University of Rochester
Overview
The University of Rochester, founded in 1850, is one of the most innovative of the leading private research universities in the country—and for undergraduates, it’s a University in perfect balance.
Rochester offers the choices and intellectual excitement of a large research university with the intimacy and opportunities for personal involvement of a small liberal arts college. More than 95 percent of classes are taught by faculty, not teaching assistants, and it’s not uncommon for senior faculty to teach introductory courses. There’s no separation between researching and teaching, between faculty’s own professional excellence and the excellence they bring to the classroom.
Rochester students live on a lively, self-contained campus, just minutes from metropolitan Rochester—a dynamic city that offers a mix of commerce, culture, and history.
Rochester balances its innovative spirit and responsiveness to individual needs with a commitment to the lasting values of a classic liberal arts education.
The results of the Rochester experience are self-evident in the track record of its alumni—in their careers and in their personal lives. “To put it simply,” says one student, “Rochester opens doors.”
Our Values Define our Mission Link to section
The University’s mission is to Learn, Discover, Heal, Create—and Make the World Ever Better. Embedded in that ideal are the values we share: equity, leadership, integrity, openness, respect, and accountability.
See our visions and values page.
Prestigious Faculty and Alumni Link to section
University of Rochester faculty, scholars, artists, alumni, and students revolutionize their fields, discovering ways to address the world's biggest challenges, and making our lives ever better.
In honor of their achievements, members of our University of Rochester community have been awarded:
- Nobel Prizes
- Pulitzer Prizes
- Guggenheim Fellows
- MacArthur Fellows
See our awards and honors page for a complete list of awards and awardees.