and Bones

The Skull and Bones society is one of the most elite and elusive societies which was established in 1833 - http://transmissionsmedia.com/americas-secret-establishment-an-introduction-to-the-order-of-skull-and-bones/ at Yale University. The co-founders were William Huntington Russell who became an educator, businessman, and politician, and Alphonso Taft who was Secretary of War serving under President Grant’s administration. Alphonso Taft was also the father of the United States President William Howard Taft who himself became a member of this fraternity. William Taft is the only person to hold both positions of President and Chief Justice of the United States. Russell and Taft were inspired to form the Skull and Bones after the former had visited Germany and witnessed the secret societies that were in academic Speculations

Numerous unconfirmed rumors have been propagated about the Skull and Bones. One of them says that the Tomb is the resting place of several people, including former USA President Martin van Buren, Pancho Villa who was a Mexican revolutionary, and Geronimo who was an Apache chief.

The society’s secrecy has raised fears because it’s believed the Bonesmen use their network of influence to ascend through the corridors of power. The Skull and Bones has been associated with various conspiracies. For instance, its members were accused of the assassination of President J.F. Kennedy. George Bush who the founder and president of Zapata Offshore Oil Company operating in the Gulf of Mexico, hired Cuban hit-men to kill the president. - https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/george-hw-bush-skull-bones-yale-secret-society-us-president-dubya-kerry-a8340596.html on November 22, 1963.

The Skull and Bones society is also associated with weird acts, among them, being its initiation rituals. Legend has it that the initiation ceremony takes place inside of a coffin. It all begins with enrollment in spring when candidates are told with a tap on their shoulders. The tapping is a special event that is referred to as the “Tap Night” - https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2009/04/17/the-evolution-of-tap-night/ since 1879.

During the initiation event, the new members are put in a coffin and also have to reveal their previous sexual exploits. In return, it provides the recruits with financial stability for the rest of their lives. This initiation commands lifelong silence from the new members on the society’s activities. The members are assigned nicknames from known literary characters. For example, President George W. Bush is known by fellow Bonesmen as “Temporary.”

The Skull and Bones have their headquarters referred to as ‘The Tomb’ where its members meet. It is located off-campus on High Street in New Haven, Connecticut. The fraternity also owns Deer Island, which is a 40-acre land located on the St Lawrence River, New York State. It’s used as a retreat place and was once an upper-class venue for tennis and social gatherings.

The society’s focus has always been to place its members into positions of power. President George W Bush and Senator John Kerry, the front runner for the Democratic Party, were both alumni of Yale University. Senator Kerry was fascinated with politics, as he even majored in Political Sciences. On the other hand, President Bush junior had little interest in politics as his passion was in sports and he majored in History. Both of them were members of the Skull and Bones society, but they graduated in different years in the 1960s. Coincidentally, the two former Bonesmen were the leading contestants for the White House in 2004.

In a series of interviews before the Presidential elections, both President Bush and Senator Kerry refused to comment about their links to the Skull and Bones. Senator Kerry’s campaign spokesperson - https://www.democracynow.org/2004/1/22/skull_bones_the_secret_society_that even released a statement to say John Kerry had nothing to say on the raised subject. In the presidential debate - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSGYJlR2qgc hosted by Tim Russert in 2004 Kerry and George Bush refused to comment about the Skull and Bones society. It is no surprise that most Americans are eager to know the truth about the club’s rituals and other activities.

THE HAPPIEST OF ENCOUNTERS IN YALE UNIVERSITY

HARKNESS TOWER – THE HERITAGE OF YALE UNIVERSITY

Being a part of the Memorial Quadrangle presented to Yale by Anna M. Harkness in honor of her deceased son and alumnus of Yale, Charles William Harkness, and the tower was erected between 1917 and 1921. However, it became a part of Branford College in 1933. Structurally, Harkness Tower is 66 meters tall, and from a square base, it leads in stages to a two-stone crown on an octagonal base while stones of decorative fittings are at the top. When taking a walk through from the base level to the roof, you will encounter 284 steps. Contained in the tower is the Yale Memorial 54-bell carillon which is played by a selected set of students for the Yale Guild of Carillonneurs and invited carillonneurs. Also, it should be stated that Harkness Tower was made of various stone blocks and enhanced with steel in 1966 for the sake of 44 carillons that were added to the bed. The decorative elements in the tower have different levels of sculpture with allegorical images showcasing courage, law, the church, death, freedom, students in the study, an athlete on the track as well as masks of Greek literary gods like Hormer and the English playwright, Shakespeare. Tour guides are always available to help visitors find their way within and without Harkness Tower

Traceable from Van Gogh’s “Night Café”, to the Guttenberg Bible to historic musical equipment, there a lot of cultural advantages in Yale. As a visitor, one may be left to wonder if there will ever be an end to them. The happiest of encounters that meet the eyes as soon as you come into Yale is second to none. And if we tell you that the museums and galleries are an integral part of the learning, we mean it in every sense. Being dedicated to funding innovative researches, Yale has been able to create a niche for itself in respect to academics, valuable cultural diversities, among others. Let’s consider the myriads of amazing collections which are open for free to public consumption.

MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES

Museums and galleries are an essential part of knowledge acquisition across the university. But before you begin to wonder what museums and galleries have to do with learning, you should be aware that learning is beyond the classroom experience. In these museums and galleries, individuals from all walks of life get an invitation to be a part of exhibitions and tours, take classes with resourceful curators during annual public programs and many more.

One is of the oldest U.S college art museum Yale University Art Gallery with about 200,000 objects, traditional and modern, to boast of. The gallery’s permanent collection was brought together in 1832 through the generosity of a patriotic artist, John Trumbell. Although he donated close to 150 of his paintings, the collections have grown to include African art, American decorative arts, American paintings and scripture, Asian art, European art, Indo-Pacific art, and modern and contemporary art.

When on tour at Yale, don’t miss out on another great historic center- the Lewis Walpole Library. It was presented to Yale by Wilmarth Sheldon Lewis and Annie Burr Lewis of blessed memory. This center focuses on 18th-century research-based studies of Horace Walpole and Strawberry Hill. Are you a researcher, historian or anthropologist, you will find rare books, British paintings and drawings here. A lot of collections are made annually for the library and one of the profound efforts is the blue paper shop created by London-based humor and satiric print publisher, George Humphrey. While it was acquired in 2014, the album has undergone significant treatment, and it has satiric images related to the scandalous event of George IV’s and Queen Caroline’s divorce and allegation of an affair with Count Bargami. Other figures captured in the most intriguing and satiric state are Sir Matthew Wood, Sidmouth, Castlereagh, among others.

Relatedly, Strawberry Hill covers a wide range of collected arts and artifacts from Lewis Walpole. The collection of a historical database is still in progress, but the ones available are open to the public.

UNBEATABLE RESTAURANTS AND STUDENTS CAFÉS

Students and visitors at Yale enjoy the most impeccable service anytime and any day. Yale boasts of about 25 restaurants, cafés and stores with varieties for people with different eating preferences. It is important to state that the environment is everything and in a restaurant, the decoration is key. Well, you will definitely have a good experience of dining and wining with your loved ones. Looking for a taste of Americanness and the most amazing finesse of the food. Yale is here for you.

Located at 964 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT 06510 Zinc New Haven has successfully maintained itself as a favorite at Yale since 1999. While it is locally focused, it is driven by a high-level global inspiration. The management is dedicated to providing students and visitors with a unique dining experience. In appreciation of its outstanding and intimidating wine lists, Zinc New Haven was awarded the Wine Spectator 2018 Best Award of Excellence. You definitely can’t wait to dine and wine in the most inspiring environment with American finesse and varieties of modern food such as organic greens, grilled four-cheese sandwich, four-cheese ravioli, soup and fried fresh artichoke hearts. Wine categories available on the list are white wine, rose and red wine of different subcategories. The restaurant is opened for lunch from Tuesday to Friday from 12-2:30 pm while dinner is served from Monday to Thursday from 5-9 pm and Friday to Saturday from 5-10 pm.

Health Center Café is a famous café situated in the Yale Health Center. Daily offerings are brewed coffee, teas selection, bagels of nutritional assortment, muffins, Danish croissants, freshly made or dried fruits, soup, chili, among others. If you want to dine with comfort and enjoy organic and healthier meals, there is nowhere else you would rather be. Breakfast is available between 7:30 am and 11 am while lunch is ready from 11 am to 2:30 pm.

Ground café offers Yale community cool spot to enjoy breakfast and lunch break while engaging in creatively resourceful discussion. With every uniqueness of New York City touch, Ground Café is located on Becton’s first floor at 15 Prospect Street, beside the Center for Engineering Innovation and Design and opposite Schwarzman Center.

Run at the Yale School of Management is Charley’s Place by Charley Ellis, a Yale alumnus. It offers a tasty global and rustic menu with local and seasonal ingredients. Fresh pizzas, gourmet salads, handcrafts sandwiches, and many more for lunch are served between 11 am and 1:30 pm.

FAMOUS YALE ALUMNI

Founded in 1701, Yale ranks as the third oldest university in the history of the United States of America. Consequently, the university prides itself on the successes of the creatively young minds it has molded into great leaders in areas like legislation, politics, economics, and art, among others. Some of the selected famous Yale alumni are presented below.

Hillary Diane Clinton is a wife and American politician. In 1973, she earned Juris Doctor from Yale Law School. Besides the fact that her husband was an astute politician and former president of the USA, you should also know that they had met at Yale. In 2016, she participated in the USA presidential race and although she lost to her opponent in the Republican, Donald Trump, she got above 65 million votes – the 3rd highest figure ever in the USA presidential elections.

Another alumnus of Yale worthy of his name is George W. Bush, the son of the 41st president of the United States of America and 43rd president of the United States of America himself from 2001 – 2009. Earlier in 1995- 2000, he had served as the governor of Texas. George W. Bush had his B.A in 1968 from Yale University.

James Franco is an actor, director, screenwriter, producer, teacher and author in the American arts and entertainment industry who had his PhD in English at Yale University. He is popular for his highly-spirited roles in movies and screenplays.

Clarence Thomas is famous for his esteemed position as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. In the law cycle, he is of reputable character. He enrolled at the Yale University to study Law and finished with a Juris Doctor degree in 1974.

Famous as a Computer scientist, Grace Hopper was known as the first developer of the first compiler for computer programming language. She received her Master’s degree in Physics and Mathematics from Yale University in 1930. Three years later, she earned her PhD from Yale.

One of the famous memory of Benjamin Tallmadge was his service in the Continental Army during when he led the Culper Ring during American Revolutionary War. During that period, he offered intellectual advice to Washington and the advice is still the standard for intelligence operations. Benjamin graduated from Yale University in 1773.

James L. Buckley is famous as former United States Senator, a distinguished politician and former judge for the District of Columbia Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He founded the magazine called National Review. He earned his law degree from Yale Law School.

Allen Dulles was an American diplomat and head of CIA who lived between 1893- 1969. He remained the CIA’s longest serving director who played a profound role in the capture of German troops designated near Italy. He graduated from the University of Yale.

Ernest Lawrence is a physicist who lived between 1901 -1958. He was a nuclear scientist who was the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1939 for his invention of the cyclotron and also received a full professorship at 29 and directorship at the Laboratory for Radiation at 35. His PhD was in physics from the University of Yale.

Paul Krugman is an American economist and distinguished professor of economics at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. As a university teacher, economist, journalist, writer and essayist, his contributions to international trade theory, New trade theory and New economic geography have received many reputable recognitions. In 1974, Krugman earned his B.A degree in economics from Yale University.

