Log in Sign up
Back to Discover
📖

Georgetown University

society Maturity 7-9 religion
This article covers sensitive topics: religion. Parents can manage visibility in Parental Controls.

Georgetown is a big school.

Georgetown University (53821005319).jpg
Georgetown University (53821005319).jpg
It is in a city called Washington, D.C. A man named John Carroll started it long ago. Many students go there to learn. It is a special place to study. Do you want to learn too?

44 words

A man named John Carroll started this school.

John Carroll Gilbert Stuart.jpg
John Carroll Gilbert Stuart.jpg
It is in a place called Washington, D.C. It is very old.
Georgetown University c. 1850.jpg
Georgetown University c. 1850.jpg
Many students go there to learn. A leader named Patrick Healy helped the school grow. He built a large stone hall.
Georgetown University (53821005319).jpg
Georgetown University (53821005319).jpg
This school sits on a hill. It is near a big river. Many people from all over the world study here. It is a very special place to learn.

81 words

Georgetown University is a famous school in Washington, D.C.

Georgetown Riverview.jpg
Georgetown Riverview.jpg
A man named John Carroll started it in 1789.
John Carroll Gilbert Stuart.jpg
John Carroll Gilbert Stuart.jpg
It is the oldest Catholic school in the United States. It is also the oldest university in the city.

In the 1800s, the school faced many hard times. The American Civil War changed life there. Many students joined the war. Some buildings were even used by the army. Later, a leader named Patrick Healy helped the school grow.

Patrick Francis Healy.jpg
Patrick Francis Healy.jpg
He was the first Black person to lead a white university. He helped build Healy Hall.
Georgetown University (53821005319).jpg
Georgetown University (53821005319).jpg
This large building is a landmark today.

Today, the school is very big. It has many different schools for study. It has many students from over 135 countries. Many people who work for the government studied here. Some even became U.S. presidents. The school teams are called the Hoyas.

Hoya logo.gif
Hoya logo.gif
They play sports like basketball. The campus sits on a hill above the Potomac River.

170 words

Georgetown University is a famous private school in Washington, D.C.

Georgetown Riverview.jpg
Georgetown Riverview.jpg
It is a Jesuit research university with a long history. This means it follows the traditions of the Jesuit order. The school is very important in the United States. It is the oldest Catholic school of higher education in the country.
Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart Georgetown University.jpg
Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart Georgetown University.jpg
It is also the oldest university in the nation's capital. The campus sits on a hill overlooking the Potomac River.
Georgetown neighborhood 09.jpeg
Georgetown neighborhood 09.jpeg

The university works by offering many different ways to learn. It has eleven different schools for students. These schools teach things like law, medicine, and business. There are about 7,500 undergraduate students studying there. There are also about 10,000 graduate students. Students come from more than 135 different countries.

Intercultural Center.jpg
Intercultural Center.jpg
They study in forty-eight different subject areas. This makes the school a very busy place for learning.

History shows how the school began a long time ago. Bishop John Carroll founded the university in 1789.

John Carroll Gilbert Stuart.jpg
John Carroll Gilbert Stuart.jpg
He was the first head of the Catholic Church in the United States. On January 23, 1789, he bought the land in Georgetown. The first student, William Gaston, joined in 1791.
Georgetown University c. 1850.jpg
Georgetown University c. 1850.jpg
Instruction finally began on January 2, 1792. The school also got a special charter from President James Madison in 1815. This allowed the school to give out degrees to its students.

Many important people have attended Georgetown over the years.

Obama at Georgetown University talk on poverty.jpg
Obama at Georgetown University talk on poverty.jpg
The school has educated two U.S. presidents. It has also trained many leaders for the government. This includes 92 U.S. ambassadors and 116 members of Congress.
Secretary Blinken Meets with Georgetown Faculty Before Commencement Ceremonies (52090082673).jpg
Secretary Blinken Meets with Georgetown Faculty Before Commencement Ceremonies (52090082673).jpg
There have been 32 Rhodes Scholars and 565 Fulbright Scholars. The school even has many alumni who are billionaires. The athletic teams are called the Hoyas.
Hoya logo.gif
Hoya logo.gif

Georgetown continues to grow and change in the modern world. In 2005, the school opened a new campus in Qatar.

Entrance to Georgetown University in Education City.jpg
Entrance to Georgetown University in Education City.jpg
This helps students learn about different parts of the world. The university also works to bring different religions together.
Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart Georgetown University.jpg
Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart Georgetown University.jpg
A leader named John J. DeGioia led the school for many years. He helped the school connect with people from all over the globe. Today, the big Healy Hall still stands as a landmark.
Healy Pink.jpg
Healy Pink.jpg
It shows how much the school has grown since the start.

442 words

Georgetown University is a private Jesuit research university located in Washington, D.C.

