Commons:Category:Harvard University

Harvard University
The official shield of Harvard University
Caption	The official shield of Harvard University
Motto	N/A
Established	1636
Type	Private
Principal	N/A
City	N/A
State	N/A
Country	N/A
Campus	N/A
Website	harvard.edu

Harvard University is a prestigious private Ivy League research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1636, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States. Harvard's history, influence, and wealth have made it one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

History

Harvard University was founded in 1636 by vote of the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It was initially called "New College" or "the college at New Towne". In 1639, the institution was renamed Harvard College after John Harvard, a young clergyman who bequeathed the college his library of some 400 books and £779.

Academics

Harvard is composed of ten academic faculties plus the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. The university offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. The Harvard College is the undergraduate liberal arts college of the university.

Schools and Faculties

• Harvard Business School
• Harvard College
• Harvard Divinity School
• Harvard Graduate School of Design
• Harvard Graduate School of Education
• Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
• Harvard Kennedy School
• Harvard Law School
• Harvard Medical School
• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Campus

The main campus is centered on Harvard Yard in Cambridge, about 3 miles northwest of Boston. The university's 209-acre (85 ha) main campus houses several historic buildings, including Massachusetts Hall, the oldest surviving building on campus.

Library System

The Harvard Library is the largest academic library in the world, comprising 79 individual libraries holding over 20 million items. The library system is centered around the Widener Library in Harvard Yard.

Notable Alumni

Harvard has produced many notable alumni, including eight U.S. presidents, several foreign heads of state, and numerous living billionaires and Nobel laureates. Some of the most famous alumni include:

• John F. Kennedy
• Barack Obama
• Mark Zuckerberg
• Bill Gates

Also see

• Ivy League
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Yale University
• Stanford University
• University of Cambridge