University of Rochester

The University of Rochester is a private research university in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded in 1850 and moved into its current campus, next to the Genesee River in 1930. With approximately 30,000 full-time employees, the university is the largest private employer in Upstate New York and the seventh-largest in all of New York State.

With over 12,000 students, the university offers 160 undergraduate and 30 graduate programs across seven schools spread throughout five campuses. The College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering is the largest school, and it includes the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The Eastman School of Music, founded by and named after George Eastman, is located in Downtown Rochester.

The university is also home to the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, a national laboratory supported by the US Department of Energy. The university is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and is a member of the Association of American Universities, which emphasizes academic research. The university's sports teams, the Rochester YellowJackets, compete in NCAA Division III. The school is a founding member of the University Athletic Association (UAA).

History

The University of Rochester started from The First Baptist Church of Hamilton, New York, established in 1796. This led to the Hamilton Literary and Theological Institution in 1817, which later became Madison University. Some faculty and students moved to Rochester and founded the University of Rochester in 1850.

The university began with about 60 students in 1850 and grew over the years. In 1900, it admitted its first female students, thanks to efforts by suffragist Susan B. Anthony. Major growth happened under Benjamin Rush Rhees, and George Eastman, founder of Eastman Kodak, became a big donor. The university created new schools, including the Eastman School of Music, and joined important groups like the Association of American Universities.

In recent years, the university has built new buildings and programs. It completed a big fundraising campaign and added facilities like student dorms and a new hospital. The university continues to grow and support new ideas and programs.

Administration

The University of Rochester is led by a board of trustees, currently chaired by alumnus Chris Boehning. This board is responsible for appointing the university's president. As of 2019, eleven people have officially served as the university's president. Sometimes, when there is a change in leadership, faculty members have stepped in to help manage the university temporarily.

Campuses

The River Campus is located near the Genesee River, about 2 miles south of downtown Rochester. It covers around 200 acres and features many important buildings, including the Rush Rhees Library, which has a large carillon with 50 bells. The campus also has several art galleries where students can display their work.

The University of Rochester Medical Center is next to the River Campus and includes Strong Memorial Hospital and the School of Medicine and Dentistry. The Eastman School of Music has its own campus downtown, with a big concert hall and the largest academic music library in North America. The South Campus in Brighton houses graduate students and special research labs. The Mount Hope Campus includes historic mansion homes, such as the president’s residence. The Memorial Art Gallery, founded in 1913, is another important part of the university’s history.

Main article: Memorial Art Gallery

Academics

The University of Rochester has about 6,400 undergraduate students and around 5,350 graduate students from the United States and many other countries. Students must take a writing seminar in their first year and complete coursework in humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. They choose a major and a cluster of related courses.

The university is very active in research, spending about $481 million in 2023. It is known for its work in areas like laser science, biomedical engineering, and optics. The university created important technologies such as Zoloft and Gardasil. It also developed WeBWorK, a system that helps students check their homework online. The university includes several schools, such as the Eastman School of Music, the School of Medicine and Dentistry, and the Simon Business School.

Rankings

The University of Rochester is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. In 2025, Forbes magazine ranked the university 69th among colleges in the United States. The same year, the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking placed it 46th in the country, and Washington Monthly ranked it 48th for research. The Wall Street Journal ranked the university 58th overall in the United States.

Student life

The University of Rochester has many traditions and activities for its students. The university's seal shows a book for arts and sciences, a lyre for music, and a symbol of medicine. The official flower is the dandelion, which grew on the land where the university’s second campus was built.

The school mascot is a yellowjacket wasp, now named “Rocky.” The official colors are Rochester Blue and Dandelion Yellow, and the motto is “Meliora,” meaning “ever better.” Students enjoy many groups and events, including cultural dance groups, comedy troupes, and a cappella teams like the YellowJackets and Midnight Ramblers. The student newspaper, Campus Times, has been published since 1873.

Students can join over 275 groups, and there are yearly events like Celebrate Diversity and Springfest. The Students’ Association governs student groups, and there are places for spiritual activities, such as the Interfaith Chapel, which serves many religions. Most students live on campus, with options ranging from traditional dorms to apartment-style housing. The university offers free shuttle services around campus and to nearby areas.

Traditions

The University of Rochester has many fun traditions that students enjoy. One is the Boar's Head Dinner, a special medieval feast that started in 1934. Students dress up like people from the 16th Century and listen to a story called the "Reading of the Boar."

Another tradition is Dandelion Day, also called "D-Day" by students. It happens during the last week of classes in the spring and includes food trucks, concerts, and parties. Even when funding was lost in 2008, students wanted it back so it returned again.

Athletics

Main article: Rochester YellowJackets

The University of Rochester's sports teams are called the YellowJackets. They compete in Division III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), mainly in the University Athletic Association (UAA) and the Liberty League. The men's squash team is an exception, competing in Division I and often ranking among the top five teams in the country.

Students can choose from 23 different sports, including baseball, basketball, soccer, and swimming for both men and women. There are also many club and intramural sports available, such as hockey, rugby, and ultimate frisbee. The main sports facilities are located in the Goergen Athletic Center and Prince Athletic Complex, which include stadiums, gyms, and fitness centers for students to use.

Notable alumni and faculty

See also: List of University of Rochester people and List of Eastman School of Music people

The University of Rochester has more than 120,000 alumni. Many have achieved great success in different fields. Some have won important awards like the Nobel Prize and the Pulitzer Prize. Others have led big companies or worked in important government jobs.

Famous alumni include leaders in business, science, arts, and more. For example, some are well-known scientists, like Arthur Kornberg and Masatoshi Koshiba, who won Nobel Prizes. Others are famous musicians, actors, and writers, showing the wide range of achievements from the university's graduates.