Thomas Jefferson University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Thomas Jefferson University

Former names	Medical Department of Jefferson College in Philadelphia (1824–1838) Jefferson Medical College (1838–1969) Philadelphia Textile School (1884–1942) Philadelphia Textile Institute (1942–1961) Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science (1961–1999) Philadelphia University (1999–2017)
Motto	"Redefining humanly possible"
Type	Private research university
Established	1824; 201 years ago (1824)
Accreditation	MSCHE
Endowment	$1.533 billion (2021)
President	Susan C. Aldridge
Provost	Matt Dane Baker
Students	7,831
Undergraduates	3,665
Postgraduates	4,361
Location	Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , United States
Campus	Large city, 100 acres (0.4 km2)
Colors	Deep blue and bright blue
Nickname	Rams
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division II – CACC
Mascot	Phil the Ram

Thomas Jefferson University is a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It started in 1824. In 2017, it joined with another school called Philadelphia University.

The university is named after Thomas Jefferson, who was a U.S. Founding Father and president. It is known for its high level of research. Sometimes, the university uses the name Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) to show its history.

History of Thomas Jefferson University

Thomas Jefferson University was founded in 1824. It merged with Philadelphia University in 2017. Philadelphia University had a long history of its own.

Philadelphia University's Journey

Philadelphia University began as the Philadelphia Textile School in 1884. Local textile makers wanted to improve their industry. They formed a group to help educate textile leaders.

In 1884, the first classes were taught to five students. The school officially opened on November 5, 1884. It moved to bigger buildings as more students joined.

By 1942, the school could give out college degrees. It changed its name to the Philadelphia Textile Institute (PTI). In 1949, PTI moved to its current location in East Falls, Philadelphia.

In 1961, the school changed its name again to Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science. It was still often called Philadelphia Textile. The number of students grew a lot. New programs in arts, sciences, and business were added.

The college bought more land in 1972 and again in the 1980s. This made the campus much larger. It added more classrooms, labs, and student housing. In 1992, the Paul J. Gutman Library opened.

In the 1990s, the college offered many new study areas. Because of this, it became a university in 1999. The school's name changed to Philadelphia University on July 13, 1999.

Thomas Jefferson University's Beginnings

The Tivoli Theater in Philadelphia, the first home of the Jefferson Medical College

Thomas Eakins' painting The Gross Clinic, which was at Jefferson University for many years

Thomas Jefferson University started as a medical school. In the early 1800s, doctors in Philadelphia wanted to create a second medical school. In 1824, a group of doctors asked Jefferson College to start a medical department in Philadelphia.

The college agreed, and the Medical Department of Jefferson College in Philadelphia began in 1825. The first students graduated in 1826. Classes were first held in the Tivoli Theater, which had a medical clinic.

In 1828, the Medical Department moved to the Ely Building. This building had a large lecture hall and a 700-seat amphitheater for students to watch surgeries. It also had a hospital, which was one of the first medical school hospitals in the country.

In 1838, the Medical Department became its own school. It was called the Jefferson Medical College. This was seen as the time it became a "legitimate" medical school.

In 1841, the college hired famous professors. They made many changes, including adding patient beds in a building. A 125-bed hospital opened in 1877. A school for nurses started in 1891.

On July 1, 1969, the Medical College became Thomas Jefferson University. Today, it focuses on education, medical research, and patient care. It is the 9th oldest American medical school still open.

In 2007, the university sold a famous painting called The Gross Clinic for $68 million. A copy of the painting now hangs at the university.

In 2014, the Sidney Kimmel Foundation gave $110 million to the medical college. Because of this, Jefferson Medical College was renamed Sidney Kimmel Medical College. This was the largest gift in its history.

The Merger of Two Universities

In May 2017, Thomas Jefferson University and Philadelphia University announced they would join together. They decided to use the name Thomas Jefferson University for the combined school.

University Affiliations

Latrobe Hospital and other hospitals work closely with the Sidney Kimmel Medical College.

Academics at Jefferson

Jefferson offers more than 160 different programs for students. These include programs at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College. It also includes programs from the former Philadelphia University, such as:

• College of Architecture and the Built Environment
• Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce
• School of Continuing and Professional Studies

Campus Life

Thomas Jefferson University has two main campuses and a research center.

East Falls Campus

Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania

Paul J. Gutman Library

The Mansion on the East Falls campus

The East Falls campus is about eight miles northwest of downtown Philadelphia. It is a wooded campus with 100 acres. There are 52 buildings, including classrooms, labs, and student housing.

Important buildings include the Paul J. Gutman Library. Newer additions include the Kanbar Campus Center for students and staff. There is also the Gallagher Athletic, Recreation and Convocation Center. A smaller campus is located in Bucks County.

Center City Campus

Scott Memorial Library on the Center City medical campus

The College and Curtis Buildings on the Center City campus

The Center City campus is in downtown Philadelphia. This campus has medical offices and the Jefferson Health hospital. It is located around 130 South Ninth Street.

Manayunk Research Center

Jefferson also has the Philadelphia University Research Center. It is in a renovated textile mill in the Manayunk area of Philadelphia. This center has the Engineering and Design Institute. It also has the Laboratory for Engineered Human Protection.

Athletics

The sports teams at Jefferson are called the Rams. They are part of the NCAA Division II. They mostly compete in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC).

Jefferson has 17 different sports teams. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, and soccer. Women's sports include basketball, lacrosse, and volleyball. The combined university kept the "Rams" nickname from Philadelphia University.

Notable Alumni

Many interesting people have studied at Thomas Jefferson University or Philadelphia University. Here are a few:

• James P. Bagian (M.D. 1977), a doctor, engineer, and former NASA astronaut.
• Shahzada Dawood (M.S. 2000), a Pakistani businessman.
• Jacob Mendes Da Costa (M.D. 1852), a doctor who discovered Da Costa's syndrome.
• Carlos Finlay (M.D. 1855), a pioneer in yellow fever research. He found that mosquitoes spread the disease.
• John Heysham Gibbon, who invented the heart-lung machine.
• Robert Gallo, who helped discover the Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
• Samuel D. Gross (M.D. 1828), a famous surgeon.
• Chevalier Jackson, known as a father of endoscopy.
• Maurice Kanbar (1952, H 2003), an inventor and giver of gifts.
• William Williams Keen, the first neurosurgeon to successfully remove a brain tumor.
• Herb Magee, a well-known basketball coach for the Jefferson men's team.
• Jay McCarroll, winner of the first season of the TV show Project Runway.
• Silas Weir Mitchell, known as a father of medical neurology.

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de Filadelfia para niños