University of Connecticut

History

UConn was founded in 1881 as the Storrs Agricultural School. It was named after Charles and Augustus Storrs, two brothers who donated the land for the school as well as initial funding. Women began attending classes in 1891 and were officially admitted in 1893, when the name was changed to Storrs Agricultural College and it became Connecticut's land grant college. In 1899, the name changed again to Connecticut Agricultural College; in 1933, to Connecticut State College; and finally in 1939, to the University of Connecticut.

Related Topics:
1881 - 1893 - Land grant - 1899 - 1933 - 1939

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In 1940, the school was first divided into individual colleges and schools, reflecting its new university status. This was also the year that the School of Social Work and School of Nursing were first established. The graduate program was also started at this time, and existing schools of law and pharmacology were absorbed into the university. Ph.Ds have been awarded since 1949.

Related Topics:
1940 - Ph.D - 1949

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During the 1960s, the University of Connecticut Health Center was established in Farmington as a home for the new School of Medicine and School of Dental Medicine. John Dempsey Hospital was opened in Farmington at this time, and has been operated by UConn ever since.

Related Topics:
1960s - University of Connecticut Health Center

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In 1995, a state-funded program called UCONN 2000 was started. This 10-year program set aside $1 billion ($1,000,000,000) to upgrade campus facilities, add faculty, and otherwise improve the university. An additional $1.3 billion was pledged by the State of Connecticut in 2002 as part of a new 10-year improvement plan known as 21st Century UConn. Through these two programs, UConn's facilities, especially on the Storrs campus, have been dramatically improved, with some facilities, specifically those housing the chemistry department and the Student Union, frequently being cited as the most advanced in the nation. Money has also been put into the regional and satellite campuses, such as the new School of Business facility in downtown Hartford.

Related Topics:
1995 - $ - 2002

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