THE FAMOUS YALE BULLDOG

Yes, a dog can also provide excitement for students, athletes, and their fans. And following the appearance of a bulldog in 1890, the tradition became entrenched. The famous Yale bulldog is popularly called Handsome Dan. Although the honor and title are usually transferred to another bulldog upon death or retirement of the former, the original Handsome Dan plays the role of the mascot of Yale University’s sports teams for about 9 years. The first Handsome Dan was bought by Yale’s prominent athlete, Andrew Graves. No accurate information is available about how Graves became the custodian of the dog. The dog followed him everywhere he went on campus and consequently, a strong relationship was forged between the students and the dog. Those who encountered Handsome Dan spoke vehemently of his distinguished personality. A report had it that Handsome Dan would not associate with anyone but students. Therefore, it was adopted by the students as their Yale mascot with the tradition of accompanying it across the football and baseball pitch before the games began. Meanwhile, it is very unlikely that Handsome Dan, whose popularity earned him a place of honor in the athletic history of Yale was the first mascot.

Graves graduated and Dan had to stay on campus with Graves’s brother. Later in 1896, Dan was recovered by Graves and he lived with him in England where it gave up the ghost a year later at 10-years-old. Eventually, in 1933, the Yale University Athletics Department picked a successor and in the line currently is Handsome Dan XV111. It should be noted the other universities have attempted to emulate the tradition of Yale University, but none has been amazing like Handsome Dan.

Beyond doubts, there are so many things to look forward to when in Yale. You may be thinking of going to the university to study, it will definitely be a great pleasure to study where many American great leaders like Hillary Clinton and George W. Bush graduated from. What if you want to go on a tour? Well, you will get more than you look forward to for free. In addition, get ready to dine and wine in the best restaurants and cafés. Push that button to make enquiries.

References

How Does Yale University Rank Among America's Best Colleges? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/yale-university-1426

Traditions & History. (2019, October 3). Retrieved from https://www.yale.edu/about-yale/traditions-history

Where is Yale University Located? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/Where-is-Yale-University-located

Yale University Library Research Guides: Resources on Yale History: A Brief History of Yale. (1236, December). Retrieved from https://guides.library.yale.edu/yalehistory

Yale University | History, Schools, Alumni, & Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yale-University

Yale University. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences-and-law/education/colleges-us/yale-university

Yale University. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Yale_University

References

New Haven travel guide. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.google.com/travel/guide?rlz=1C1CHBD_enKE789KE789&sxsrf=ACYBGNTTbFE1gNlT92_RCqY_wOg7CMgUcA:1577555992987&ei=GJgHXrD2O-qJjLsPwe-tgAc&q=New+Haven+climate&oq=New+Haven+climate&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l8j0i22i30l2.7521.8574..11273...0.2..0.219.1455.2-7......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71j0i67j0i20i263.V7nOaSgHafc&uact=5&dest_mid=/m/0f2nf&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjHs_mK9tjmAhWzA2MBHfUUDzsQuZ4CMAB6BAgLEAw#dest_mid=/m/0f2nf&tcfs=EhUKCC9tLzBmMm5mEglOZXcgSGF2ZW4

PRINCETON, NJ

Princeton.

You’d most definitely run out of time before you run out of things to do or places to see when you visit Princeton, New Jersey. Home to one of America’s most prestigious universities, Princeton is a historic city with a population of 30,722 (as of 2017) and is conveniently located midway between New York City and Philadelphia, and the city can be travelled by bike, car, bus and or by train “The Dinky”. ‘The Dinky’ is a local train system that is often used by those on campus those wishing to explore the area. The local transit ties into the New Jersey system, which gives direct access to and from New York City, Philadelphia, and regional transportation hubs like the Newark airport. There is also access to Amtrak, which has direct lines to Washington DC and beyond. For more local displacement TigerTransit the local NJ Transit system and it will take you anywhere you want to go on the campus and throughout the local area. There are also bike and car sharing programs students and visitors alike can take advantage of when in Princeton.

History

First settled in 1696, the modern day city of Princeton is an amalgamation of the borough of Princeton and Princeton Township: a major Quaker’s town settled in 1838. While the city boasts a rich conservative past, the modern Princeton is lively, stylish, but casual. The large student population in the area makes it a great melting pot of cultures, ideologies, and orientations lending to the area’s relaxed atmosphere; The downtown business district is a beehive of activities drawing strollers and shoppers to its array of charming boutiques, popular restaurant chains, antique stores and fast food restaurants. The Princeton Shopping Center provides an added attraction with its fine blend of gourmet food stores, fine restaurants, elegant shops and galleries;

And even though the city is most famous for its university, it has a hand in American history as well. On January 3rd, General George Washington, America’s first president, and his troops defeated a British detachment to finally secure the college after it had changed hands three times during the American Revolution. The Continental Congress took residence there from June to November in the year 1783. With a pre-1750 foundation date, Princeton University was the fourth higher learning organization to offer classes on what is at present US soil. With a rich history that incorporates the participation of three United States Presidents, (James Madison, Woodrow Wilson, and John F. Kennedy) Princeton University has obviously settled itself as one of the most scholastically fruitful schools in America, as is apparent by the college's annual and repetitive placement on the US News and World Reports best colleges rankings.

Early History

What impresses us most upon arrival is “Morven”, an estate sitting on five full acres of land in the middle of Princeton, is an historic site with deep roots in both New Jersey and the history of the United States. This impressive estate was once the home of the Stockton Family and was also the temporary headquarters for famed British general Lord Cornwallis during the time of the American Revolutionary War before the British were defeated. Owner Richard Stockton graduated with the first class of The College of New Jersey, later dubbed Princeton University, and was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The college itself was founded in Elizabeth, New Jersey by the Presbyterian Synod in the year 1746. One year later, the college moved to Newark, NJ. In 1748, the university’s present charter in New Brunswick, NJ was granted. It was in 1753, however, when the FitzRandolph family, among others, deeded ten acres to the college in Princeton. Three years later Nassau Hall was finished The College of New Jersey officially moved to Princeton. The Revolutionary War and the birth of the United States both touched upon the campus and people of Princeton. In 1776, then president, John Witherspoon, was one of those brave enough to sign the Declaration of Independence through which the now-US declared itself independent from British rule. A year later the British were driven from Nassau Hall where they had taken up residence during the war. The Continental Congress also occupied Nassau Hall in 1783 as it served as the nation’s capital for a short six-month span.

There were a number of important firsts for the school leading up to the foundation of the Graduate School in the year 1900. The Princetonian, a newspaper written and edited by students daily during the university’s academic year, was first published in 1878. The Princeton University Art Museum was founded in 1882 and 1883 the Triangle Club was founded, which was a drama club. In 1893, the honor system was officially introduced and The College of New Jersey became Princeton University in the year 1896.

INTEGRATING PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

Universities like Princeton have a dark history of admitting most while males into their collegiate ranks. However, it is those same universities that have now paved the way for race and gender inclusion. The days of white men receiving the best educations while the brilliant minds of others were barred from learning are largely over. Through events like the emancipation of African Americans, integration initiatives, and women’s suffrage, attitudes have changed and much of that change started at universities and colleges throughout the US. Princeton, like other ivy leagues schools, has come a long way in the last century.

In 1792, John Chavis was the first African American to study at what is now Princeton University. According to Princeton’s website “he is one of a handful of African Americans to pursue private studies with faculty members during the 18th century.” While this sounds wildly progressive for such a time period, there was nothing smooth about integrating the student body when the school was born and throughout the early decades of its existence.

Princeton's first official African American undergraduates were not deliberately admitted to the school. Rather, they were brought in as a part of a Navy prep program during WWII. In 1945 Trustee Laurence Payson told John Barr (class of 1916) that the school did not know that four of the incomings students were African American. However, because a new law requiring integration at universities was passed, it was thought rejecting those students would look bad on the part of the university. This came after the Daily Princetonian ran a series of stories in 1942 about ‘white supremacy’ at the university. The series railed against the racial exclusion students saw at their school.

However, not all students agreed. There were intense debates on campus as to whether or not Princeton should be integrated. The student body was split nearly 50/50 in its opinion on the matter. As the white students debated together, the voice of one African American was heard through the Daily Princetonian. The voice was Andrew Hatcher, who lived in the town of Princeton. The essence of his message was that he was as much a citizen of Princeton as anyone else and wished to forward the wishes of those in his community and he thought the current students of Princeton had no business deciding what benefits or dangers came with integration and about who should be admitted and who should not. He said: “If you discriminate against me because I am uncouth, I can become mannerly. If you ostracize me because I am unclean, I can cleanse myself. If you segregate me because I lack knowledge, I can become educated. But if you discriminate against me because of my color, I can do nothing. God gave me my color.”

Important change came through the revision of the New Jersey constitution, though it was not done smoothly or quickly. Change was suggested in 1940, but a new constitution with provisions for anti-discrimination additions. It would be almost a decade before these came to fruition and the new constitution was ratified in 1947. It was the town of Princeton which had to face its segregated past first, as the divide between the white students who attended their own school and the African American students from the Witherspoon Street school was the same as it had been. The high school had been integrated since the year 1916. It was the elementary schools that remained segregated. It was not long after that the university began integrating as well.

It was clear the district was in violation of the new laws and thus the “Princeton Plan” was born. Instead of sending students to different schools based on where they lived, they would send them according to their grade. The successful plan was used in the 1960s, most notably in New York City, as a model plan after the Brown vs Board of Education case ruling in 1954.

Though there were struggles through the years both in the Princeton school district and the university, Princeton now stands as a progressive University that celebrates its diverse student body both American and foreign-born with opportunities for those who work for them regardless of where they came from or where they are going into the future.

Organization (students and structure)

Today, Princeton University has 5,267 undergrads, 2,946 graduate students, and 1,289 faculty members. What is interesting about the admissions process at Princeton is that students do not apply to for a particular degree of student. Instead, they apply to Princeton. During their undergraduate years, they can earn either a Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) or the Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E.) in 37 different degree programs. A few of these are: Astrophysical Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Music, Politics, and Electrical Engineering.

Within those degree programs are supplemented by 55 certificate programs. These go along with the typical classes taken while earning a bachelor’s degree and are similar to what other colleges refer to as minors. Just a few of these are: African American Studies, Architecture and Engineering, Creative Writing, Environmental Studies, Finance, Journalism, Neuroscience, Robotics and Intelligence Systems, Teacher Preparation, and Visual Arts.

Princeton employs a precept system on its campus. Precepts are small discussion groups which revolve around what has been read or discussed in classwork. These are much like study groups but are led by professors, other faculty, or advance grad students. These meetings allow students to have discussions and debate about the topics they are learning about in class without disrupting official instruction time. The university believes this furthers the educational opportunities for its students. Not only that, but because the student and faculty ratio at the school is five to one, students are never ‘lost in the crowd’ when they receive an education at Princeton.

Applying to Princeton requires a dedicated student with exceptional grades. The acceptance rate is 6.5%. Of the 29,303 applicants for the 2020 academic year, 1,911 were accepted. Once accepted, Princeton carries a hefty price tag. The reported price for the 2016/2017 academic year, the total for tuition and other expenses was a whopping $63,690. However, it should be noted that up to 60% of those accepted can and do receive financial aid. According to the website collegevine.com, Princeton’s financial aid is structured a bit differently than most other schools. The school takes a student’s financial position into account and works with those students on scholarships, awards, and assistance they do not have to pay back. They work toward a system which does not demand students take out endless student loans. The site reports 83% of students are Princeton graduate with no student loan debt. That is encouraging for students with the grades and the determination to get an Ivy League education but feel they cannot afford it.

