Cornell University, established in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, is a private Ivy League land-grant research university located in Ithaca, New York. As of fall 2024, it enrolls 16,128 undergraduate and 10,665 graduate students from all 50 U.S. states and 130 countries.
The university’s main campus spans 745 acres on East Hill, offering views of Ithaca and Cayuga Lake. Its architecture ranges from ornate Collegiate Gothic to modernist styles. The campus is also noted for its natural beauty, featuring gorges and the 2,800-acre Cornell Botanic Gardens.
Cornell comprises eight undergraduate colleges and seven graduate divisions, each with distinct admission standards and curricula. Beyond Ithaca, Cornell operates campuses in New York City and Doha, Qatar, offering programs in various disciplines, including medical and technological fields.
The university is renowned for its research contributions, hosting over 2.6 million papers on its digital repository, arXiv, which has transformed academic publishing by providing free, immediate access to scientific papers.
In recent times, Cornell has been at the center of discussions regarding free speech and campus activism. Students have initiated legal actions against executive orders targeting pro-Palestinian supporters on student visas, arguing that such orders violate First Amendment rights and suppress free speech.
Athletically, Cornell’s teams, known as the Big Red, compete in NCAA Division I sports, fostering school spirit and community engagement.
Overall, Cornell University combines rigorous academics, diverse research opportunities, and a commitment to public service, maintaining its legacy as a place where “any person can find instruction in any study.”