Cornell University

In 1862, Cornell University embarked on a mission to serve New York state by providing education and resources to the local community.

Cornell University was founded on April 27, 1865, by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White. It was established as the state's land grant institution with Ezra Cornell offering his farm in Ithaca, New York as the preliminary site for the university.

Cornell University opens its doors with two divisions - the Division of the Special Sciences and Arts and the Division of Science, Literature and the Arts. The university is led by its first president, A.D. White, and welcomes 26 professors and 412 students, making it the largest entering class at any American university.

In 1875, Cornell University embarked on the 'Great Experiment' of coeducation, allowing both men and women to study together. This marked a significant milestone in the history of higher education and gender equality.

In 1880, May Preston Slosson became the first woman in the United States to earn a Ph.D. in philosophy. She also holds the distinction of being Cornell University's first female doctoral graduate.

In 1883, Cornell University became one of the first university campuses to use electricity from a water-powered dynamo to light the campus grounds. This marked a significant technological advancement for the institution.

Cornell Law School was established in 1887 and is one of the oldest law schools in the United States, known for its rigorous legal education and esteemed faculty.

Weill Cornell Medical College, established in 1898 in New York City, is a prestigious medical school affiliated with Cornell University, known for its innovative medical education and research.

Cornell alumnus Richmond Shreve, who graduated in 1902, is credited with designing the iconic Empire State Building in New York City.

Arthur Garfield Dove, a Cornell alumnus from 1903, is often recognized as the first American abstract painter, making significant contributions to the art world.

Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity for Black men, was founded at Cornell University. It has established around 900 chapters nationwide and has been a prominent advocate for civil rights. Notable figures who were members include Martin Luther King, Jr., W.E.B. Du Bois, Duke Ellington, and Thurgood Marshall.

The Empire State Building, which held the title of the world's tallest building from 1931 to 1970, officially opens in midtown Manhattan. It was designed by Richmond Harold Shreve, a Cornell graduate and co-founder of the architectural firm Shreve, Lamb & Harmon.

In 1937, Arthur Laurents graduated from Cornell University. He later became a renowned playwright, screenwriter, and director, known for his work on Broadway's iconic shows like Gypsy and West Side Story.

Howard Hawks, a legendary filmmaker and Cornell alumnus from the class of 1918, directed the classic film 'Bringing Up Baby' in 1938.

In 1949, Vladimir Nabokov and his family arrived in Ithaca, where he started his role as a professor of Russian literature at Cornell University. Over the course of more than 10 years at Cornell, Nabokov gained fame as the author of iconic works like 'Lolita' and 'Pnin', establishing himself as a captivating lecturer on campus.

Toni Morrison, who graduated from Cornell in 1950, is a renowned author and Nobel laureate known for her novel Beloved.

Henry Bumcom made a 12-footer as time expired, leading Cornell to a 46-44 victory over Princeton in a one-game playoff at the Palestra. This win avenged a previous defeat by Princeton and secured the 1953-54 EIBL title for Cornell, earning them their first-ever bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The School of Hotel Administration (SHA) at Cornell University offers the first accredited wine appreciation course in American collegiate history to juniors and seniors. The course includes guest lectures from seven leading New York and California vintners.

Ben Bluitt is named as the head coach of the Big Red, marking a historic moment as the first black head coach in any sport at Cornell University after more than 100 years of athletics.

On March 31, 1986, 31-year-old Mike Dement was appointed as the head coach of the Big Red, bringing new leadership to the team.

Sheryl WuDunn, a history major from Cornell University, and her husband Nicholas Kristof won the Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. WuDunn made history as the first Asian-American journalist to receive this prestigious award.

Cornell officially opened Alberding Fieldhouse with a thrilling game where Steve Johnson hit a buzzer beater to secure a 71-68 victory over Columbia, in front of 4,500 fans.

Mae Jemison, a Cornell alumna, serves as a mission specialist on STS-47 Spacelab-J, becoming the first African American woman to travel in space aboard the space shuttle Endeavour.

In 1995, the National Research Council ranked Cornell University's Ph.D. programs among the top in the nation, with several programs recognized for their academic quality. This acknowledgment highlighted the university's strong research and academic offerings.

In 1999, the Cornell Prison Education Program was established, aiming to provide educational opportunities to incarcerated individuals. This initiative was a significant step towards promoting access to education for all.

Ka’Ron Barnes achieved the milestone of becoming the 18th 1,000-point scorer in Cornell University's basketball history during a game against St. Francis (NY) where he scored 22 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and provided seven assists in a close 78-75 overtime loss.

Eric Taylor reached the 1,000-point scoring milestone in his final collegiate game as Cornell secured a 77-61 victory against Brown, finishing in second place in the Ivy League.

Graham Dow, a Rhodes Scholar finalist from Cornell University, was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first team, becoming the 12th Ivy Leaguer and the first Cornellian to achieve this honor.

On May 23, 2007, Cornell University commenced a 10-day foreign trip to France, where they visited various cities including Paris, Lyon, Aix-en-Provence, and Nice. During the trip, the Big Red team played 4 games against international opponents and explored famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the French Riviera.

On March 1, 2008, Cornell's basketball team clinched its first Ivy League championship in 20 years by defeating Harvard 86-53 at Newman Arena. This victory marked the end of a 19-year reign of Penn or Princeton claiming the Ancient Eight title.

On December 29, 2009, Ryan Wittman '10 scored 34 points in a game against La Salle, surpassing John Bajusz's career scoring record at Cornell. Wittman ended the night with 1,667 points and his career with 2,028.

On January 6, 2010, Cornell's basketball team held a lead against No. 1 Kansas in the final 30 seconds, threatening the Jayhawks' 50-game win streak at Phog Allen Arena. Although Kansas won 71-66, the game gained national attention with ESPN simulcasting the final minutes and featuring it on SportsCenter.

Cornell basketball team ties an Ivy League record and sets a new school mark by making 20 3-pointers in a 95-76 victory against Brown. This win also secures their third consecutive conference title.

Cornell made history by becoming the first Ivy League team in 31 years to advance to the NCAA Tournament's second weekend after defeating No. 4 seed Wisconsin 87-69 in Jacksonville, Fla. The team also set an Ivy League record for wins in a season with 29.

The City of Ithaca declares a special day, known as Big Red Day, to honor the achievements of Cornell University's men's basketball team, ECAC Hockey tournament champion, and women's NCAA finalist hockey teams.

Chris Wroblewski, a student at Cornell University, earned a spot on the Capital One Academic All-America third team in 2011.

In 2013, the Human Ecology Building at Cornell University received a LEED Platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council, marking it as the first building on the campus to achieve this highest level of sustainability certification.

Cornell staged an impressive comeback from a 12-point deficit with eight minutes remaining, going on a 22-0 run to defeat Princeton 68-60 at Newman Arena.

Martha E. Pollack became the fourteenth president of Cornell University on August 25, 2017, succeeding Elizabeth Garrett. She took over the role after Garrett's tenure from July 2015 to March 2016.

Jimmy Boeheim scored 31 points and Matt Morgan had 24 in his final collegiate game as the Big Red lost 98-89 in overtime to Robert Morris in the first round of the CIT Postseason Tournament. Matt Morgan finished his career with 2,333 points, ranking No. 2 all-time in Ivy League history.

Cornell tops Utah Valley 74-61 to win the Bay Bracket of the Jacksonville Classic at Flagler University. Chris Manon is named Tournament MVP.