Princeton has an illustrious list of graduates dating back to the earliest days of the school to present day. One of the most prominent is James Madison, Jr. He was the fourth president of the United States and is thought of as the “Father of the Constitution.” His role in the drafting and the ratification of the document was pivotal. He thought the historic document fell short and drafted the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the Constitution (added). Michelle Obama, former First Lady, graduated from Princeton in 1985 and then went to Harvard. Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com, is also a graduate. Other notable grads include President Woodrow Wilson, Brooke Shields, President John F. Kennedy, US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and NFL head couch Jason Garret, among many, many more.

Those attending Princeton have great dormitory options. The goal is to create a tight-knit community of students. The university guarantees living accommodations for all students through all four years of their stay. Freshmen and sophomores are required to stay on campus, but juniors and seniors have the option of off-campus living. However, most choose to stay on campus all four years.

Those entering Princeton freshman year are assigned, at random, a residence in one of their ‘colleges’ which are Butler, Forbes, Mathey, Rockefeller, Whitman or Wilson. These colleges often have their own identity and give students as sense of belonging to which they hang on to throughout their education. These colleges also have their own social activities such as dances, movies, sports, and barbeque/picnic activities. Lawnparties are beloved by Princeton students. These are bi-annual live music festivals and get-togethers. Each year the college hosts a wide array of music genres and the students dress to impress.

Of course, you can’t live on campus without dining options. Princeton, like many other universities, has plenty of options. There are a number of cafes many of which are open from seven am until two in the morning. They carry sandwiches, ethnic foods, pizza, home-style foods, and much more. Those who wish to have a kosher meal can find one at the Center For Jewish Life, and Muslim students can enjoy halal prepared meals at all dining halls. Princeton is known for its many ‘eating groups’, which are co-ops in which students can take part in all food preparation activities like shopping, cooking, growing, etc. with vegetarian and international options. These clubs grew out of necessity, going back to 1879, as Princeton did not have dining options in the early days of the university. There are currently 11 of these clubs at Princeton, though they have no official ties to the university. They are funded and run by the students. Though the main idea is all about food options, these clubs are also social hubs for students looking to network and meet new people. Students are eligible to join an eating club when they enter their sophomore year, and many alumni return year after year because of the close ties they formed in these clubs.

Princeton, like other university, hosts a wide array of student groups. Through these groups students learn and grow, and there is most definitely something for every student no matter what their educational goals or personal interests might be. There are both graduate and undergraduate student government programs. For those into fitness, there are workout and yoga classes, and well as all kinds of intermural sports opportunities. There are the aforementioned eating groups, theater groups, and so much more. There are also some traditions that are unique for Princeton. One is the bonfire tradition. This is not something that happens yearly or on any type of schedule. Instead, the bonfire is created when the Princeton football team bests the other teams in the Big Three, which also includes Yale and Harvard. The most recent occurred in 2012 and 2013.

Commencement is celebrated throughout a weeklong series of events steeped in tradition. The week starts on a Thursday with what is referred to as Reunions, which is a rite featuring alumni, and then those who are about to graduate. On Sunday, the Baccalaureate in the University Chapel is followed up by the Senior Class Step Sing. Seniors wear class jackets and sing songs related to their time at Princeton, chosen in advance. Class Day is then on Monday, which is a ceremony which features a review of class history, awards given to various students, and a guest speaker. Monday afternoon sees the Hooding ceremony, in which advanced-degree students receive their hoods. Finally, Tuesday morning is when commencement occurs on the lawn of Nassau Hall.

Attractions

Nassau Street

Nassau Street, a section of Route 27, runs through Princeton, NJ. It is considered the ‘main street’ of the city. This is where visitors and students alike find business, restaurants, both fine dining and casual, cute boutiques, and live music and all types of interesting art. Not only is this the hub of Princeton, it is the official address of the university. Some of the most popular spots on Nassau are the Terhune Orchards, Palmer Square, the Nassau Inn, and McCarter Theatre.

The university and the street have a long, tangled history. Nassau runs through the campus, and one of the main halls shares its name. Those attending the college and those visiting will certainly find their own memories on Nassau Street.

Food is varied on Nassau. If you are into fine dining, Mistral offers an unforgettable experience. They offer food masterpieces made only with locally source ingredients and offer cultural diversity in their offerings. The Blue Point Grill serves all types of seafood dishes. Because it is popular, reservations are encourages. If steak is your thing, the Witherspoon Grill is the place to go. This restaurant that serves steaks and ribs offers affordable food and is popular with both the student body and the locals. For more informal meals, visit PJ’s Pancake House, Olives, Odoba for Mexican dishes, Mamoun’s Falafel for Middle Eastern foods, 30 Burgers for burgers and shakes, and Porta Via for subs, salads, and pizza.

As good as the food is, one can only eat so many times a day. Nassau Street also offers lively entertainment, including street operators. The Princeton Garden Theater offers movies of all kinds. Palmer Square hosts a variety of community oriented events and entertainment offerings. The square also offers specialty foods shops, retail stores, and ice cream. No town or city would be complete without bars, and there are some interesting offerings around town as well.

Parks and Outdoor Attractions

For more history, students and visitors should visit Princeton Battlefield State Park. This park is located a mile away from the Graduate College. The park is where George Washington battled the British in 1777. The Clarke House Museum offers some artifacts from that time period, and gravesites for 15 American and 21 British soldiers can be found there as well.

There are acres and acres of deciduous woodlands at Institute Wood just a mile south of the Graduate School. These lands were preserved by the Institute for Advanced Study. Here one can find all the tranquility one seeks away from the pressures of academia. There are hiking trails and all types of wildlife to see. The ‘swinging extension’ hanging over the River’s Edge trail is a popular spot. Those visiting should know the area is well kept, but it is easy to get lost on the trails, so come prepared.

Those who want to relax will find vast picnic areas, playgrounds, and a baseball field at Marquand Park, less than a mile from the Graduate College. This park features an arboretum that displays two hundred different species of trees and bushes from around the world. This park can be busy, as it is a popular spot. However, with so much space to explore, it is a great place to relax with family and friends when visiting the Princeton area.

The Charles H. Rogers Wildlife Refuge is a marshland near the university. The flora and fauna here are exceptional and protected. The area boasts over 190 different breeds of birds and fowl. The refuge is a great place to bring binoculars and sit quietly to observe all that nature has to offer. Because this is a wildlife refuge, there are restrictions and times when it will not be open, or hours will be limited. Plan your visit to the refuge ahead of time.

Students who enjoy running take to the running path that runs along the Delaware and Raritan Canal. This runs along the southern edge of Lake Carnegie. This area was once a business center and featured the transport of coal and retail merchandise moving to and from New York and Pennsylvania. Those visiting can canoe, bike, and enjoy a leisurely stroll if running is not their thing.

Nearby Attractions and Activities

If you want to learn more about the history of Princeton University, you can take a tour. There are both public tours and private ones. Along any of the tours you will learn about all sorts of interesting attributes of the area you may not learn elsewhere. These tours can be books through the Princeton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Those wishing to venture out further will find a variety of parks, trails and other outdoor parks. For those wishing for a mini vacation, the beaches and boardwalks of New Jersey are not that far away from Princeton. Lake Carnegie offers water sports like canoeing. If walking or nature is your thing, some of the other parks nearby include Turning Basin Park, Barbara Smoyer Memorial Park, Herrontown Woods, Woodfield Reservation, and Greenway Meadows.

Those interested in the history of the area will want to visit the Morven Museum. As discussed early in the history of Princeton, the home once own by the Stockton family and that was a temporary home to the Continental Congress, was also the official residence of the governors of New Jersey. It is now a museum that explores and celebrates Princeton’s place in US history. The Firestone Library on Princeton’s campus holds valuable manuscripts written by the likes of William Faulkner. For further glimpse into history, a visit to the Princeton Cemetery may be in order. There visitors will find the final resting places of many historical figures such as President Grover Cleveland and Aaron Burr. Finally, the house used by General George Washington during the time of the Continental Congress’s stay in Princeton can be found at Rockingham State Historic Site at Rocky Hill.

The Princeton Effect

So many of the Ivy League colleges have an impact on their local area. With students coming and going, the economies often benefit from the influx of new people. This is especially true on Princeton. The university has a profound effect on the economy of not only Princeton, but the entire state of New Jersey. The school adds 1.5 billion dollars to the economy in the form of wages paid out all employees. Not only that, the school has an extensive research program and has to purchase a vast amount of materials to keep the university running. Money the students spend goes straight into the community, and those visiting those students spend money as well.

A report called "Instruction, Innovation and Opportunity: The Economic Impact of Princeton University” studied the impact of Princeton on the city, Mercer County, and the state of New Jersey. The study was done (for the second time) by an economic counseling firm with information relevant up until 2015. Not only did it study the economic benefits as a whole, it also studied how it affected all networks associated with the college. The benefits are not only momentary. The spirit of giving and shared responsibility that permeates Princeton University is seen in the surrounding areas as well.

With a workforce that hovers around 7,000 people, Princeton is seen as one of the state’s largest and more reliable employers. Most of those employees, 80%, are residents of New Jersey and the city of Princeton. In terms or research and its impact on the state and the economy, Princeton spends millions each year in government research funds which should continue on into the future.

Beyond the expenditures of the students, Princeton could easily enjoy the designation of being a top tourist destination of New Jersey based on those coming and going to visit their families. Those guests need to eat, sleep, and find something to do. In 2015, an estimated 750,000 people visited Princeton spending upwards of 50 million dollars that flowed into the local economy. That, when matched with the estimated 60 million that the students spend each year, is a boost for any community and serves the citizens of Princeton New Jersey well.

All of the money brought into Princeton through tuition and room and board does not all sit idle. Beyond salary, the university has huge expenditures they must contend with each year. In 2015, the school paid out 16 million dollars in property taxes and other local taxes.

Though not monetary in nature, the local area benefits from the school in other ways as well. Students do a fair share of volunteer work in the community. They work with citizens as well as take part in the upkeep of the streets and park areas. Overall, having Princeton University situation in the city may have its downfalls for local residence, but the school adds so much more than it could ever take away.

Uniquely Princeton

Though study at Princeton is serious business, there are fun things about the university and the surrounding areas.

Because the campus is not only beautiful, but also a great example of the best education the US can offer, many movies have filmed scenes on the campus and surrounding areas. Those that wish to film there have to have the script reviewed and the filming green-lighted by the university. Some movies filmed at Princeton include A Beautiful Mind, The Happening, and Transformers Revenge of the Fallen. In the Transformer’s movie, the scene in which the main character, Sam Witwicky (played by Shia LeBeoulf), attends an astronomy class was filmed on campus. A few other scenes were also filmed there from the same movie as well.

Students at Princeton once had to find their grades posted in a public place, precisely, a wall in Nassau Hall. This wall was nicknamed the ‘wailing wall’ due to the students reacting to their grades. This practice was common at Princeton until it was decided to end the practice in the year 1956, affording the students a bit more privacy and a lot more room to move around in the crowded hallways once stuffed with anxious students.

Though there are hundreds of schools throughout the world that use the Tiger as their mascot, it is thought that Princeton was the first in the US to do so. Athletes at Princeton were wearing black and orange stripes on their uniforms as far back as the year 1880 prompting local news reporters to call them ‘tigers’. The name was officially adopted two years later and has been in use ever since then.

While the tradition of the freshman/sophomore snowball fight appears to be no more, this was once a fun tradition at Princeton. The battles were set in the winter and pitted freshmen against sophomores. While it is largely unknown why these officially stopped, or even when, perhaps a picture from the Princeton Archives sheds some light on could happen during one of these snow-brawls. The photo shows three young men who participated in the 1892-1893 snowball fight. Their faces are battered and bruised, leaving one to wonder if there was more than snow in those balls. Though surely a snowfall fight or two breaks out to this day, it is no longer a yearly tradition at Princeton.