Georgetown Riverview.jpg
Georgetown Riverview.jpg
It holds several historical distinctions in the United States. It is the oldest Catholic institution of higher education in the country. It is also the oldest university in the nation's capital. Furthermore, it was the first university to receive a federal charter. Today, the university is classified as an "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity." This means it performs a high level of advanced research.
Healy Pink.jpg
Healy Pink.jpg

The university operates through eleven different undergraduate and graduate schools. These schools offer degree programs across forty-eight distinct disciplines. The student body is quite large and diverse. An average of 7,500 undergraduate students and 10,000 graduate students attend the university. These students come from more than 135 different countries.

Intercultural Center.jpg
Intercultural Center.jpg
The main campus is situated in the Georgetown historic neighborhood. It sits on a hill overlooking the Potomac River. The campus is easily recognized by Healy Hall, which is a National Historic Landmark.
Georgetown University (53821005319).jpg
Georgetown University (53821005319).jpg

The history of Georgetown began with Bishop John Carroll. He was the first Archbishop of Baltimore.

John Carroll Gilbert Stuart.jpg
John Carroll Gilbert Stuart.jpg
Following the American Revolutionary War, plans were made for a Catholic educational institution. On January 23, 1789, Carroll purchased the property in Georgetown. The school's first student, William Gaston, enrolled on November 22, 1791. Formal instruction began on January 2, 1792. In 1815, President James Madison signed the university's congressional charter into law. This allowed the school to confer degrees. The first bachelor's degrees were awarded two years later.
Georgetown University c. 1850.jpg
Georgetown University c. 1850.jpg

During the 19th century, the school faced many challenges. It dealt with significant financial strain in its early years. In 1838, the Maryland Jesuits sold 272 slaves to end their slaveholding. The American Civil War also deeply impacted the campus. The Union army used university buildings to defend the capital. By May 1861, 1,400 troops were living on campus. Enrollment dropped significantly due to the war. However, the university recovered during the presidency of Patrick Francis Healy.

Georgetown 1861.jpg
Georgetown 1861.jpg
Healy was the first person of African descent to lead a predominantly white American university. He is often called the school's "second founder." He built Healy Hall and reformed the curriculum.
Patrick Francis Healy.jpg
Patrick Francis Healy.jpg

In the 20th century, the university expanded its academic scope. The School of Foreign Service (SFS) was founded in 1919. This school was created to prepare students for diplomacy and commerce. The School of Business Administration later became the McDonough School of Business in 1998. The university also moved toward becoming coeducational. While women had limited access earlier, the College of Arts and Sciences welcomed female students in 1969. The university also became a hub for global policy studies. It founded the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in 1962. This center conducts research on political and economic issues worldwide.

Georgetown has produced many notable and influential alumni. The university has educated two U.S. presidents and 116 members of the United States Congress. This includes 26 senators and 2 U.S. Supreme Court justices. The school has trained at least 92 U.S. ambassadors. It has also educated 565 Fulbright Scholars and 46 Marshall Scholars. Many graduates have become leaders in international diplomacy. The university even has at least 10 living billionaires among its alumni.

Secretary Blinken Meets with Georgetown Faculty Before Commencement Ceremonies (52090082673).jpg
Secretary Blinken Meets with Georgetown Faculty Before Commencement Ceremonies (52090082673).jpg

In the 21st century, Georgetown has expanded its global reach. In 2005, the university opened a campus in Qatar.

Entrance to Georgetown University in Education City.jpg
Entrance to Georgetown University in Education City.jpg
This campus includes the School of Foreign Service and the Center for International and Regional Studies. The university also works to promote religious pluralism. John J. DeGioia served as the first lay president from 2001 to 2024. He founded the Building Bridges Seminar to bring global religious leaders together. The university maintains its Jesuit tradition through various programs and spaces.
Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart Georgetown University.jpg
Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart Georgetown University.jpg
This tradition continues to shape the identity of the institution.

685 words
🖼️ Images & Media (25)
File:John Carroll Gilbert Stuart.jpg
John Carroll Gilbert Stuart.jpg
File:Georgetown University c. 1850.jpg
Georgetown University c. 1850.jpg
File:Georgetown 1861.jpg
Georgetown 1861.jpg
File:Patrick Francis Healy.jpg
Patrick Francis Healy.jpg
File:Georgetown University (53821005319).jpg
Georgetown University (53821005319).jpg
File:Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart Georgetown University.jpg
Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart...
File:Georgetown neighborhood 09.jpeg
Georgetown neighborhood 09.jpeg
File:Georgetown Jesuit Residence.jpg
Georgetown Jesuit Residence.jpg
File:Georgetown University Office of Undergraduate Admissions (53820914198).jpg
Georgetown University Office of...
File:Secretary Blinken Meets with Georgetown Faculty Before Commencement Ceremonies (52090082673).jpg
Secretary Blinken Meets with Georgetown...
File:Georgetown University School of Medicine & School of Dentistry (53820913143).jpg
Georgetown University School of Medicine...
File:Georgetown Riverview.jpg
Georgetown Riverview.jpg

+ 13 more

Up Next
📖
KU Leuven
Society
More to explore

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.