Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is a private research university in Troy, New York, founded in 1824. The institute’s motto is “Why not change the world?” RPI ranked tied for 67th among National Universities in the U.S. News & World Report 2020 rankings. Forbes ranked RPI at 106th among 660 Best Colleges and Universities in its 2019 America’s Top Colleges list. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine ranked RPI 14th in value among all private colleges and universities nationwide for 2018–19.
Rensselaer was established as the first polytechnic institute in the English-speaking world by Stephen Van Rensselaer, a patroon of colonial New Netherland and major landowner in upstate New York, who also owned what would become Albany Medical College and Union College. He stated: “The purpose of an institution like ours should be to offer to young men thorough training in every department of science connected with agriculture and the mechanic arts…and to give them sufficient knowledge of literature and political economy to enable them when they return home to be useful citizens.” The school has been called “the oldest technological university” in English-speaking North America[citation needed] or simply one of the earliest; however it was not until after 1865 that degree programs were formally organized under an engineering departmental structure based on German polytechnics.[citation needed] In 1861, under a charter approved by Governor Edwin Dennison Morgan, rector Benjamin Franklin Greene became President of Union University (a merger between Rutgers University Law School—New Brunswick—and Hamilton College), which then included what subsequently became SUNY Polytechnic Institute (formerly SUNYIT). In 1864 he bought property at 15 4th Street in Troy for $1750 from Alexander Sussman which later became Procter Hall , home to administration offices as well as classroom space. Greene appointed Andrew Jackson Downing Professor Emeritus of Rural Art and Design effective September 1st 1864 though due largely to ill health he resigned this post on January 1st 1865. During that same year Thomas Huxley came there lecturing on Evolution . Also Henry Ward Beecher lectured at Union during this time giving many lectures on various subjects including religion , woman suffrage , politics , ethics etc… It was also during this time period that Elisha Gray developed his telephone prototype . Furthermore Isaac Singer perfected his sewing machine design here while working at Wetzels Machine Shop run by Charles Wetzels Jr., Edward Wetzels Sr., Peter Smith Jr., Jacob Jurgensen III along with John Rossiter but eventually left over disagreements about profit sharing..
In 1865 Greene resigned as President due largely because many faculty members objected to corporate control over academic affairs resulting from close ties between him and business leaders such as Erastus Corning , James McNeil , Jay Gould , Cornelius Vanderbilt , Cyrus McCormick II etc.., Subsequently Professor John Haring took office as acting President followed shortly thereafter by Eliphalet Nott Potter who served till 1868 when Robert Dale Owen succeeded him serving till 1870., , During Owens’ tenure new buildings were constructed including West Hall (1869) designed by Henry Hudson Holly . Other buildings constructed during this time include: East hall(1870), Richards hall(1871), Brainerd hall(1970).,, ,,. After Owens resignation Professor William Marshall Bullock served very briefly before being succeeded by Charles Aynsley Goold who only lasted one semester from October 1870 – February 1871 whereupon Nott again resumed duties lasting till June 30th 1872 when Julius Yemans Sachs took charge serving just shy two years till May 8th 1974 succeeding which Robert Emmett Milham held office from July 1st 1974 – August 31 1976 upon which Arthur Whitney Butler assumed office continuing till June 1989 Succeeding Butler Glen Llewellyn Simonds served a short tenure before Paul Leonard Gordon Davies took charge lasting less than 2 years from 1990 -1992 afterwhich Shirley Ann Jackson became Rensselaer’s first female president where she still serves today having been appointed on July 1 1999 succeeding Neil Grabois who had only held office since April 1996 priorto Jackson’s appointment.,,,, ,
Under her leadership, much has changed at Rensselaer; most notably, the introduction of interdisciplinary research initiatives, advances made toward increasing diversity within both student body and faculty,””A more significant departure from traditional education occurred with the unveiling of The Arch,”””an innovative model for undergraduate education.” “” This curriculum focuses heavily on team-based learning approach””that allows students greater flexibility.”” These changes have helped increase applications dramatically; according to their website,””applications have increased more than 80 percent since 2002.””