Lastly, what is an Ivy League school without a superstition? At Princeton, the biggest might be that of the FitzRandolph Gates. These are the main gates to the campus at Nassau Hall, but students avoid walking through them. Superstition states that should a student walk through them before they will not graduate. Instead, they wait to walk through them with their graduating class.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princeton,_New_Jersey

https://datausa.io/profile/geo/princeton-nj/

https://www.britannica.com/place/Princeton-New-Jersey

https://www.morven.org/about

https://www.princeton.edu/meet-princeton

https://www.princeton.edu/meet-princeton/history

https://slavery.princeton.edu/stories/the-princeton-plan

Quote from Hatcher appeared in: Andrew T. Hatcher, “An Open Letter To the Students Of Princeton,” Daily Princetonian, 22 October 1942.

https://admission.princeton.edu/academics/precept-system

https://admission.princeton.edu/

https://admission.princeton.edu/campus-life/dining-options

https://blog.collegevine.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-applying-to-princeton/

https://campuslife.princeton.edu/funding/extra-co-curricular-activities

https://princetoniana.princeton.edu/traditions/current/bonfire

https://princetoniana.princeton.edu/traditions/current/commencement-week

https://wpst.com/remember-when-transformers-was-filmed-in-princeton/

https://www.admitsee.com/blog/10-fun-facts-about-princeton

https://paw.princeton.edu/article/throwbackthursday-grades-%E2%80%98wailing-wall%E2%80%99

https://princetoniana.princeton.edu/things-princeton/tiger

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FitzRandolph_Gate

http://www.universitypressclub.com/archive/2014/02/tbt-epic-princeton-snowball-fights/

https://princetoneatingclubs.org/whats-an-eating-club/

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY – New York

Columbia University is the oldest university in New York State. The school was founded in 1754, predating the birth of the United States. Columbia now stands on the grounds of the 1776 Battle of Harlem Heights. That same year, learning at what was then King’s College was halted for eight years. It was reopened in 1784 as Columbia University. Full of history and a culture of its own, Columbia one of the most sought after universities in the world, producing graduates who excel in their chosen professions. Being admitted to Columbia University is a moment of pride and lifelong prestige. The institution is built on the foundations of history which have made America the great nation that it is today. Some notable graduates of Columbia University include former US President Barrack Obama, American writer, J.D. Salinger, and Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.

Columbia’s first commencement was held in 1758 in which seven students graduated with Bachelor of Arts degrees and four more were awarded honorary degrees. The ceremony took place at St. George’s Chapel located on Beekman Street on June, 21, 1758. Early Columbia commencement exercises (pre-Revolutionary period) were something of a community event. The procession moved through the city streets from the college on Park Place to one of Trinity Church’s many chapels. Beginning in 1898, Commencement has been held first in the gymnasium on the Morningside campus and then to the outdoor venue, Low Plaza, in 1926. Columbia continues to hold graduation ceremonies on the lawns surrounding Low’s Memorial Library.

The university expanded to accommodate the graduate programs of philosophy and social science, and gained more prestige when research into the atom began in the 1940s. This was famously dubbed The Manhattan Project. It was named as such because some of the initial research was done in both Schermerhorn and Pupin Halls at Columbia and other New York City locations. This was the US’s attempt to build a nuclear bomb during WWII and at its height, 700 people worked on the project for Columbia University. Some of the early endeavors at Columbia in regards to nuclear research and the Manhattan Project included trying to convert uranium into a fuel source for bombs. In other words, their goal was to split the atom. The cyclotron was built in the basement of Pupin Hall, which is the building which homed the physics department at Columbia. The 30-ton invention remained in the basement of Pupin Hall, which was designated as a national landmark, until the decision to turn the machine into scrape was made by the university around 2007. The idea of destroying the machine was met with a lot of controversy, as the machine represented one of the college’s biggest scientific contributions in the world. The cyclotron split the nucleus of the atom in two, bringing forth the nuclear era. However, the cyclotron has not been a whole machine since 1965, when parts were removed and briefly put on display at the Smithsonian. The famed cyclotron was built with salvaged parts funded with various donations, mostly private in nature. The machine employed two magnetic fields, moving the particles in a spiral pattern at upwards of 25,000 miles per second. It then forced those fast-moving uranium particles into a target. These experiments verified the results of the energy produced by the splitting atoms, which was done just a few days earlier in a European location by German scientists Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann. That was in 1939. Later, in 1940, the cyclotron was used to confirm that uranium 235 split more easily than the more common form of uranium that has been, up until that point, used in these experiments.

Today, the numbers of admissions and graduates are ever increasing. With students from all over the world actively seeking admission, the university is becoming an institute which hones and produces the best minds. The new Manhattanville complex is a testimony to how far the institution has come in creating a space for excellent minds to come together and take academia to unprecedented heights.

But, Columbia is not just a university. It’s a microcosm of life as seen in one of America’s greatest cities. Throughout history, Columbia University has been present, and having gone through periods of political and social changes, the university is still one of the best institutions to be associated with.

Colombia University is the second most selective Ivy League in the United States., which means it’s highly competitive and it matters a great deal to be accepted as a student there. After Harvard, Colombia’s student acceptance rate hovers around 5.1% to 6.1%. Hence, it is an absolute privilege to attend the university. The university has stringent requirements for the SAT and ACT. For SAT scores, students are expected to range between the 25th and 75th percentile. A score of 1450 will barely make the cut, but a score of 1580 will put you above the competition. Emphasis on a full score for math and reading is not negotiable. The acceptable ACT scores lie between the 25th and 75th percentile, meaning that a score of 32 is the cut off and a score of 35 is considered above average.

Students are expected to show a 4.14 GPA. Normally, schools grade GPA up to 4.0, which means that you must be at the top of your class to make the GPA cut for Columbia. Students need straight A’s in their high school years and they should have completed AP (Advanced Placement) and/or IB (International Baccalaureate) classes to demonstrate intelligence and academic skill. Prestigious colleges like Columbia also like to see a well-rounded student when considering admission materials, including extracurricular activities and community involvement.

Those applying to Columbia face a 6.8% acceptance rate (as of the years 2016-2017) which is only slightly higher than Harvard at 5.4%. Of those students who have applied to be part of the undergraduate class of 2023, 2,247 students were admitted out of the 42,569 who applied. Of these students, all fifty US states are represented along with students from 74 nations around the world. A full 30% of those applicants listed their preferred major as Mathematics and Natural Sciences. Arts and Humanities, and 24%, and Engineering, at 23%) followed. The ration of male to female students nearly 50%.

As listed on Columbia’s website, there were 13,343 degrees and certificates awarded to students in the academic year of 2017-2018. Of those, 2,058 were bachelor’s degrees, 8937 were master’s degrees, 562 were doctor’s degree research degrees, 788 were doctor’s degree professional degrees, and the remaining 998 were certificates. Overall, the university has a 95% graduation rate, as reported in 2017. Tuition (and fees) for Columbia is $61,850 and $14,490 for room and board for the 2019-2020 school year. If applying to Columbia, get that application in early, as the application deadline is January 1st each year.

MORNINGSIDE CAMPUS

Absolutely stunning and easily accessible, the Morningside Heights campus rests in the Upper West Side of NYC. This campus is considered Columbia’s main campus with the backdrop of a bustling metropolis with skyscrapers, dense population, and diverse culture all around. Students can access Morningside Heights via a ten-minute walk from the East Campus, John Jay Hall, and Furnald Hall dormitories. The campus is a secure location with security officials performing ID checks at almost every entrance, maintaining the very minimal crime rate in the Columbia campus. Students mostly reside in on-campus dormitories to avoid the expensive rent in NYC, which is telling of the cohesive student culture that exists. Students and staff alike also reside in 7,000 college-owned apartments also located in Morningside Heights. Another advantage is that numerous bus stops and subway stations are accessible from the area, connecting the residents of Morningside Heights to the rest of the city.

Columbia’s facilities are some of the best in the world. The collage has 19 libraries listed on its website including the Law Library, Columbia University Archives, Music & Arts Library, Rare Book and Manuscript Library, and the Business and Economics Library. The libraries are open to students, facility, and alumni. These storied libraries offer the typical library experience as well as 3D printing, workshops, research assistance, study room spaces that can be reserved, writing centers, and a digital music lab.

Dining at Columbia University can be done at any of the three main dining halls. These are Ferris Booth Commons, John Jay Dining Hall, and JJ’s Place. There are also numerous retail cafes and delis throughout the campus. In 2018, Columbia’s dining halls were selected as the number one in the Best Colleges for Food by the Daily Meal. Not only do Columbia’s dining halls and other establishments cater to every student’s dietary needs, they also hold fun events like a gingerbread house decorating event in the winter and other student activities like a 50’s style sock hop.

As a young student in New York City, Columbia one of the best places to begin a journey into adulthood. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, MOMA (Museum of Modern Art), the United Nations headquarters, Times Square, and Broadway are located near the campus, providing students with an enriching neighborhood to finish out their adolescent years. The NYC nightlife is also a major attraction to students as the city isn’t short on fun and bustles with activity. The Morningside Heights campus homes beautiful churches like the Riverside Church, the Church of Notre Dame, the Corpus Christi Church, the Broadway Presbyterian Church, and the Interchurch Center. It is also home to the lovely Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, making it one of the biggest hubs of religious inclusivity. The university upholds the religious values that the Ivy Leagues stand for, making it a great center for diversity and community cohesion.

STRUCTURE AND STUDENTS

There is no shortage of degree programs at Columbia University. The programs offered are as diverse as the student body. An education at Columbia begins with its Core Curriculum. This set of classes sets the bar for future studies at the university. These classes are required for all undergraduates and have been specifically chosen to produce a well-rounded student who thinks independently not only about their chosen career path, but also about their impact on the world around them. These classes include science, global studies, foreign language, and physical education cores. The classes included in Core Curriculum are classes on humanities, writing, civilization, science, music, and literature.

Columbia offers a plethora of majors, concentrations, and other programs of study. Anthropology, Applied Mathematics, Architecture, Biology, Biochemistry, Computer Science, Drama and Theater Arts, Economics, English, History, Music, Philosophy, Physics, Psychology, and Women’s and Gender Studies, to name but a few. Overall, Columbia boasts 73 majors, 51 concentrations of study, 10 special concentrations, and numerous electives beyond the Core Curriculum.

One of the school’s renowned programs is the international journalism program through Columbia Journalism School. Only 30% of students in this program hail from the US. The rest are international students from all over the world including nations like Australia, India, Pakistan, Mexico, Nigeria, Spain, Brazil, and Sweden, just to name a few. Columbia believes the diversity of the program’s students aids in highlighting how essential facts and neutrality are in quality news reporting. There is a variety of post-graduate opportunities related to this program through Columbia. Students can earn a dual degree through Columbia and the Graduate Journalism Program at Sciences Po in Paris. One of the most popular opportunities available to graduates is the Overseas Press Club Foundation’s scholarships. These allow students to take overseas reporting assignments with the likes of media giants like The Associated Press, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, and many others. In 2018, eight out of sixteen of these scholarships were awarded to Columbia graduates.

In addition to an expansive and encompassing list of academic majors and concentrations, there are other benefits afforded to students who attend Columbia. The school has hundreds of labs which are responsible for close to one billion dollars in research annually. These facilities are run by the best and brightest in their respective fields. Students also have access hundreds of research centers and other institutions which shape technology and public policy both nationally and internationally. In addition, Columbia students have the opportunity to partake in nearly 200 study programs abroad, fellowships, and a wide variety of opportunities in all types of research for undergraduates.

