Introduction.
Founded in 1701, Yale is an American Ivy League research university located in New Haven, Connecticut. Yale consistently ranks among the top three universities in the United States and is one of the eight Ancient US schools that constitute the Ivy League.
Yale has produced notable alumni including five U.S. Presidents, 19 U.S. Supreme Court Justices, and several foreign heads of state. Yale’s faculty and alumni have also won numerous awards including 155 Pulitzer Prizes and 108 National Humanities Medals.
Yale University is also a world-renowned center for research, and its professors’ work has led to advances in fields such as medicine, politics, and science.
Yale’s commitment to excellence in education has made it one of the most prestigious universities in the world.
Yale’s Founding and Growth in the Colonial Era.
Yale University is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nine Colonial Colleges chartered before the American Revolution.
Yale College was founded by English Puritans who had come to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1636 in search of religious freedom.
In 1718, the school was renamed Yale University in honor of Welsh merchant Elihu Yale, whose gift of nine bales of goods, 417 books and a portrait of King George helped support the establishment of the college library.
Yale grew steadily in the 18th century, adding programs in medicine, science, and engineering. It became a major center for international education after World War II with the establishment of its Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and School of Management.
In colonial America, Yale’s growth was shaped by religious and political unrest. Yale’s first president, rector Abraham Pierson, left with his family for Massachusetts due to religious persecution in Connecticut. The school remained closed for seven years until Pierson’s return in 1709. In 1718, Yale awarded its first degrees, four years after Harvard University.
Yale’s War Record.
Yale has a long and storied history, dating back to its founding in 1701. In 1779 the past-president Naphtali Daggett, lead more than half the student body to take on the English near New Haven.
Yale played an important role in the American Civil War, with many of its students enlisting to fight for the Union army. Yale also served as a training ground for Union soldiers, with over 3,000 men passing through Yale on their way to the front lines. Yale’s campus was even occupied by Confederate troops at one point during the war.
The Ivy League Years.
In the 19th century, Yale experienced tremendous growth. The university added a medical school and professional schools in law and divinity, and enrollment increased from less than 200 students to over 2,000.
Yale also became one of the leading research universities in the country, with a world-renowned faculty that included such figures as chemist Benjamin Silliman and historian John Wooster.
The early 20th century was a period of transition for Yale. The university expanded its campus with several new buildings, including Yale’s first residential college.
At the same time, Yale began to admit increasing numbers of non-white and non-Protestant students, reflecting the changing demographics of the country.
The Modern Era.
Yale continues to be one of the world’s leading research universities. In the 20th century, Yale scholars made important contributions in a wide variety of fields, from medicine and psychology to literature and art history. Yale also became a leader in international education, with students coming from all over the world to study at the university.
In the 21st century, Yale is confronting a number of challenges, including an increase in the cost of tuition and concerns about the admissions process.
But Yale remains committed to its core values of excellence in education and research.
Yale University’s History and Reputation
Yale is a founding member of the Association of American Universities and one of the original eight Ivy League schools.
In 1718, Yale had only 40 students—seven undergraduates and 33 graduate students. In 1810, its student body had risen to 162. In 1879, Yale’s Sheffield Scientific School became one of the first schools devoted to scientific education in America. Today, Yale has more than 12,000 undergraduate students and nearly 13,000 graduate and professional students.
Sporting Achievements.
Yale Universities Olympic Gold Medalists Record.
Yale atheletes in both the summer and winter games have won 52 gold, 26 silver and 32 bronze medals.
The following is a list of just the gold medalists:
- Austin, Michael Swimming 1964
- Bagioli, Wendy (Coach) Swimming 1976
- Becklean, William ’58 Rowing 1956
- Beer, Donald A.E. ’57 Rowing 1956
- Budd, Boyce ’61 Rowing 1964
- Calhoun, Lee (Coach) Athletics 1956, ’60
- Carpenter, Leonard ’24 Rowing 1924
- Carr, Sabin ’28 Athletics 1928
- Charlton, Thomas ’56 Rowing 1956
- Clark, Emory ’60 Rowing 1964
- Clark, Stephen ’65 Swimming 1960, ’64 (3 golds)
- Cooke, John ’58 Rowing 1956
- Dole, George ’06, ’07MA Wrestling 1908
- Eagan, Edward ’21s Boxing 1920, ’24 & Bobsleighing 1932
- Esselstyn, Caldwell ’56 Rowing 1956
- Gilbert, Alfred C. ’09m Athletics 1908
- Grimes, Charles ’57 Rowing 1956
- Hughes, Sarah ’07 Figure Skating 2002
- Kingsbury, Howard, ’26 Rowing 1924
- Landon, Richmond ’21 Athletics 1920
- Lindley, Alfred.D. ’25 Rowing 1924
- McKee, Jonathan ’83 Sailing 1984, 2000
- McLane, James ’53 Swimming 1948, ’52
- Miller, J. Lester ’25 Rowing 1924
- Moore, Wayne ’53 Swimming 1952
- Morey, Robert ’58 Rowing 1956
- Nelson, John ’70 Swimming 1964, ’68
- Rockefeller, J. Stillman ’24 Rowing 1924
- Schollander, Donald ’68 Swimming 1964, ’68
- Sheffield, Frederick ’24 Rowing 1924
- Sheldon, Lewis ’96 Athletics 1900
- Sheldon, Richard ’98s Athletics 1900
- Shorter, Frank ’69 Athletics 1972, ’76
- Spock, Benjamin ’25 Rowing 1924
- Stack, Allen ’48 Swimming 1948, ’52
- Steinkraus, William ’48 Equestrian 1952, ’56, ’60, ’64,’68, ’72
- Stoddard, Laurence ’25 Rowing 1924
- Wailes, Richard ’58 Rowing 1956, ’60
- Warner, Karl ’34s Athletics 1932
Other Sports
Yale’s athletics teams (Yale Bulldogs) have won 45 National championships in the fields of fencing, swimming, diving, men’s golf, lacrosse, hockey & sailing. Yale claims to be the oldest college boat club in America.
