5 Beautiful Universities in the United States

​Shelby Foote once said, "A university is just a group of buildings gathered around a library". In this week's blog, we focus on some of the most beautiful of these Universities. From Ivy League Universities to State Colleges, find out who made their mark on these stunning campuses.
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Princeton University - New Jersey 

College of New Jersey was the original name of this Ivy League University when it first opened in 1746, changing to Princeton University in 1896. It was the fourth chartered institution of higher education making it one of the only colonial colleges established before the American Revolution. Princeton has a great reputation for education having a faculty to student ratio of 1:6, they are also extremely competitive in their sports programmes, having won the most Ivy League Championships since the league began. ​

Fun Facts

1. Princeton University was the first university to use the word ‘campus’.
   
2. Due to the beauty of the campus, many well-known movies have been filmed there, A Beautiful Mind and Transformers to name but a few. 
   
3. In the University Art Gallery, there are original Monet paintings.
   
4. 75% of Princeton University graduates marry each other.
   
5. If the football team beats Harvard and Yale in the same year, there is a massive bonfire ceremony held in the middle of the campus
   

Famous Alumni 

1. Michelle Obama - Former First Lady of the United States
2. Jeff Bezos - Founder and CEO of amazon.com
3. F. Scott Fitzgerald - Famous Writer
4. Brooke Shields - American model and actress 
   
5. ​Woodrow Wilson - Former President of the United States​

Rice University - Texas

Rice University is a small private institution based in Houston Texas.  The university opened in 1912 after its founder William Marsh Rice, a businessman from Massachusetts, created a Charter in his will stating when he passed, his enormous fortune would be used to fund a top University. When Mr Rice was murdered by his Valet, the Charter to build Rice University was triggered, and the first classes were held in 1912.  Today, Rice University has a large focus on research, having recently raised $115 million in sponsorship's for research. This is a considerable feet considering that Rice only has 7000 students. ​

Fun Facts

1. Rice University is often voted as the University with the Happiest Students as well as Best Student Life.
   
2. Rice University students are known for their pranking antics and seniors will often have a big prank planned for their year.
   
3. The Baker 13 tradition is held once a year at 10 p.m at night. During this tradition, Rice students will race around campus wearing nothing but their shoes and shaving cream.
   
4. Freshmen Students have to matriculate when they start at Rice. To "Matriculate" freshmen have to walk through the Sallyport Archway and into the academic quad. 
   
5. William Marsh Rice is buried in the University, making Rice the biggest cemetery in Texas.

Famous Alumni 

1. Lance Berkman - Baseball player for Houston Astros
   
2. Larry Izzo - Football player for New England Patriots
   
3. Kwatsi Alibaruho - NASA’s first African-American flight director
   
4. Larry McMurty - Oscar-winning writer 
   
5. Candace Bushnell - Writer 

Stanford University - California

Leland Stanford purchased 650 acres of land in 1876 to develop a stock farm. Leland's farm grew from 650 to 8,000 acres, and formed the platform for this prestigious university. Life was looking good for the Stanford family until Leland's only son tragically passed away of Typhoid Fever in 1884. This passing inspired him to spend his money on the children of California as he no longer had children of his own. After six years of planning and building, Stanford University opened in 1891, and the rest as they say, is history.

Fun Facts

1. Stanford Athletes have won medals in every Olympic Games since 1908
   
2. Fountain Hopping is when freshman are challenged to run around the campus to each fountain and jump in and out.
   
3. The Wacky Walk is a tradition where graduating students march and run into Stanford Stadium.
   
4. Students take part in an activity called Steam Tunnelling where they sneak into the universities elaborate underground steam tunnels at night and run through them without getting lost.
   
5. There are more registered bicycles on campus than there are students.

Famous Alumni 

1. John F. Kennedy - Former President of the United States
   
2. Phil Knight - Founder of Nike
   
3. Tiger Woods - Professional golfer 
   
4. Elon Musk - Founder of Paypal, Tesla and SpaceX 
   
5. Reed Hastings - Founder of Netflix

University of Colorado Boulder - Colorado

This university is very fortunate to have a backdrop like Colorado, as it is so beautiful that you could put any building there and it will be breathtaking. The University of Colorado's buildings are magnificent in their own right, and the urban planning of the university has not drifted away from its routes. The University opened in 1876 to be the Colorado State’s main University. Boulder and Canon City had a competition where the losing town would have to open up a new prison. Luckily Boulder came out on top and we are now blessed with one of the world's most beautiful pieces of urban landscape.

Fun Facts

1. Before every home football game fans gather around the bronze buffalo statue and rub its horns for good luck
   
2. There has been 5 Noble Peace Prize winners from the University of Colorado.
   
3. Their homecoming tradition is over 100 years old.
   
4. In 1949 a group of students hiked up and painted a huge CU on the Flatirons Mountains that can still be seen today.
   
5. The Nearly Naked Mile happens every October where students arrive at the race fully clothed, and you can guess what happens next.

Famous Alumni 

1. Steve Wozniak - Co-Founder of Apple 
   
2. Trey Parker - Co-Creator of South Park
   
3. Mat Stone - Co-Creator of South Park
   
4. Jim Gray - Emmy Award Winner  
   
5. Billy Kidd - Olympic Skier   

Miami University of Ohio - Ohio

Robert Frost complimented the university by saying it is “the most beautiful campus that ever there was”. Miami U, Miami of Ohio or Miami are often what is referred to when speaking about Miami University.  The Univerisity held its first classes in 1824 with no more than 20 students. Now, Maimi consists of 18000 students. If the have an appreciation for beautiful architecture and Greek traditions then Miami is the place for you.

Fun Facts

1. University of Miami’s on-campus Sports Hall of Fame houses an authentic Seminole war canoe that was hand carved and painted by tribes people in 1955.
   
2. As a football tradition, Miami players and fans hold up four fingers at the beginning of the 4th quarter at every home football game to indicate they own the last quarter.
   
3. You are not allowed to walk on the University Seal (crest)  that sits in the middle of the campus.
   
4. The total cost of attending Miami during its first year was $93, including board, room, tuition, laundry, candles, and wood.
   
5. In the 1830's Miami was the fourth largest college in the United States trailing only Harvard, Yale, and Dartmouth.

Famous Alumni 

1. Enrique Iglesias - Singer
   
2. Benjamin Harrison - 23rd President of the United States
   
3. Ben Roethlisberger - Actor and NFL Player 
   
4. Rita Dove - Poet  
   
5. Ron Harper - NBA Player