Some recent breakthroughs in science and technology have come through Columbia University’s labs. Recently, a research group led by Marco Tedesco, who is a climate scientists at Columbia’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, has launched a study to recruit citizens of New York to help analyze the amount of microplastic material that may be mixing in with the region’s snowfall. Columbia researchers at Columbia University Medical Center have pinpointed 900 genes that are responsible for nearsightedness. They are working on a drub to reverse myopia based on this research. The National Institutes of Health has given the Columbia School of Social Work an $86 million grant to study opioid addiction in New York and they hope to find answers to reduce opioid related deaths in the area by 40%.

Living on campus at Columbia has great perks beyond the metropolitan area and excitement of exploring all the New York has to offer. Students can take advantage of various programs meant to help students settle in and adjust to live on campus along with the James H. and Christine Turk Berick Center for Student Advising (CSA), which is available to all students to help them in all aspects of academic learning and student living. Columbia has health facilities to address both physical and mental health issues along with preventative programs to keep students happy and healthy as they progress through their education. The college also offers dining programs, athletics, financial aid, and The Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement, which assists student with the aforementioned opportunities to study abroad.

Of all of the Ivy League colleges, Columbia is unique due to campus location. New York City is perhaps the most diverse and all-encompassing cities in the world in both culture and the arts. The possibilities for personal growth for all students, whether academic or culturally, are countless. Unlike other Ivy League Schools, which are set in more remote locations, there are endless internship opportunities nearby.

MANHATTANVILLE

Columbia’s future move to Manhattanville will include an urban upgrade in what was once an industrialized area of the city. The five blocks purchased by Columbia were, a century before, home to an automotive finishing business, a meatpacking plant, and dairy processing plants, to name a few, all near a railway hub and a busy port. Some believe the move to Manhattanville in West Harlem will erase the area’s industrial past. This long awaited expansion wasn’t well received by various citizens who claimed that Columbia eroded the “funky” history and charm that Manhattanville previously possessed. Many businesses were forced to move out to accommodate the new buildings and the cityscape changed. None of the old, gritty industrial architecture of cobblestones, dairy factories, and slaughterhouses will remain for long.

What does it mean for Columbia? For starters, the large campus is now able to host more students and faculty members to take the mission of academia forward. The campus will also be ‘open’ to the rest of West Harlem and the city, which means those who walk, ride, or drive through where the campus will not sit will be welcome to go about their business as usual. The new architecture has added a new edge to the cityscape. Opening in 2022, Columbia University’s new 17-acre (6.8 million square feet) Manhattanville campus will accommodate the throngs of students, recruiters, and various other members of the university in a larger and less congested space.

In other words, the future of Columbia looks promising now that space constraints have been addressed and alleviated. The modern complex will house Columbia University’s Business School, the Lenfest Center for the Arts, and the Jerome L. Greene Science Center. The new site is described as “…a welcoming place of tree-lined sidewalks, accessible green spaces, art galleries and performance venues, lively storefronts and community education centers, connecting West Harlem to a revitalized Hudson River waterfront” by a Columbia University website.

The Manhattanville expansion will not take the place of the Morningside campus, instead, it will supplement the top-notch education a student will receive at Columbia. Though some of the campus is up and running, the entire project is slated to be finished in 2022. Columbia’s MBA students will gain the most from the expansion, as their current facilities in Uris Hall, including the deli and the library, are beloved by students, but overcrowded. The new facilities will pay homage to Ronald Perelman, CEO of MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings, who donated $100 million, and Henry Kravis, co-founder and co-CEO of the leveraged buyout firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., who donated $125 million to the project.

A BRIEF HISTORY AND GRANT’S TOMB

Columbia is the fifth oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. It was first named King’s College, as it was established at the behest of King George of England. However, after the Revolutionary War, the school opened as Columbia has provided quality education to the brightest minds from around the world ever since.

The Revolutionary War period was a tumultuous time as the United States was born. In 1755, the school was granted land by the Trinity Church which was along the Hudson River near Park Place. This location opened in 1760. During the War in 1776, the college was annexed and used as a military hospital and classes were suspended for eight years until its reopening in 1784 and held its first graduation two years later. In 1788, Columbia graduate Alexander Hamilton signed the US Constitution when New York became the 11th state to ratify the document.

The school now sits on the site of the Battle of Harlem Heights on September 16, 1776. This battle was part of the New Jersey/New York campaign during the Revolutionary War. The Continental. Army led by George Washington (the first president of the US), Major General Nathanael Greene, and Major General Israel Putnam led nearly 9,000 soldiers against approximately 5,000 British soldiers led by Major General Henry Clinton. American troops had been bested in the Battle of Long Island and the British troops hoped to advance further. However, Washington’s troops prevailed. This battle was considered Washington’s first success in the war that would lead to American Independence.

In 1802, the Philolexian Society of Columbia University was established. This is the first student group founded at Columbia and remains one of the oldest debate and literary groups in the US. The name translates to “love of discourse” and those who wish to become members must pass through a rigorous selection process. The group is thought to have come from a literary society with began with Alexander Hamilton in the early days of Columbia’s history. Those who enter the society are sworn to secrecy. The society expanded to include dramatic productions in the year 1910. This continued for the next twenty years. After that time period, the group survived years of dormancy and renewal. The latest renewal was in 1985 and the society has been going strong ever since.

The 1960s were a tough time at Columbia. As with the rest of the US, Columbia and its students experienced a period of unrest related to the unpopular Vietnam War along with the decline of the standard of living in many urban areas. In 1968, a weeklong protest rocked Columbia. The students occupied the school’s facilities for a week before they were removed by law enforcement. The incident garnered national attention. This led to the discontinuation of some research projects, loss of revenue, and the retirement of then-president Grayson Kirk. However, this also led to the creation of a University Senate, which gave a louder voice to faculty and students both past and present.

Throughout Columbia’s history, the school has added many of the features one would expect from any institution of higher learning. After the move to the Morningside Heights location in 1896, the curriculum changed numerous times through the next century as new programs and degrees were added. The school’s alumni association was founded and athletics found a home at Columbia as well. In the year 2004, Columbia University celebrated its 250th anniversary.

Grant’s Tomb is near Columbia University, specifically the Morningside Heights Campus. It’s the mausoleum of the deceased president Ulysses S. Grant. This monument of the Civil War is one of the largest mausoleums in North America and is one of the more interesting sites to visit. The site, otherwise referred to as General Grant National Memorial, is also the resting place of Grant’s wife, Julia Dent Grant, who died in 1902. President Grant’s remains were officially interred in the tomb in 1897 when construction of the tomb was completed. Through Grant could have been buried in a military cemetery, he wanted, more than anything to be buried with his wife, which would have been against the rules in that time period. Therefore, he had to be buried elsewhere. Within hours of his death, New York City Mayor William Russell Grace sent a telegram to the First Lady offering burial space in New York.

The site of Grant’s tomb contains more than just the burial site of the president. There is a vistor’s center which offers memorabilia, a bookstore, facilities, and a movie about Grant’s life can be viewed there. The site is open Wednesday through Sundays all year with both the tomb and the visitor’s center closing at five PM. Because this is a resting place, there are rules of decorum to follow. Smoking, chewing gum, eating, cell phone usage, drinking, and flash photography is not allowed. However, photos can be taken in the tomb without flash. The site also hosts some limited events, like the Grant's Tomb Summer Concert, which is an annual event.

Though no longer property of Columbia University, Rockefeller Center in New York City is an interesting part of the school’s history. The land Rockefeller Center now occupies was once property of the school. This land was first gifted to Columbia by New York State in 1929. In 1985, Columbia sold the land to the Rockefellers for a cool $400 million.

Columbia certainly takes its place among the most interesting places in the state of New York, if not in all of the US. Rich with history which can be traced back to the birth of the United States, its long and storied history has produced some of the greatest minds in the world and takes its place as a illar of academia which will forever push the world forward. Living in a city where history was made and studying in an institution that produced great individuals for the country, this University is any students’ dream come true.

SURPRISE: CORNELL IN NEW YORK

Before leaving New York and Columbia University for our next stop at Cornell University—same state, different place—we were surprised to find Cornell in New York City. Indeed, Cornell Tech has made an impressive geographic and structural footprint in New York City by offering unprecedented course coverage. Cornell Tech’s new campus on Roosevelt Island opened in 2017 with 300 master’s and doctoral graduate students. This was the first of three phases which would culminate into admitting 2,000 students who would learn and live on this new campus.

With a faculty of more than 30 professors, the students are in good hands, ensuring that they successfully launch their own start-ups or work for some of the world’s biggest companies such as Google, IBM, Amazon, and Verizon. It has been a successful journey so far for Cornell Tech, which was established after Mayor Michael Bloomberg approved the recommendations by an American economist to host a tech school in New York City. The idea for having the school was to get innovative graduates that would end up launching their own start-ups in the city, leading to the creation of much-needed jobs.

This happened after the 2008 recession which proved to be disastrous for the economy of New York City. The city was heavily reliant on the financial sector, so there was a need to diversify. In addition, the students would be highly employable as they would have the necessary skills that were in high demand by most companies. Cornell Tech is moving with the demands of the modern world by focusing on graduate research and on a new curriculum in computer science such as Connective Media.

Connective Media covers the interaction of communication, information, and media, and its impact on society. In a sense, this is most beneficial to companies who use cutting edge innovation in product development. Perhaps not too surprisingly, some companies are actively involved with the school by taking a critical role in the students’ projects and investing in research activities. The campus has the Jacob Technion-Cornell Institute which evolved from the partnership between two large universities, the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Cornell University.

Foundation Research

The Cornell Tech campus provides graduate research and education based on digital technologies. The institution is also experimenting with new educational models that could make progressive strides in the quality of its curriculum. One of the interesting educational models is the Teacher in Residence program. This program will develop computing skills for elementary and middle grade schools so they can then pass those skills on to their students. This is one of the best ways to get students to learn computing skills at an early age.

Cornell Tech has been recognized as a valuable research technology institution by various companies. Two Sigma Investments has engineers on the campus who interact and collaborate with graduates, start-ups, and established companies to develop new products and technologies. By doing so, the campus will serve as a central point where companies, academia, and government can work together to develop advanced technologies.

Between 2012 and 2017 the school resided on a temporary campus in a New York City building which was generously donated by Google. Cornell Tech then relocated to a permanent campus its 2017. The new campus on Roosevelt Island started with 30 faculty members. Graduate students continued to make advancements in existing technologies in areas in which commercial viability as well as coming up with new ideas.

The current trend for most tech companies and organizations is to outsource research and development to outside suppliers. However, Cornell Tech has made things easier for companies such as Two Sigma whose engineers and students brainstorm on challenging technical issues facing the company’s products. There is no doubt that such cooperation nurtures a relationship that allows companies to innovate faster and release better products to the market.

The school has positioned itself as a leading force by providing education and support to its students. Cornell Tech runs Start-up Awards, which recognizes creative ideas for start-ups. In 2017, Uru Video took the top spot and has already secured pre-seed funding of more than $955,000. This start-up is the brainchild of three students who created a seamless flow of video advertising for brands and users.

THE INNOVATION CENTER

Cornell Tech’s brand is defined by its innovative activities which can be witnessed at its urban campus. The building’s designs are suitable for students to devote their time to their current educational activities. The residential building uses Passive House technology which is made up of a prefabricated, metal panel system ensuring that it is energy efficient. The campus occupies 12-acres of land which has open space for students, staff, and visitors to sit and discuss the topics of their interest.

Tata Innovation Center is a building which is used by students to brainstorm new start-up ideas. This space is also used by established start-ups, companies that are in the process of developing new technologies and products, and academic teams taking part in the research.

Cornell Tech provides an on-campus residency for students and faculty members. This is important as it reinforces the school’s dedication to social and educational associations which take place at the institution. The students and staff members live together in their traditional residential houses. The apartments feature studios and suites, and they are fully furnished with enough space for friends to gather together.

