The University of Pittsburgh was founded on February 28, 1787. It is one of the oldest universities in the United States.
The university was chartered as the Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 with funding from a group of local merchants and entrepreneurs. The university started with 12 students and three professors. The first class graduated in 1810 with two students earning bachelor’s degrees and two students earning master’s degrees. It later became a state-sponsored school in 1819. The university moved to its current location in Oakland, Pennsylvania during the 1890s, where it merged with Western University of Pennsylvania and became known as the University of Pittsburgh. In 1908, it returned to its original name and location and has been known as such ever since.
In fact, the university has long been associated with research and innovation. In the late 19th century, it developed an international reputation for pioneering work in psychology and other sciences. In the early 20th century, it was a leader in developing transatlantic education programs to train nurses for service during World War I and World War II. Today, Pitt is home to more than 40 research centers and institutes devoted to such areas as cancer research, nanotechnology, biotechnology and other areas related to health care delivery.
By 1910, Pitt had grown into one of America’s top-10 research universities as measured by total faculty publications per year in leading science journals and had become known as a leader in higher education by offering coeducational instruction at a time when many other schools did not offer such opportunities to women or minorities.
