Harvard University, situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a distinguished private Ivy League research institution. Founded in 1636 and named after its initial supporter, clergyman John Harvard, it stands as the oldest higher education establishment in the United States and ranks among the globe's most esteemed institutions.
Harvard University Postdoc Position | The best 79 Postdoctoral scholarships at USA
The Massachusetts colonial legislature, known as the General Court, granted approval for the establishment of Harvard. Initially, Harvard College primarily focused on training Congregational and Unitarian clergy, although it has never been formally tied to any specific religious denomination. Over the years, its educational offerings and student body gradually shifted towards a secular direction during the 18th century. By the 19th century, Harvard had emerged as a central cultural hub within Boston's elite circles. Following the American Civil War, the long tenure of President Charles William Eliot (1869–1909) initiated the transformation of the college and its affiliated professional schools into a contemporary research-oriented university. In 1900, Harvard became a founding member of the Association of American Universities. The leadership of James B. Conant during the Great Depression and World War II brought about changes in admissions policies after the war.
Harvard University Postdoc Position | The best 79 Postdoctoral scholarships at USA
The university consists of ten academic faculties and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. While Arts and Sciences offer a broad array of academic disciplines for both undergraduate and graduate students, the other faculties primarily confer graduate degrees, often of a professional nature. Harvard's campuses include the 209-acre Cambridge campus centered around Harvard Yard, an adjacent campus across the Charles River in Boston's Allston neighborhood, and the medical campus in Boston's Longwood Medical Area. Boasting a colossal endowment of $41.9 billion, Harvard's endowment income enables the admission of undergraduates regardless of financial means and provides substantial financial aid devoid of loans. The Harvard Library system, encompassing 79 individual libraries housing around 20.4 million items, is the world's largest academic library.
Harvard University boasts an impressive record of accomplishments, including having more alumni, faculty, and researchers who have been awarded Nobel Prizes (161) and Fields Medals (18) than any other university worldwide. It also claims more alumni who have served in the U.S. Congress, earned MacArthur Fellowships, secured Rhodes Scholarships (375), and attained Marshall Scholarships (255) than any other American university. The roster of alumni encompasses eight U.S. presidents and a staggering 188 living billionaires, the highest count among universities. Additionally, fourteen Turing Award laureates have ties to Harvard. The institution's students and alumni have clinched 10 Academy Awards, 48 Pulitzer Prizes, and 108 Olympic medals (46 of which are gold), and have been instrumental in establishing numerous notable companies. You can also check: Best Postdoc Fellowship USA | LSA Fellowship in University of Michigan