University of Kansas
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Founded by the same determined New Englanders who had emigrated to Kansas Territory for the purpose of creating a state free of slavery, the University of Kansas opened its doors to 29 men and 26 women September 12, 1866, becoming the first university of the Great Plains.

Let's start from the beginning. A band of contrarians — opposed to slavery, promoters of freedom for all — settled a western outpost between the Kaw and Wakarusa rivers in the 1850s. A town was platted and then a great university was begun on Hogback Ridge, high above the river valley and below a boundless, expansive blue sky.
Poet Walt Whitman said of the view from KU's hill:

"Stretching out on its own unbounded scale, unconfined ...Combining the real and ideal, and beautiful as dreams."

On cue, great things began to happen.

The inventor of basketball started a tradition here. The man who discovered vitamins A and D graduated. Helium was extracted from gas for the first time. The first African-American woman to entertain at the White House was a student. Future astronauts were launched into their careers, along with artists, business leaders, presidential candidates, governors, Pulitzer winners and a Nobel Prize winner. National championships have been won. And many pharmacists, teachers, nurses, doctors, musicians, artisans, journalists, architects, engineers and lawyers have begun careers.
An ideal campus, historic and wireless at the same time. Close to a metropolis, bordering the prairie. High-tech labs, interactive classrooms, performance venues and athletic arenas. Tranquil mornings, a diverse exciting nightlife. Truly a "castle on a hill."

And now for the future. What can you do at KU?
The opportunities are boundless.

The mission of the University of Kansas encompasses teaching, research and service as well as an international dimension and humanitarian values. KU has a long history of commitment to scholarship and service in all their manifestations.

Education
As the AAU research university of the state, KU provides faculty, academic and research programs of international distinction and outstanding libraries, teaching museums and information technology. These resources enrich the undergraduate experience and are essential for graduate-level education and for research. From early existence, the University of Kansas has been fueled by high aspirations and has enjoyed a national reputation for innovation and academic excellence.

KU's total research expenditures reached a record $274 million in 2004, more than double the 1997 total. Particularly strong were programs in drug development and delivery, fueled by the pharmacy school, which ranks third in the nation in federal research funding. Biosciences are considerable — cancer, vaccines, Parkinson's, etc. — with significant potential for generation of breakthroughs that not only improve the lives of millions but establish a foundation for the creation of new businesses.

KU's most significant contribution to the state is providing well-educated graduates who choose to apply their enhanced skills to endeavors within our state's boundaries. Among the many KU grads living in Kansas are physicians, pharmacists, lawyers, teachers and engineers. In addition, KU supports numerous proactive outreach programs drawn from the breath of expertise at the university, including KU Continuing Education, the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, the Lied Center of Kansas, the Kansas Geological Survey, the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center and Kansas Public Radio.