The Rochester Institute of Technology, also known as RIT, is a private university offering undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate degrees. The institute is located in Henrietta, New York and covers an area of over 1300 acres. RIT is ranked among the top ten colleges and universities in the country, and led the way in the field of engineering by establishing the first software engineering Bachelor’s degree and first nationally recognized Information Technology degree in the United States. They also offer the nation’s only accredited Microelectronic Engineering program. While engineering is the main focus of the college, it also offers degrees in photography, glass art, industrial design, multimedia communications and graphic design, all of which fall in the top ten national college programs. In a survey of presidents and deans from various universities, Rochester Institute of Technology placed seventh in the nation.
Rochester Institute of Technology came into being in 1891, the result of a merger between two educational bodies, the Rochester Athenaeum and the Mechanics Institute. Local residents of Rochester, New York played the most important role in the formation of the institute, and especially notable are the efforts of Colonel Nathaniel Rochester, Henry Lomb, Max Lowenthal and William Peck. Lomb was the first president of the Board of Trustees and remained with the newly formed institute until his death. All funding was provided by the citizens of Rochester, and within a year of its formation, more than 400 students had enrolled in the institute, which was an impressive figure at the time. By 1960, the institute had grown to offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees in applied science, business studies, fine arts, graphic arts and photography and liberal arts. Today, Rochester Institute of Technology is the third largest college in New York, with eight colleges under it, offering more than 200 courses.
RIT’s eight colleges includes the College of Applied Science and Technology, which holds the maximum number of students, and is considered one of the best colleges in the country. Courses are offered in manufacturing engineering, environmental engineering, telecommunications, product engineering, and environmental sciences. The world famous E. Philip Saunders College of Business offers programs that blend technology, art and design with management, allowing students to choose subjects such as finance, accounting, international business, marketing, management information systems and new media marketing. RIT’s Computer Sciences department is one of the earliest in the country, and students can obtain bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degree in computer science, information technology, software engineering, game design, network administration and information security. The College of Imaging Arts and Sciences offers professionally oriented degree programs in the areas of industrial design, interior design, medical illustration, jewelry design, photography, film, video and animation.
RIT currently has twenty-four sports teams which compete at a national level in basketball, baseball, cross country, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field, volleyball and wrestling. RIT’s basketball and baseball teams are ranked among the best in the Northeast, and reach national playoffs. Several RIT athletes have won Individual National Championships and NCAA awards. Facilities include two swimming pools, an indoor track and a venue with a capacity of over 8500 people. Thanks to the excellent facilities, the quaint settings and some of the best programs in the nation, RIT has achieved recognition at a national and global stage and plays host to more than 17,000 students from over 100 countries.