There are two buildings which are set to open in 2019, the Verizon Executive Education Center and Graduate Roosevelt Island Hotel. The Verizon Executive Education Center will provide a space for academic conferences, workshops, and programs tailored for executives. On the other hand, the 196-room Graduate Island Roosevelt Hotel will accommodate New York City’s tech professionals and also visiting scholars, people attending conferences, and families of students.

The Startup Studio project enables students to form teams and come up with startup ideas. Through the coaching of experienced entrepreneurs, the students have managed to launch successful tech projects. Some startups of note to date include mobile phones which are user-friendly to low-literacy readers and writer.

The students are motivated by the Cornell Tech Startup Awards which recognizes winning teams with a monetary gift of up to $100,000. This money is used as start-up capital after the winning students complete their studies. The award goes to a winning team that will incorporate social entrepreneurship and social responsibility aspects into their project. The idea is for the students to think creatively about social responsibility as they are forming their companies.

OUTREACH

Apart from the Teacher in Resident program, which aims at making computer science accessible to children in public elementary and middle schools, Cornell Tech has other outreach programs.

The students team up with organizations on Roosevelt Island, such as the Senior Center, to work on some special projects that affect seniors. The idea was to have a better understanding of what they need and the challenges they face. Consequently, the students developed a service to create learning posters for Roosevelt Island Senior Center. This was designed to teach people basic computer access skills for Google Chrome and also how to play and pause videos on YouTube.

Cornell Tech’s students also work with small local organizations on design thinking challenge projects. Some of the previous projects included an application to help local people organize building events. These competitions end in monetary presentations of $500 and $1000 for the winning teams including the locals, press, and the students’ community.

Cornell Tech is not isolated from the main campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. The New York City campus offers degrees in conjunction with some of Cornell’s other entities like the Johnson School of Management, Cornell College of Engineering, and Cornell Law School. The mission at Cornell Tech looks forward into the future with the goal of graduating top-notch professionals armed with master’s, doctoral, and post-doctoral degrees who can keep up with and advance the digital age.

Pennsylvania, with Philadelphia being a Quaker city founded by William Penn is one of the original 13 colonies. Famous for many things, the key Stone State is home to America’s modern democracy (the first and second Continental Congresses in 1774 and 1775 were held here for which the latter produced the Declaration of Independence), several monuments of America’s revolutionary history and Ivy-league Penn University,

Ranked as one of the top six states in the United States by GDP, Pennsylvania is an industrial and agricultural giant. The state accounts for 3.9 percent of the total GDP of the United States, contributing about $719 billion to the nation's economy in a year.

Pennsylvania is recognized as one of the nation’s industrial centers, noted for coal, and steel production. It also has a large agricultural base and is famous for being a leading mushroom producer. The state accounts for the largest number of producers of canned fruit and vegetable-specialty products in the United States and is also known as the “Snack Food Capital of the World”.

In Pennsylvania your palate is sure to experience a rebirth.

The Quakers and Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania was a province brought about by the Royal Land grant issued to William Penn in 1681 for the repayment of a debt owed his father. On acquisition, it became a free abode and safe haven for all men irrespective of religious affiliations or political leanings. Originally established to offer safety to persecuted Quakers, the province grew to become not just a safe haven but a frontline activist against injustice, inequality and subjugation.

A walk around the consisting cities and counties would reveal overwhelming evidence of a glorious past of freedom, and one of unity.

Fuelled by William Penn’s believes of a free state for all, the state established charters and entered into treaties with other states and tribes leading to sustained peace and religious freedom in the territory for a very long time. Pennsylvania after Rhodes Island was noted as having the most secured legislation guarding against the exploitation or victimization of another on account of his religious or political leanings.

Pennsylvania – A Beacon of Hope

Growing from being a beacon of hope to the early Quakers to becoming the symbol of the American Dream and Democracy, Pennsylvania and its largest city Philadelphia (The city of brotherly love) holds a special place in America’s history. The birthplace of America’s modern democracy and a two term seat of power, it was here that the confederacy’s northern onslaught was cut short. Commanded by Union General George Meade, the Battle of Gettysburg was won in favour of the Union and became a catalyst for the formation of modern America.

In fact, it was at this place that the famous Lincoln’s Gettysburg speech was delivered.

Pennsylvanians have continued in the practice of absolute freedom for all through time. The large Quaker community in Pennsylvania at the time of formation and throughout history were opposed to slavery and all forms of subjugation. This stance made Pennsylvania a potent route for escaping slaves and a part of a network of sympathizers who helped slaves flee from Southern owners to freedom in Northern states.

The Sparks of Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia

Away from history, Pennsylvania holds a rich heritage and an allure that is unmatched across the United States. From the time the Quakers first settled in the area and William Penn pursued statehood for the colonial province, the area have found an attraction to all men of goodwill.

There is more to see in Pennsylvania than colonial history. While this forms the backdrop of the society, the commonwealth is a great place to visit for vacation and the University of Pennsylvania a great study destination for some of the world’s best and brightest students.

The University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania founded in 1755 and chartered in the same year was first called the College of Philadelphia. One of the 8 prestigious ivy-leagues schools, the University can trace its history to the glory days of Quaker rule in Pennsylvania.

Founded by the United States first president and Quaker Benjamin Franklin, the higher institution of learning was the first to refer to itself as a University in the United States.

Conveniently located in West Philadelphia, the university consists of 12 schools across 6 centers.

The calibre of the University’s Alumni is a great source of inspiration to aspiring students. Individuals the like of Warren Buffet, Elon Musk, Kwame Nkrumah and present day United States President Donald Trump have graced the halls of this great citadel of learning.

Worthy of note is The Philomathean Society; a collegiate literary society, and the oldest continuously-existing literary society in the United States. The Philomathean Society is the oldest student group at the University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1813 with a goal to promote the learning of its members and to increase the academic prestige of the University. One of the major achievements of the Society amongst many is the publishing of the first complete English translation of the Rosetta Stone. The work was performed solely by three undergraduate members, Charles R Hale, S. Huntington Jones, and Henry Morton, and the work have had the honour of being included by the British Museum in its select bibliography of the most important works ever published on the Rosetta Stone.

Beyond the academics, the University City holds a lot of attraction for everyone. When in Philadelphia, you should join the trail of sightseeing tourist to explore the hidden treasures of this beautiful city. In a group or by yourself, you can experience the beauty, diversity and easy going nature of the city. See the historic buildings and hear the tales behind them. Eat out at any of the number of outdoor catering and street food vendors at the food truck area and indulge in the adrenaline rush of sporting event if you are lucky.

Independence Historic National Park

A reserved area housing some of the major historic landmarks in Pennsylvania, the Independence Historic National park is located in West Philadelphia. Home to the Liberty Bell, Franklin Court, and Independence Hall, the park plays host to some of the key stones of modern American Democracy and it is unarguably America’s most historic square.

Besides the historic landmark attractions, there are many other important sights that line the cobbled streets of the park. The park is the site of the Congress Hall; where the first Congress of the United States met from 1790 to 1800 and the venue where George Washington and John Adams were elected President. The Old City Hall in the park also holds a piece of history, from 1791 to 1800 the Hall served as the seat of the Supreme Court of the United States.

You would also find the National Museum of American Jewish History and the Ben Franklin Museum nestled quietly in a corner of the park.

Tours through the park can involve short walks or a hover board ride to cover more distance in a shorter time.

From the Independence Hall; the former State House of the Colony of Pennsylvania, the voice of Colonel John Nixon rang out as he read the Declaration of Independence to the citizens of Philadelphia in 1776. The Hall sits across from the Liberty bell pavilion and is notable for playing host to some of America’s most important moments and some of its famous fathers. The Hall served as the venue for the sittings of Continental Congress, the site of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, the constitution, and the adoption of George Washington as the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army.

The Liberty Bell hangs majestically in the Liberty Pavilion just across the street from the Independence Hall. A symbol of freedom and independence in the United States, history had it that in 1777, it was removed and transported by caravan by over 200 cavalrymen from the Philadelphia State House to the basement of the Zion Reformed Church in Allentown, where it remained during the British invasion of Philadelphia.

To inspire a sense of freedom across troops and citizens, the Bell went on tour around the country in the late 19th century completing its journey in Philadelphia in 1915, where it has since remained. You can make a detour to the pavilion to see the Bell, exhibits and videos about its history. Admission is free for all.

The Reading Terminal Market

When your walk through the park is over, you can take a trip to the Market at the Reading Terminal. The Reading terminal Market is deeply rooted in the Philadelphia institution and was named a National Historic Landmark in 1995. The market has been in operation since 1893 and was built by the Reading Railroad Company beneath their new station to accommodate the farmers and butchers who had been using the area for their open-air markets for decades before.

Today, the market has undergone several renovations and upgrades, but as of old, the market is still a beehive of activities with several sellers and buyers thronging the market to transact. You will find an assortment of meat, freshly-baked Amish bread, hand crafts, jewelry, and souvenirs, and of course some Philly cheesesteak.

The Philly cheesesteak, a Philadelphian delicacy is the city’s most famous food. Sandwiches consisting of chopped (or thinly sliced) steak and a choice of cheeses and/or fried onions on a hoagie roll, these awesome wonders are a palate pleaser depending on the spot you patronise.

The Barnes Foundation

The Barnes foundation is an integral part of the Philadelphia's Parkway museum district and it houses some of the world's biggest collections of French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, including the world's largest Renoir collection and more works by Cézanne than there are in all of France.

The museum established by Dr. Albert Barnes, have on display numerous works by Matisse, Degas, Manet, and Titian. You will find a large selection of African sculpture and works of some of the early modern artists, including works by Picasso.

While the museum is open to all for free viewing of the gallery collections on the first Sunday of every month, adults alone are invited to mingle, explore collections and attend lectures on the evening of the first Friday. Refreshments are served.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY

On the road again

Our trip next day began in New Jersey, a state of sprawling suburbs, unique rural areas, and popular beaches which also happens to be a common gateway for those wishing to go into New York City. Our rental through Airbnb in North Bergen, NJ was fine but today, we were looking forward to our road trip to Ithaca, NY, home of Cornell University. We travelled through the state of Pennsylvania. It is a large and diverse state with two major cities, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, both made up of hardworking, blue collar types. Our trip through the state took us through Scranton, which was the setting for the American version of the British television show “The Office.” Once past Scranton, we ventured every closer to New York State. The highways were lined with greenery as far as the eye could see. The first major city we passed through in New York was Binghamton, home to yet another flashy university, but it was Ithaca, Cornell, we were looking for. Where ever you travel in Ithaca there are a lot of glamorous things that you can see, and it’s ideal if you come prepared with a camera to take a photo. We were! This place offers various outdoor activities such as swimming, hiking, and cross-country skiing. It has over 100 spectacular waterfalls, and it’s also where you can find the famous Cornell University and Ithaca College. Ithaca, and all of the New York aside from NYC, is a great place to see magnificent displays of fall foliage, with the green leaves morphing into brilliant hues of yellow, orange, and red. Our first stop was the History Center, known for preserving the past records that contributed to developing Ithaca. They have the documents related to the growth of the local community beginning from early American settlements to the formation of Cornell University, and much more. It was Mr Cornell we were interested in on that early morning, the rest we would explore without a plan.

Cornell University Founders

Ezra Cornell had a humble beginning before he co-founded The Western Union Telegraph Company in 1855 and Cornell University in 1865. At 30 years old, he worked in Ithaca as a carpenter and mechanic before he lost his job due to the 1837 Financial Crisis.

Ezra was a self-taught Quaker, but that didn’t stop him from seeing the potential in the communications industry. He believed that Samuel Morse’s invention of the telegraph machine was the only solution for people to communicate over long distances. Morse hired Cornell to lay the pipes that would contain the wires. So, Cornell created a plow designed to dig trenches and lay the lead pipe, but it didn’t work as expected as the wires had defective insulation.

