Yale, founded in 1701, is an Ivy League school named for Elihu Yale, a merchant who was the step grandson of a cofounder of the New Haven Colony. Elihu Yale had made a sizable donation of books, a portrait of King George I, and various goods. This is how the school got its name. Various presidents have attended here including William Taft, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush (undergraduate school).
2. Harvard
Answer: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Harvard was the first college established in the American colonies, founded in 1636. John Harvard donated hundreds of books and half his estate to the college, which is how the school became known as Harvard. Presidents who graduated from Harvard include John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Rutherford B. Hayes, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, George W. Bush (graduate school), and Barack Obama.
3. University of Connecticut
Answer: Storrs, Connecticut
University of Connecticut, UCONN, was established in 1881 by Charles and Augustus Storrs. It was originally named Storrs Agricultural School. Charles and Augustus Storrs were brothers who donated a former orphanage, 170 acres of farmland, barns, and money for an agricultural school.
The school went through a few name changes before becoming UCONN in 1939. Notable alumni include, but not limited to, basketball star Rebecca Lobo, actress Meg Ryan, and best selling author Wally Lamb.
4. Vanderbilt University
Answer: Nashville, Tennessee
Vanderbilt University, established 1873, and named for Cornelius Vanderbilt. He donated one million dollars to the founding of the school. The Methodist Church had wanted a regional university to educate and train their religious leaders. Nashville bishop Holland Nimmons McTyeire convinced Vanderbilt to assist.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, South's governing body, the General Conference, controlled the school and the Board of Trust. A split occurred between the church and the university because of disagreements over who appointed trustees.
Some notable alumni include former Vice President Al Gore, author James Patterson, and former National Football League quarterback Jay Cutler.
5. Miami University
Answer: Oxford, Ohio
Miami University was chartered in 1804, although students didn't start until 1824, and was named after the Miami Tribe. Part of the reason it took so long to open was construction was temporarily suspended because of the War of 1812. A couple of notable alumni are former president Benjamin Harrison and actress Tina Louise.
6. James Madison University
Answer: Harrisonburg, Virginia
James Madison University, JMU, was founded in 1908. Originally it was a woman's college named State Normal and Industrial School for Women, it was renamed to Madison College in 1938 after President James Madison. The name changed a final time in 1977 to JMU. JMU's motto is "knowledge is liberty".
A couple notable alumni are "MasterChef USA" judge Christina Tosi and former National Football League star Charles Haley.
7. Cornell University
Answer: Ithaca, New York
Cornell was founded in 1865 and named after Ezra Cornell, who established the university on his farm. Ezra Cornell worked with state senator Andrew Dickson White to charter the school. White became the first president of Cornell. Notable alumni include, but not limited to, scientist Bill Nye, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsburg, author E.B. White, and actor Christopher Reeve.
8. Northwestern University
Answer: Evanston, Illinois
The idea for Northwestern University originated in 1850. Nine businessmen from Chicago wanted a university for the former Northwest Territory. In 1855 the university opened its doors. Notable alumni include comedian Stephen Colbert, actress and Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle, Robert Todd Lincoln (son of President Lincoln), and author of "A Game of Thrones" George R. R. Martin.
9. Johns Hopkins University
Answer: Baltimore, Maryland
Johns Hopkins placed millions of dollars into his will to establish a hospital, training colleges, an orphanage, and a university. 1876 saw the opening of Johns Hopkins University. Johns Hopkins University has played important roles in research, including but not limited to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in 1958, implantable and rechargeable pacemaker for cardiac conditions in 1972.
Some notable alumni are former President Woodrow Wilson, actor John Astin, director Wes Craven, and journalist Wolf Blitzer.
10. Lewis & Clark College
Answer: Portland, Oregon
Lewis & Clark College, founded by presbyterian pioneers, started out as Albany Collegiate Institute in 1867 located in Albany, Oregon. The Great Depression negatively impacted the school as students had difficulties paying and faculty saw decreases in salary. 1934 saw a Portland campus open where, within a few years, enrolment surpassed that of the Albany campus.
The Albany campus closed and in 1942 it was renamed Lewis & Clark College. A couple notable alumni are actor Ted Rooney and actress Ever Carradine.
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor stedman before going online.
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