Established in 1824, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is the oldest technological university in the English-speaking world and the Western Hemisphere, founded just as the Industrial Revolution was peaking in the United States.
Nearly two centuries later, the university has secured its reputation as a world-leading research institute, counting among its 7,000-plus graduates several prominent scientists, astronauts, entrepreneurs and Nobel Prize winners.
“We have a strong culture of bringing students into the laboratories. It is in laboratories where students can fully experience what it is like to get involved in research, even as undergraduates and most certainly, at the post-graduate level. A lot of our attention goes into the experience here,” said Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Martin A. Schmidt.
“In addition, we also make sure that all our students, regardless of ethnic or cultural background, feel welcomed and are made to believe they are very important members of the community,” Schmidt added.
From its sprawling campus in upstate New York, RPI is proud of the innovators, entrepreneurs and ideas that were nurtured in its classrooms and laboratories and have had a positive impact on the world.
“We invest a lot in supporting our students when they arrive here and help them form networks of collaboration. I hear the faculty at RPI talk about our students. They love that the students are collaborative and highly motivated to work on hard challenges. We make sure that we provide the needed support,” Schmidt said.
“When students fall behind on or encounter challenges with their studies, they know there is always a helping hand around. Sometimes that helping hand is their fellow students. Other times it is our various support offices, which can help identify their challenges and connect them to resources. We’re fortunate because we have several resources to support students in their academic journey,” Schmidt added.
