University of Kansas

In 1866, the University of Kansas welcomed the first class of 55 students to an unfinished building on a treeless ridge called Mount Oread. Today, their enrollment sits at 28,500. From that single building, they have grown to five campuses — the Lawrence campus, the Edwards Campus in Overland Park, and medical branches in Kansas City, Wichita, and Salina. The once barren landscape has grown into a wooded campus considered one of the most beautiful in the nation.

KU embraces it’s role as the state’s flagship university and a premier research institution, serving the state, nation, and world. The University of Kansas celebrates the energy and compassion that infuse the Jayhawk spirit and remains true to their historic values: the elevating force of education, the transformative power of research, and the healing power of service.

The mission of the University of Kansas is to lift students and society by educating leaders, building healthy communities and making discoveries that change the world. The university is committed to offering the highest quality undergraduate, professional and graduate programs comparable to the best obtainable anywhere in the nation. As the AAU research university of the state, the University of Kansas offers a broad array of advanced graduate study programs and fulfills its mission through 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.