Columbia University facts for kids

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Columbia University

Coat of arms
Latin: Universitas Columbiae
Former names	King's College (1754–1784) Columbia College (1784–1896)
Motto	In lumine Tuo videbimus lumen  (Latin)
Motto in English	"In Thy light shall we see light"
Type	Private, research university
Established	May 25, 1754; 271 years ago (1754-05-25)
Accreditation	MSCHE
Academic affiliations	AAU NAICU URA Space-grant
Endowment	$13.6 billion (2023)
Budget	$5.9 billion (2023)
President	Minouche Shafik
Provost	Angela Olinto
Academic staff	4,628
Students	36,649
Undergraduates	9,761
Postgraduates	26,888
Location	New York , New York , United States 40°48′27″N 73°57′43″W / 40.80750°N 73.96194°W / 40.80750; -73.96194
Campus	Large city, 299 acres (1.21 km2)
Newspaper	Columbia Daily Spectator
Colors	Columbia Blue and White
Nickname	Lions
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FCS – Ivy League EARC IRA EAWRC
Mascot	Roar-ee the Lion

Columbia University, also known as Columbia University in the City of New York, is a private university in New York City. It is part of the Ivy League, a group of very old and respected universities. Columbia started in 1754 as King's College. This makes it the oldest university in New York and the fifth oldest in the United States. It is known as one of the best universities in the world.

Columbia was first set up by a special paper from King George II. After the American Revolution, it was renamed Columbia College in 1784. In 1896, the university moved to its current spot in Morningside Heights. It was then given its current name, Columbia University.

The university has many different schools, including four for undergraduate students and 16 for graduate students. Columbia is involved in important research. This includes studying Earth at the Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory. It also studies space at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies. Columbia was the first school in the U.S. to give out a medical degree. It also gives out the famous Pulitzer Prize every year.

Scientists and experts from Columbia have helped with many big discoveries. These include the laser and the first nuclear pile. They also helped with the first nuclear fission reaction in the Americas. Columbia played a key role in planning the Manhattan Project during World War II.

Many famous people have studied or worked at Columbia. This includes seven of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Four U.S. presidents and 34 foreign leaders also attended. Ten U.S. Supreme Court justices and 103 Nobel laureates are also linked to Columbia.

History of Columbia University

Columbia University has a long and interesting history. It started even before the United States became a country.

How Columbia Began in the 1700s

Samuel Johnson, Columbia's first president

King's College Hall in 1790

The 1797 Taylor Map of New York City, showing "The Colledge [sic]"

People in New York started talking about creating a college as early as 1704. They wanted a school like the College of New Jersey (now Princeton). In 1746, New York's government began raising money for a new college.

Classes officially started in July 1754. Samuel Johnson was the first president and only teacher. He taught just eight students in a schoolhouse next to Trinity Church. This church was located in lower Broadway in Manhattan. On October 31, 1754, the college was officially named King's College. This name came from King George II.

In 1763, Myles Cooper became the new president. He was a strong supporter of the British King. One of his students, Alexander Hamilton, disagreed with him. The American Revolutionary War began in 1776. King's College had to close for eight years. Its building was used as a hospital by soldiers.

After the war, the college asked New York State for help. On May 1, 1784, the state renamed it Columbia College. This name came from "Columbia," a poetic name for America. In 1787, a new plan was made for the college. It was led by former students John Jay and Alexander Hamilton.

William Samuel Johnson, Samuel Johnson's son, became president in 1787. He had helped write the U.S. Constitution. In the 1790s, Columbia grew stronger. Many important leaders, like President George Washington, attended its graduation ceremonies.

Columbia in the 1800s

The Gothic Revival library and law school buildings on the Madison Avenue campus

Low Memorial Library, around 1900

Alma Mater statue (1903)

In 1813, Columbia's medical school joined with another school. This created the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. For much of the 1800s, the college did not change much. In 1857, it moved to a new campus on 49th Street and Madison Avenue.