After spending time in the libraries studying electricity and magnetism, it dawned on him that underground wiring was not practical. Instead, the wires needed to be tied on top of trees and poles and in 1844, he managed to build an overhead line running from Washington to Baltimore.

Ezra was a hands-on man and did the best out of his own poor-performing telegraph company. He continued building lines despite the financial strains and spent much of his time in the field. Several of the small regional telegraph companies were also operating at a loss. So, Hiram Sibley, who was a businessman from Rochester, NY, suggested buying out some of the small regional telegraph companies. Ezra offered to merge his telegraph company with others in what became The Western Union Telegraph Company.

Ezra Cornell's family had once owned a farm and growing up into adulthood, his interest in agriculture was reignited. Not surprisingly, he raised sheep and hogs at his model farm. On the other hand, his businesses also provided him with a lot of personal wealth and he immersed himself in public affairs. He even funded the building of a public library in Ithaca, the Cornell Library. His reputation grew such that he took various positions including as the vice president of the New York State Agricultural Society.

When he was elected to the New York Senate, he encountered Andrew Dickson White, who was from Syracuse, NY. White pursued his education at various schools including Yale College in America and the University of Berlin in Europe. After graduating, White resided in Syracuse when he was elected to the New York State Senate.

It was in his role as a member of the Assembly and as a Senator that Cornell’s vision for higher education manifested with the passing of The Morrill Land Grant Act in 1862. The act allocated public lands for the establishment of colleges focused on agriculture and mechanics. In the senate, White and Cornell discussed how they could best use the funds after selling the state land in the Midwest for higher education.

In 1865, White introduced a bill which was passed in the Senate for the establishment of Cornell University. Cornell offered his farm and garnered his own funds of $500,000 as a gift for the establishment of the school, which opened its doors in 1868. From the onset, Cornell was very involved with the university. He supervised the construction work and bought school books and equipment.

The university didn’t allow any religious ties and wanted to help the vulnerable population. It focused on educating women and poor students while providing agricultural and engineering education for the benefit of all people. At its inauguration, the university admitted 412 students and White became Cornell University’s first president.

The 21st Century has seen Cornell University offering more than 4,000 courses in its seven undergraduate colleges and schools. The university has 100 academic departments with about 80 undergraduate majors and 90 minors. Overall, Cornell has 23,016 students and it has already enrolled 3,375 students to start the first year in 2021. Cornell University is one of the best universities in the country with 97% of first-year students staying on to start the second year. This is exceptional, as the freshman retention in the US stands at 72% while in New York City the average is 79%.

Cornell University instituted an outreach program by partnering with the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology to establish Cornell Tech, which is located in New York City. This school offers a variety of courses including computer science, business, and law. Cornell University also provides a Summer Program at Cornell, Washington DC. This is aimed at helping first-year students from any college or university to have a better understanding of how the government and its processes work.

Cornell University has come a long way since its establishment in 1865. This higher learning institution that was nicknamed “infidel Cornell” by the locals because of its non-sectarian view and its de-emphasis on religion, has positively benefited the nation. Its impact on the students and the outreach programs are what Cornell and White dreamed about.

Ithaca Campus

Cornell University’s main campus overlooks Cayuga Lake and the quaint town of Ithaca, NY. The land on which it sits is known as East Hill, but the sprawling campus has grown to over 2000 acres throughout its history. The meandering campus has everything you would expect to find at a quality university: administration buildings, athletics facilities, museums, academic halls, auditoriums, and dorms. Many of the dorm facilities are on the west side of the campus. Several of the buildings there are called ‘the Gothics’ due to the gothic style of architecture. The area called “Collegetown” hosts more living quarters, apartments, shopping and dining, and the Schwartz Performing Arts Center.

The campus features buildings of various architectural types from both modern and older periods. The variety gives Cornell a unique charm. Some of the buildings are more than 75 years old. Because of the sporadic periods of growth and change throughout Cornell’s history, some sections of the campus are open and geometrically pleasing while other areas seem to be thrown together. However, this seems to be one charming aspect of the campus that students love.

Many buildings on the campus enjoy the status of historical landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places. Just a few of these are: Andrew Dickson White House, Morrill Hall, Rice Hall, and Caldwell Hall. There were a few more listed that were torn down in the 1980s. Some of the most recent additions to Cornell are the Mui Ho Fine Arts Library in Rand Hall, Stocking Hall (East Addition), Weill Hall, and the Cornell Health addition.

Education and Degrees

The first building on Cornell’s current campus was Morrill Hall. It was the first of the current 608 buildings that occupy the 2000 acres that make up the university campus today. The university has an interesting array of firsts. They were the first to endow professorships in American literature, American History, and musicology. They were also the first to incorporate modern Far Eastern languages into its curriculum. The first degrees in journalism and veterinary medicine along with the first doctorates in industrial and electrical engineering. In October of 1868, there were sixty-four Cornell students majoring in engineering and mechanical arts. The first doctorate in electrical engineering in the nation was awarded one year earlier in 1885 to James G. White.Today, Cornell has numerous undergraduate schools and other affiliate programs which all have their own requirements for admissions and work independently of one another.The undergraduate schools and colleges at Cornell are: the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Architecture, Art and Planning, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (which includes the School of Hotel Administration and The Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management), the College of Engineering, the College of Human Ecology, and the School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR). The college also host a Special Mission Faculty Unit, which is the Faculty of Computing and Information Science which includes the departments of Computer Science, Information Science, and Statistics.The graduate and professional colleges and schools under the Cornell umbrella are the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell Tech (NYC Campus), Cornell Law School, the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Graduate School, Weill Cornell Medicine (NYC), Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (Doha, Qatar), and Weill Cornell School of Medicine Sciences (NYC)

Cornell also has the well-received School of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions that offers valuable learning opportunities for students of all ages and interests. The programs are for pre-schoolers, retirees, and everyone in between. These classes can be taken online or on campus with winter and summer sessions available. Some courses are part-time, and both college prep and continuing education classes are available. There are also travel programs and study abroad. Through this program, anyone can explore academia through Cornell.

Cornell University Graduates

Cornell, for the beginning, stressed an education for all. The first female student was accepted at Cornell in 1870. The following year, Cornell admitted three more women, including Emma Sheffield Eastman who would later become the first female to graduate from Cornell University. Another female student, May Preston, was the first woman to graduate with a Ph.D. in 1880. In 1890, Cornell’s first African American students graduated with bachelor’s degrees.

While Cornell was progressive with its policy to admit women, there were notable differences in how women and men were treated at the school. Though the reasons for the differences would be seen as sexist in today’s world, they were necessary at the time for a college shunned by some for its lack of official religious affiliation, which was common with other universities and colleges at the time. Women had separate entrances and lounges, a school government entity separate from the male students, and a women’s section of the Cornell Daily Sun. Some sources suggest many of the men attending Cornell all but ignored the women. Until 1935, women did not enjoy the same role in commencement exercises as the men, and women were barred from Willard Straight Hall’s cafeteria until the next year. There were separate male and female dorms up until the 1970s, but that was pretty standard in many US colleges and universities. Today, Cornell has a pretty equal ratio of men to women students, with women outnumbering the men by a slight margin.

In 1906, the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity was established at Cornell. This was the first intercollegiate fraternity in the nation for African American men. The fraternity was highly active in social actions meant to defend and preserve the rights of all African Americans. Today, there are 56 different diverse and socially active fraternity and sorority groups at Cornell.

Some of the most notably graduates from Cornell include Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second woman in the history of the US to be appointed to the Supreme Court, Bill Nye, notable mechanical engineer, scientist, and television personality, Toni Morrison, celebrated African American novelist, Gabby Giffords, former US Congresswoman from Arizona, Willis Carrier, inventor and engineer credited with inventing modern air conditioning, Lee Teng-hui, the president of Taiwan, Mario Garcia Menocal, the president of Cuba, and Jamshid Amuzegar, Prime Minister of Iran,

From the early days of the university, the purpose of the school was to offer advanced degrees in civil engineering, M.S., M.A., and Ph.D. In 1870, David Starr Jordan - (https://biography.yourdictionary.com/david-starr-jordan) earned an M.S. in botany from Cornell and took the position as the first president of Stanford University. Along the way, the school added more programs to their curriculum to prepare students to the changing world. There are now over 4,000 courses covering the seven undergraduate colleges and schools. The institution has 23,016 students and 100 academic departments. The university wanted the students to be well-rounded and more knowledgeable, so it has several courses including architecture, arts and sciences, and computer science. The 2021 class has 3,375 students enrolled or accepted. The retention rate now stands at an impressive 97% for first-year students, which is above the national average. Not surprisingly, Cornell University has been ranked by World University Ranking 2019 - as the 19th best university globally and took position 11th as the best university in the United States.

Cornell Traditions and Lacrosse

Traditions

Like any of the Ivy League school and other institutions of higher learning around the world, Cornell has its own share of fun traditions. Here are but a few of them.

Chimes Day has been a tradition at Cornell since the year 1868. The chimes are located in McGraw Tower, which was thought to be named after either Jennie McGraw, who donated the first nine chimes, or after her father. The chimes first rang out over Cornell and Ithaca on October 7, 1868. The tower now contains 21 chimes. “Chimemasters” play the chimes at least three times a day during school hours. The music ranges from classical to contemporary, so nothing is off limits.

Slope Day is a tradition dating back to 1901. Once called Spring Fest, and sometimes referred to as the Slope Day Festival is one of the most popular events at Cornell. The day consists of live music, food, and drink. Some past performers include Snoop Dogg and Kanye West. Students can alternate between enjoying the festivities and volunteering.

Dragon Day is a 100 year old tradition at Cornell held on the last day before students depart for spring break. First year architecture students design and build enormous dragons that are paraded through the campus, ending up in the Arts Quad. Once there, these dragons do mock battle with a phoenix, which has been built by Cornell engineering students.

Lacrosse at Cornell University

A ball and a stick with some netting. Two teams with two nets on opposing ends of the field. The game of Lacrosse has been growing in popularity in America but it is by no means a new sport. Back before the land known as the United States of America was even established, the original inhabitants of the land began playing the game of “Stickball,” a game which would later be known as Lacrosse.

Residing in the St. Lawrence Valley, the Algonquian Tribe is known as the first ones to adopt the game of Lacrosse back in the early 1600s with other tribes in eastern North America and the western Great Lakes later adopting the game. The game was played during the Native American Games, a major event that took place over several days.

In the early days, a lacrosse field averaged between 500 yards to several miles long. However, today’s field is close in size to an American football field at 110 yards, making the game much more manageable. Early rules were simple. You could not touch the ball with your hands and there were no boundaries. The game began with the ball being tossed into the air with each team grappling for possession.

Though the point of today’s version of the game is about competition and glory, it had much different uses around its inception. Often, Native Americans used it as a way to prepare and train their warriors for battle both mentally and physically. It was also played for fun and has some religious uses “for the pleasure of the Creator” and for collective prayer sessions. Lacrosse is not as popular are football, baseball, or basketball in the US, but it is making gains. It remains most popular in the US in the Northeast (which would include Cornell) and the Middle Atlantic states. One of the first people to see this game being played that was not a Native American was a French Missionary named Jean de Brebeuf, who introduced the sport to his home country of France and named the sport as lacrosse.

The sport of baseball has long been considered America’s Game but it has gone down in popularity; especially with the younger generation. The slow nature of the sport has not attracted Millennials or Generation Z but Lacrosse is slowly growing in popularity and has sky-rocketed over baseball in terms of youth involvement and is the 3rd fastest growing sport amongst youth in America behind Rugby and ice hockey.

