Georgetown Facts
Founded in 1789, the same year the U.S. Constitution took effect, Georgetown is the nation's oldest Catholic university. What began as Georgetown College, a small gathering of 12 students and a handful of professors, has grown into a major international university that includes four undergraduate schools, respected graduate programs, a law school and a medical school. The vision of Georgetown founder John Carroll, S.J., still guides the university in its commitment to Catholic, Jesuit education in the liberal arts tradition, with respect for diversity and open dialogue in the pursuit of truth.
Overview
About Georgetown
- Diversity at Georgetown University
- Georgetown Advancing Interreligious Understanding
- Georgetown's Catholic and Jesuit Identity
- International Exchanges
- Georgetown University: Good Citizen
- Georgetown University's Undergraduate Admissions
- Safety and Security
- Undergraduate Financial Aid
- Volunteerism and Service at Georgetown
- Well-Known Georgetown Alumni
Quick Facts
Established: 1789
President: John J. DeGioia, Ph.D., 48th President
Campus size: 104 acres
Schools and Colleges:
- Georgetown College (1789)
- Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (1820)
- School of Medicine (1851)
- Law Center (1870)
- School of Nursing and Health Studies (1903)
- Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service (1919)
- School of Continuing Studies (1956)
- Robert Emmett McDonough School of Business (1957)
Georgetown Lore: Georgetown adopted its official colors of blue and gray in 1866, symbolizing the union of the north and south following the Civil War.
What's a Hoya? Many years ago, when all Georgetown students were required to study Greek and Latin, the University's teams were nicknamed "The Stonewalls." It is suggested that a student, using Greek and Latin terms, started the cheer "Hoya Saxa!", which translates into "What Rocks!" The name proved popular and the term "Hoyas" was eventually adopted for all Georgetown teams.