Later in the 1800s, Frederick A. P. Barnard became president. He helped the school become a modern university. Barnard College was created in 1889 for women. This happened because Columbia did not accept women students at the time. The university also started earning a lot of money from its land in New York City.

In 1896, President Seth Low moved the campus again. It went to its current, larger location in Morningside Heights. Under the next president, Nicholas Murray Butler, Columbia became a major research university. Butler also helped start Teachers College. This school trained teachers for children in need. Teachers College is still connected to Columbia today.

Columbia in the 1900s and 2000s

In the 1940s, Columbia's physics department became famous. Scientists like John R. Dunning and Enrico Fermi worked on atom research. They built the first nuclear pile, which was part of the Manhattan Project.

After World War II, Columbia created the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs. This school focused on studying how countries interact. In 1954, Columbia celebrated its 200th birthday.

In the 1960s, students protested on campus. Hundreds of students took over buildings in 1968. This led to the university president resigning. It also led to the creation of the University Senate, which helps run the school.

Columbia College started admitting women in 1983. Before this, only men could attend. Barnard College remained a separate women's college, but its students also get degrees signed by Columbia's president.

In recent years, Columbia has continued to grow. It became a leading research university. Different parts of the university were brought together. For example, in 1979, several faculties became the Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

In 2023, student protests about the Israel–Hamas war began. These protests led to discussions about free speech on campus. Columbia moved some classes online for a short time in April 2024.

Columbia's Campus Life

Columbia University has a large and busy campus in New York City. It also has other locations for different studies.

Morningside Heights Campus

College Walk

Most of Columbia's main studies happen in Morningside Heights. This area is in Upper Manhattan. The campus was designed to have all subjects taught in one place. It covers more than six city blocks. The university owns many apartments nearby for its students and staff. There are also many dorms for undergraduate students. Columbia has an old system of tunnels under its campus.

Butler Library

The Nicholas Murray Butler Library is the biggest library on campus. It was finished in 1934. The library looks like an old Greek or Roman building. It has columns with names of famous writers and thinkers carved above them. As of 2020, Columbia's libraries have over 15 million books. This makes it one of the largest library systems in the U.S.

Many buildings on campus are important historical sites. Low Memorial Library is famous for its design. Philosophy Hall is where FM radio was invented. Pupin Hall is where the first experiments on splitting uranium were done. This happened ten days after the first atom-splitting in Denmark.

Union Theological Seminary

A statue called Alma Mater stands in front of Low Memorial Library. It was made by Daniel Chester French. The statue shows a woman in a graduation gown. She wears a crown of laurels and holds a book. An owl, a symbol of wisdom, is hidden in her gown. Her scepter has a crown from King's College, showing Columbia's old roots. Students often gather on "The Steps" in front of Low Library. It's a popular spot for relaxing and events.

Panoramic view of the Morningside Heights campus as seen from Butler Library and facing Low Memorial Library

Other Columbia Campuses

Lamont Campus entrance in Palisades, New York

The entrance to the College of Physicians and Surgeons

In 2007, Columbia bought land for a new campus in Manhattanville. This area is north of Morningside Heights. The new campus will have buildings for the Business School and other programs. This expansion plan is very large and costs billions of dollars.

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital works with Columbia's medical school. Columbia's medical school is located at the Columbia University Medical Center. This campus is in Washington Heights. Columbia also has other campuses for different types of research. These include the Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory for Earth science. The Nevis Laboratories are for studying physics. Columbia also has a site in Paris for classes.

Being Green at Columbia

In 2006, Columbia started an office to help the university be more environmentally friendly. The university plans to build new buildings using green design principles. Columbia is one of many universities trying to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 30% in ten years. All new buildings and big renovations must meet high environmental standards.

Columbia also hosts a greenmarket every week. Local farmers sell their produce there. The university's dining services buy a lot of food from local farms. They also serve seafood that is caught in a sustainable way.

The 116th Street–Columbia University subway station

Getting Around Columbia

Columbia has its own bus service for students and staff. The buses are free for anyone with a Columbia ID card.