With its roots laid in the history of Native Americans, many older universities have taken to becoming the top dogs of collegiate Lacrosse. The most iconic schools that are thought of when talking about collegiate Lacrosse tend to be Syracuse and Duke, two universities known for their strong, competitive collegiate sports programs. Through many smaller schools to not have the athletic resumes found at those schools, they are quietly attracting talented lacrosse players.

Cornell’s Lacrosse Program

Known as the Big Red, Cornell’s lacrosse team has had 13 playoff appearances since 2003 and has had 28 NCAA Tournament appearances. They have the most Conference Championships of any Ivy League school with 29 (Princeton is close behind with 27) and since the introduction of the Ivy League Lacrosse Tournament in 2010, Cornell has won in 2011 and 2018.

The history of this team dates back to 1892 when they played their first game and since that time, they have a 759-481-37 record with a 60.8% winning percentage, making them one of the best schools of all time in the sport, especially in the Ivy League. Although their last NCAA tournament championship was in 1977, Cornell still continues to be a team other schools fear to go up against. The Big Red fan base makes for a hostile environment for opposing teams. The volume of the crowd often hinders the opposing team’s ability to communicate on the field.

Recently, the school has broken records and one of their players, Rob Pannell, broke the NCAA Divison 1 record for career points by a player. In 2013, Pannell ended his collegiate Lacrosse career with 354 points as a member of the Cornell Big Red. In recent years, the record has been beaten as Lyle Thompson of Albany University scored 400 points throughout his entire career.

Cornell University has been at the pinnacle of education since 1865 and they continue their excellence both in the classroom and on the athletic fields. Don’t think that just because they are an Ivy League school they don’t have athletic talent. If you overlook the Big Red, they will put you through the wringer on the Lacrosse field.

Ithaca

Wine, dine and shop in Ithaca

Of the many things that can be said about Ithaca, a city on Cayuga Lake, located in the heart of Finger Lakes regions in New York is the beauty of both the Cornell campus and the surrounding vistas. However, there are other best-known tourist attractions that can be explored. This place has special retail shops and a variety of restaurants serving varied and tasty foods with wines

Restaurants

With more restaurants per capita than any other place in New York, including NYC, diners in Ithaca can taste the finest that the country has to offer. This place has different types of local restaurants, including farm-to-table and exquisite-dining restaurants. Ithaca has been in the history books for a long time as it’s the origin of the ice cream sundae which was created in 1892 by a local fountain owner.

Some of the more than 50 established restaurants are located in Downtown Ithaca. Ithaca is where you find the Moosewood Restaurant which is globally known for its vegetarian menu and award-winning cookbooks. Restaurants in this area serve different types of meals including Ethiopian, Asian, and Mediterranean foods. The amazing variety of options mean you can even have a bite of the American bar & grill food or Italian food. Do not forget the Asian options throughout Ithaca as well as amazing pizza joints and seafood specialty restaurants.

Wine

The Finger Lakes Region is known as the wine region of the East for good reasons. Cayuga Lake has more than 25 unique wineries which you can tour to appreciate their wines in their tasting rooms. Cayuga Lake Wine Trail is considered as the oldest wine trail in the country. They are safe for a walk with kids and pets such as dogs, so you can tour them with your family. However, the fun does not stop there. There are hundreds of vineyards and wineries in Finger Lakes Wine Country. Along with the official Cayuga Lake Wine Trail, you can also find a trail for both Keuka and Seneca Lake. You can also rent a limo and make up your own wine trail, whatever suits your whim. There are also distinct restaurants throughout Wine Country and a variety of distilleries and breweries.

If you’re not interested in winery tours, you can find your favorite wine including Riesling which is considered as the best white wine in most leading retail shops and restaurants. The best selection of wines you can find in Ithaca includes Astor Wines, Garnet Wines, and Union Square Wines.

Shopping in Ithaca

Ithaca has a variety of retail shops which include local artisan shops that keep hidden gems and handmade products, and national chain stores that have well-known brands. While shopping, you can enjoy the sight of the Downtown Ithaca Commons historical building which has a unique architectural facade.

The Commons is a pedestrian-only area that is found in Downtown. It has four blocks packed with shops, restaurants, art galleries, street vendors, and service providers. This area is very close to Cornell University and Ithaca College, making it an ideal place for having a glass of wine, dining or shopping. Some of the activities such as Downtown Ithaca Apple Harvest Festival are hosted in the Commons. You can rest be assured to find musical and street performances as they are held throughout the year.

A block away north of the Commons there is the Dewitt Mall where you can find almost everything. Some of the items you can purchase there include jewellery, custom-built bikes, local herbs, and interior design merchandise. Downtown Ithaca is renowned for its art influence. If you’re walking in alleys, you are likely going to see buildings covered with artworks done by the local artists.

Other Nearby Attractions

Watkins Glen, NY is 24 miles to the west of Ithaca. Though Watkins Glen is a small town, it has access to Seneca Lake and hosts a number of racing events each year at Watkins Glen International Raceway, including NASCAR and Indy racing events. The racetrack is also home to festivals and the occasional concert. Watkins Glen has an interesting mix of fine dining and casual eateries and has a number of magnificent gorges and waterfalls.

Corning, NY is 43 miles southwest of Ithaca. Corning has been named one of the “20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2018” by Smithsonian Magazine, even though Corning is technically a small city. Those visiting Corning can take a stroll through the world famous Corning Museum of Glass (CMOG) which offers a trip through the history of glass and glass making along with stunning pieces of glass artwork. The Rockwell Museum is a few blocks away. It is a Smithsonian affiliated museum that celebrates Native American and Old Western art. Market Street in Corning is a renowned, picturesque shopping destination with hip shops, cafes, specialty food offerings, and other hidden treasures. The American Planning Association (APA) designated Market Street in Corning as one of the “10 Great Streets” in 2013.

4 Ithaca

Back to where we came from

For many visitors to Ithaca, the place is simply an area where there is Cornell University. However, The History Center in Tompkins County (this is the proper name) presents an opportunity to see the area from a new perspective and is conveniently located in the middle of the Finger Lakes area in New York State. It offers exhibitions as well as educational programs for adults and children.

The History Center welcomes hundreds of visitors who are interested in their collections which include books, scrapbooks, historic maps, and more than 100,000 historic photographs that take Tompkins County back to many decades ago. Where possible, they the original documents rather than technology to engage guests for an unforgettable experience. The exhibitions and the research library are year-round programs, and the collections, which are in their library, are available Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

The visitors and local residents desire to see this captivating place as it helps them to have a better understanding of the past which will help them relate to the present. This is a logical place to start your visit to Ithaca because you will be in a better position to appreciate what is in store for you.

The History Center, now in a new location has a lot to offer. The research library will continue to give services to scholars, school-going children, historians, genealogists, and even professional researchers. For those wishing to make high-quality photographic copy prints and scans of ancient photographs from their collection, the Center can provide such services. They have a wide collection of archival materials that depict the local history and culture, which researchers can read and take photos using their digital cameras without a flash. The Center has an education department focused on highlighting how past occurrences shaped the present life in Tompkins County and the rest of the US.

The Center runs Youth Education classes including the primary programs which are offered to second to fifth-grade students. There is also the Eight Square Schoolhouse Living History program which is suitable for fourth-grade students, Generation to Generation for middle and high school children, and Loan Kits focuses on students during their teenage years.

There’s always something going on at the History Center with intriguing exhibitions that showcase the photographs, documents, and items that were used in the past by early settlers. When you are in Ithaca, you can find the Center at the Tompkins Center for History and Culture. This place has both metered street and Seneca Street Garage parking lots where visitors can park their cars.

Sage Chapel

Founded in 1865 as a private institution of higher learning, the Cornell University campus has virtually everything to be seen and experienced. This was a non-sectarian higher learning institution was once called the locals gave it a nickname called “infidel Cornell” by locals for its lack of religious affiliation. Nevertheless, most of the students were religious, so Henry Sage, who was a trustee of the university, offered some money to build a chapel. He wanted the students to attend the church service right on the campus rather than venturing into the city to seek places of worship. The Henry Sage Chapel was built in 1875 for the university.

The Sage Chapel completely was built in 1873 and named after Henry Sage. It was designed by the Reverend Charles Babcock who was a Professor at Cornell. It was Robert Richardson from England who did the picture-perfect decorative carvings. A.D. White also did the unexpected touches to the exterior details of the chapel to impress the students on the campus. Eventually, Sage gifted the chapel to the Cornell University on two conditions. The first was that it was open to all denominations and the other was that the students should attend the services on their own free will.

This picturesque chapel is simply and individually well-designed, which may be unusual to the casual observer, but so are the decorations, woodlands, and waterfalls surrounding it. The chapel seats about 900 people and has two ancient pipe organs. The Aeolian-Skinner dates back to 1940 and the historic Neapolitan organ was constructed in 1746. The exterior was created to blend in harmoniously into the adjourning environment. The interior decor emphasizes the link between the spiritual world and education. Sage Chapel is an architectural wonder. A tower at the chapel stood at over 75-foot tower and featured two electric lamps that were installed in 1879 by William Arnold Anthony who was a professor of Physics at Cornell University. It’s said the installation of electric lights were the first in America.

The first opening service was presided over by Reverend Phillips Brooks on June 13, 1875. In current times, this chapel which blends elements from many world religions. Quite often they have a Baptist minister, a rabbi, astrophysicist, or even one of the students standing in the doorway greeting the congregants as they file in the chapel to attend the service.

While its beauty is awe-inspiring, the chapel is a constant reminder of the past. The crypt which has the bodies and ashes of 14 people such as Mr. and Mrs. Henry Sage, Ezra Cornell, President Deane Malott, and President Edmund Ezra Day and his wife was completed in 1884. Sage Chapel might be famous worldwide for its iconic structure, but it’s also the final resting place for the three student volunteers who were murdered in Mississippi during the Civil Rights Movement. Michael Schwerner, James Chaney, and Andrew Goodman tried to register black voters when they were lynched by local a Ku Klux Klan mob in Mississippi.

Sage Chapel is renowned for hosting many famous speakers including Martin Luther King, Sr., Mordecai Wyatt, Harold Kushner, Jane Goodall, and Arianna Huffington.

Why it’s worth visiting

Sage Chapel is serene and a rare treat when you get inside. Look around and you will come across the fine artwork of mosaics, stained glass, and decorative motifs. Yet, despite all the art and complex detailing of the chapel, a sense of comfort pervades. No wonder, this is a popular place in Cornell for couples exchanging their marriage vows as they walk in the chapel feeling like actors in a movie about another world. Adding to its mystique, Sage Chapel is renowned for hosting many famous speakers including Martin Luther King, Sr., Mordecai Wyatt, Harold Kushner, Jane Goodall, and Arianna Huffington.

Not only is the chapel a serene setting for prayer and worship, but it also a keeper of history. For example, there are Tiffany glass windows and also a stained glass which was commissioned in memory of some students who died from a smallpox epidemic in the late 1800s. The stained glass windows are astounding as they allow some sunlight, creating a riot of colors throughout the interior. The importance of learning is also demonstrated in the chapel by installing a figure named Philosophia. This statue is surrounded by beautiful women who represent various academic subjects including mathematics, chemistry, and theatre. They stand just behind the altar.

Spurred by the founders’ energy to encourage students to visit this chapel, they made this building rich in its details. As you walk across the floor, which has an olive vine theme, you can’t help it but see the double crosses with a blue background in the ceiling. This is a special building for worship and university lectures because it evokes the spirit of God while remaining functional as it maintains symbolism and harmony. The strong architectural quality of the chapel and its decorations create a suitable place for reflection. This is a welcome respite from the modern day activities. Sage Chapel is really worth to visit with your family and friends.