Students Life, Lifestyle and Prospects.
Yale University is organized into fourteen constituent schools: the original undergraduate college, the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and twelve professional schools. Yale College undergraduates follow a liberal arts curriculum with departmental majors and are organized into a social system of residential colleges.
Yale’s graduate schools include top-ranked programs in law, medicine, business, architecture, environmental science, and drama.
Yale has produced many notable alumni throughout its history including 5 U.S. Presidents, 19 U.S. Supreme Court Justices, 31 living billionaires (as of October 2019), and hundreds of Rhodes Scholars. Yale also holds the cultural distinction as the birthplace of Frisbee, flat-track roller derby, Staffordshire pottery (a type of English porcelain), and benefits corporation legislation.
Yale students participate in over 850 student organizations on campus including over 100 performance groups and dozens of political action groups. Yale’s extensive library system includes over fifteen million volumes making it one of the largest academic library systems in the world.
Yale’s endowment is currently valued at approximately $30 billion which is among the largest university endowments in the world.
Students attending Yale can expect a very rich and diverse experience both inside and outside of academics. There are many opportunities available for students to get involved on campus through extracurricular activities, sports, clubs, and organizations.
Yale also has a very strong sense of community which can be seen through its extensive efforts in sustainability initiatives, social justice work, and support for local businesses and organizations.
Students can expect to receive a well-rounded education while also enjoying all that New Haven has to offer including restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, museums, and cultural institutions.
Yale’s Impact on the American Political System.
Many of America’s founding fathers, including George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, were educated at Yale. Since then, Yale has produced a long line of influential political leaders, including several presidents and Supreme Court justices.
Yale’s impact on American politics can be seen in its alumni network. Yale graduates are well-represented in all levels of government and politics. They have played key roles in shaping American policy on issues like education, civil rights, and foreign affairs.
Many of America’s most prominent political leaders today are Yale alumni, including former president Barack Obama and current Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
Yale’s influence on American politics extends beyond its alumni network. Several of Yale’s most distinguished faculty members have made their mark on U.S. politics, including the late political theorist C. Vann Woodward, who played a major role in desegregating the South during the 1960s.
Yale’s most famous political scientist, Samuel Huntington, is best known for his work on the “clash of civilizations,” which has had a significant influence on the foreign policy thinking of both the Bush and Obama administrations.
In 2005, Yale established a new school of political thought and international affairs, the Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies.
In addition to its undergraduate and graduate programs, the center sponsors lectures by prominent leaders such as former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
Conclusion
Yale University is one of the most prestigious universities in the United States. It was founded in 1701 and is currently home to over 14,400 students. Yale offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across its many schools and divisions.
Yale’s graduate schools include top-ranked programs in law, medicine, business, architecture, environmental science, and drama.
Yale has produced many notable alumni throughout its history including 5 U.S. Presidents, 19 U.S. Supreme Court Justices, 31 living billionaires (as of October 2019), and hundreds of Rhodes Scholars. Yale also holds the cultural distinction as the birthplace of Frisbee, flat-track roller derby, Staffordshire pottery (a type of English porcelain), and benefits corporation legislation.
Students attending Yale can expect a very rich and diverse experience both inside and outside of academics. There are many opportunities available for students to get involved on campus through extracurricular activities, sports, clubs, and organizations.
In addition to its undergraduate and graduate programs, Yale also has a strong sense of community which can be seen through its extensive efforts in sustainability initiatives social justice work, and support for local businesses and organizations.
Sources: THX News, Yale & Wikipedia.