The New York City Subway has a station right at 116th Street for Columbia University. Several city buses also stop near the campus. The main campus is mostly bordered by Amsterdam Avenue, Broadway, 114th Street, and 120th Street.

Academics at Columbia

Columbia is known for its strong academic programs and research.

Applying and Financial Help

Van Amringe Quadrangle and Memorial

Columbia University gets many applications each year. For the class entering in 2021, only about 3.66% of applicants were accepted. Columbia has a diverse student body. About 52% of students identify as people of color. Half of all undergraduate students receive money from Columbia to help pay for school. The average amount given was $46,516.

Columbia tries to meet the financial needs of U.S. students. In 2007, a former student, John Kluge, gave $400 million for student financial aid. This was one of the largest gifts ever to a university. Since 2008, students from families earning up to $60,000 a year have their full costs paid by the university. Columbia also stopped giving loans to students who need financial aid. Instead, they give grants, which do not have to be paid back.

Columbia also gives special scholarships to students. These are for students who show great academic and personal achievements.

How Columbia is Organized

Columbia University is a private, non-religious university. It is run by 24 trustees. These trustees choose who will be the next trustees. They also choose the university president and other leaders. They manage the university's money and property.

The University Senate was created in 1969. It has 107 members, including students and teachers. The Senate helps review the university's plans, budget, and student well-being.

The president of Columbia University is the main leader. Minouche Shafik became the 20th president on July 1, 2023.

Columbia has four main undergraduate colleges:

• Columbia College: For liberal arts studies.
• Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS): For engineering and applied science.
• School of General Studies: For students who might have taken a break from school.
• Barnard College: A women's liberal arts college that works closely with Columbia. Barnard students get degrees signed by both presidents.

Columbia also has special programs with other schools. These include Union Theological Seminary and the Juilliard School. Columbia has several centers around the world, like in Amman, Beijing, and Paris.

Studying Abroad and Partnerships

Columbia students can study in other countries. They can go to partner schools like Sciences Po in France or King's College London in the UK. Some students can even study at Oxford or Cambridge in England.

University Rankings

Columbia University is highly ranked by many groups. U.S. News & World Report ranked it 12th in the U.S. and 7th globally for 2023–2024. Other groups also place Columbia among the top universities in the world. Many of its individual schools and programs are also ranked very high.

Research and Discoveries

Havemeyer Hall, where deuterium was discovered in 1931

Columbia is known for its high level of research. It was the first place in North America where the uranium atom was split. Columbia scientists also helped create FM radio and the laser. They developed the first brain-computer interface that could turn brain signals into speech.

Columbia scientists invent about 175 new things in health sciences each year. More than 30 medicines based on Columbia discoveries have been sold. These include treatments for arthritis and glaucoma. The university manages many patents. In 2006, it earned over $230 million from patent deals. This was more than any other university in the world. Columbia has special research centers. These include the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information and the Goddard Institute for Space Studies.

Awards Given by Columbia

President Lee Bollinger presents the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction to Jeffrey Eugenides.

Columbia University gives out several important awards. The most famous is the Pulitzer Prize for achievements in journalism, literature, and music. It also gives the Bancroft Prize for history. Other awards include the Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award for broadcasting. The Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize is also given. Many of its winners have later won a Nobel Prize.

Student Life at Columbia

Columbia has a lively student community with many activities and traditions.

In 2020, Columbia had over 31,000 students. About 45% of students identified as a minority. Many students come from lower-income families. About 17% of students are the first in their family to go to a four-year college.

Undergraduate students are guaranteed housing for all four years. First-year students usually live in large dorms around South Lawn. Older students can choose to live in apartments with friends. Other schools, like General Studies and Barnard College, have their own housing.

Columbia has many fraternities and sororities. About 10–15% of undergraduate students join these groups.

Student Publications

Copies of the Columbia Daily Spectator being sold in 1962

The November 1931 cover of the Jester

The Columbia Daily Spectator is the second-oldest daily student newspaper in the U.S. The Blue and White is a monthly magazine about campus life. Bwog is an online news and entertainment source. There are also many political and literary magazines.

