Pitt Pride: A look Back at Pennsylvania's Collegiate History

The colleges and universities in our state define the identity and history of our role in America. Whether or not you attended university in Pennsylvania, you probably have some pride in Pitt or UPenn.

Universities are so defining of a state because of their long history that precedes them. Colleges are one of the few institutions that can last for centuries while sticking to its basic premise. While the campus may expand and buildings may be upgraded, they offer the same product they did when they were originally founded - an education.

It’s amazing to think about the fact that people were able to build and operate an entire university without the modern technology we rely on today. Harvard University paved the way in 1636, and many Pennsylvania-based universities quickly followed.

An interactive slider map created by Grand Canyon University maps out when colleges across the United States were founded. It’s fascinating to see the gaps and surges in new Universities popping up across the states.

When the University of Pennsylvania was founded in 1740, it was one of five universities in the nation. It was proposed by evangelist George Whitefield who envisioned a space that could also be used as a house of worship.

The construction of UPenn proposed some major logistical problems including costs and resources. Whether it would be worth it to embark on such a large project left construction unfinished for a decade. Ultimately, the project most definitely ended up being worth the hassle.
Moravian College may be less iconic than UPenn, but it was not far behind. Two years later in 1742, this private liberal arts college in Bethlehem opened its doors - though it didn’t receive the official charter to grant baccalaureate degrees until over a century later in 1863.

In the following years, Pennsylvania began to slowly get more and more populated with educational opportunities. Dickinson College was founded in 1773, Washington and Jefferson was founded in 1781, and York College was founded in 1787.

1787 was also the year the first public university was founded in Pennsylvania - the University of Pittsburgh. This meant that education instantly became significantly more accessible to the average citizen. Before this, only the top elites could dream of achieving a higher education.
Pitt started as just a single log cabin in the late 1700s. It wasn’t until 1823 until their first class of students graduated. This class consisted of three students each earning a BA. It’s safe to say that this commencement ceremony looked much different than the graduations today which are comprised of approximately 8,000 students earning various levels of degrees.

No matter where your alma mater is, it’s incredible to consider the history that got us to where we are today. Imagine if high school seniors only had five total options when deciding where to apply to college - the process has certainly changed dramatically with the times