Columbia Magazine is for alumni. The Columbia Review is the oldest college literary magazine in the country. Inside New York is a guidebook to New York City written by students.

Student Broadcasting

Columbia has two student radio stations, WKCR-FM and CTV. WKCR claims to be the oldest FM radio station in the world. It started broadcasting in 1939. Columbia Television (CTV) is the second oldest student TV station in the U.S. It produces a weekly live news show.

Debate and Model UN

The Philolexian Society is a literary and debating club. It was founded in 1802, making it Columbia's oldest student group. The Columbia Parliamentary Debate Team competes in debates across the country.

The Columbia International Relations Council and Association (CIRCA) runs the Model United Nations activities. They host conferences and train students in Model UN.

Technology and Business

Columbia is a top source of young business leaders in New York City. Over the past 20 years, Columbia graduates have started over 100 technology companies.

The Columbia University Organization of Rising Entrepreneurs (CORE) helps students interested in starting businesses. They host talks and competitions.

Sports and Athletics

Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium

Columbia is part of the NCAA Division I and the Ivy League. It has teams in 29 sports. The football team plays at the Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium. Other sports facilities are at the Baker Athletics Complex. Basketball and swimming are at the Dodge Physical Fitness Center.

Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, Lou Gehrig

Famous athletes from Columbia include Lou Gehrig and Eddie Collins (baseball). In 1939, NBC showed a Columbia football game. This was the first televised regular sports event ever.

In 1870, Columbia played in the second intercollegiate rugby football game. In 1878, Columbia's rowing team won a famous race in England. In 1900, Maxie Long set a world record in the 400 meters. The men's soccer team went very far in the NCAA championship in 1983. The football team had a tough time in the 1980s, losing 44 games in a row. But they broke the streak in 1988. Columbia also plays Fordham University for the Liberty Cup in football.

World Leaders Forum

World Leaders Forum at Low Memorial Library

The World Leaders Forum started in 2003. It lets students and teachers hear from important leaders. These leaders come from governments, businesses, and other fields.

Past speakers include former U.S. President Bill Clinton, Vladimir Putin, and the 14th Dalai Lama. They also include leaders from Afghanistan, Finland, and Argentina.

Other Student Groups

The Columbia University Orchestra was founded in 1896. It is the oldest university orchestra that has been playing continuously in the U.S. There are also many student theater groups and singing groups.

The Columbia Queer Alliance is the oldest student group for LGBTQ+ students in the world. It started in 1967.

Community Impact (CI) is the largest student service group. It helps people in the local community. Students volunteer to provide food, clothing, and education.

Columbia University Traditions

Columbia has several unique traditions that students enjoy.

The Varsity Show

The program for Fly With Me (1920)

The Varsity Show is one of Columbia's oldest traditions. It started in 1893 to raise money for sports teams. Now, it's a musical written and performed by students. It makes fun of life at Columbia. Many famous writers and actors have been part of the show. These include Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.

Tree Lighting and Yule Log

Tree Lighting at College Walk

The first modern Yule Log ceremony in John Jay Hall, 1910

The campus Tree Lighting ceremony started in 1998. It lights up the trees on College Walk in early December. The lights stay on until February. Students gather for hot chocolate and music.

After the tree lighting, there is the Yule Log ceremony. This Christmas tradition is very old. Students dress as soldiers and carry a log to John Jay Hall. They light it and sing carols. They also read classic Christmas stories.

Notable People from Columbia

Columbia University has many famous alumni and faculty members.

Famous Alumni

Many important people have graduated from Columbia. This includes five of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Three U.S. presidents have attended Columbia. Ten U.S. Supreme Court Justices also studied there. As of 2011, 125 Pulitzer Prize winners and 39 Oscar winners went to Columbia.

In 2016, Columbia was ranked second in the world for having the most living graduates who are billionaires.

Former U.S. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt went to the law school. Other political figures include President Barack Obama and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Columbia has also educated 29 foreign leaders.

Many Columbia alumni have become leaders in business. These include investor Warren Buffett and Wal-Mart chairman S. Robson Walton. CEOs of major companies like Morgan Stanley and Xerox also attended Columbia.

In science and technology, alumni include IBM founder Herman Hollerith. FM radio inventor Edwin Armstrong also went to Columbia. Other famous scientists and thinkers include Stephen Jay Gould and Milton Friedman.

Many alumni have become famous in the arts. These include composers Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Writers like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg (Beat Generation) and Langston Hughes (Harlem Renaissance) also attended. In film, directors Sidney Lumet and Kathryn Bigelow are alumni. Actors like James Cagney and Timothée Chalamet also studied at Columbia.

• Notable Columbia University alumni include:
• 

  Alexander Hamilton: Founding Father of the United States; first United States Secretary of the Treasury

• 

  John Jay: Founding Father of the United States; first Chief Justice of the United States

• 

  Robert R. Livingston: Founding Father of the United States

• 

  Gouverneur Morris: Founding Father of the United States; author of the U.S. Constitution

• 

  DeWitt Clinton: U.S. Senator; Governor of New York

• 

  Barack Obama: 44th President of the United States

• 

  Franklin D. Roosevelt: 32nd President of the United States

• 

  Theodore Roosevelt: 26th President of the United States

• 

  Wellington Koo: acting President of the Republic of China

• 

  B. R. Ambedkar: Founding Father of India

• 

  Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States

• 

  Neil Gorsuch: Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States

• 

  Charles Evans Hughes: 11th Chief Justice of the United States

• 

  Harlan Fiske Stone: 12th Chief Justice of the United States

• 

  William Barr: United States Attorney General

• 

  Hamilton Fish: U.S. Secretary of State; U.S. Senator

• 

  Madeleine Albright: 64th United States Secretary of State

• 

  Frances Perkins: first female U.S. Cabinet member

• 

  Robert A. Millikan: Nobel laureate in Physics

• 

  Isidor Isaac Rabi: Nobel Laureate; discovered nuclear magnetic resonance

• 

  Julian S. Schwinger: Nobel laureate in Physics

• 

  Milton Friedman: Nobel laureate in Economics

• 

  Simon Kuznets: Nobel laureate; invented concept of GDP

• 

  Alan Greenspan: 13th Chair of the Federal Reserve

• 

  Warren Buffett: CEO of Berkshire Hathaway

• 

  Herman Hollerith: inventor; co-founder of IBM

• 

  Robert Kraft: owner of the New England Patriots

• 

  Richard Rodgers: famous composer; Pulitzer Prize winner

• 

  Langston Hughes: Harlem Renaissance poet

• 

  Zora Neale Hurston: Harlem Renaissance author

• 

  Allen Ginsberg: poet; founder of the Beat Generation

• 

  Jack Kerouac: poet; founder of the Beat Generation

• 

  Isaac Asimov: science fiction writer

• 

  J. D. Salinger: novelist, The Catcher in the Rye

• 

  Amelia Earhart: first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean

• 

  Jake Gyllenhaal: actor and film producer

Famous Faculty

As of 2021, Columbia has over 4,300 teachers. Many of them are members of important national academies. The faculty includes 52 Nobel laureates.

Columbia faculty played key roles during World War II. They also helped create the New Deal under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Many professors were involved in the early stages of the Manhattan Project.

After Nazi Germany rose to power, the Institute for Social Research moved to Columbia. Thinkers like Theodor Adorno wrote important works there. Professors Edward Said and Gayatri Spivak helped start the field of postcolonialism.

Columbia professors have also made big contributions to the study of religion. The Union Theological Seminary is a center for liberal Christianity. The Jewish Theological Seminary of America is important for Conservative Judaism.

Other famous Columbia professors include Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was also a U.S. President. Sonia Sotomayor, a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, also taught there. Other notable faculty include Franz Boas, John Dewey, Enrico Fermi, Joseph Stiglitz, and Eric Kandel.

See also