Academics .......................................................................1

Research ..........................................................................3

Students ..........................................................................5

Study Abroad ...................................................................7

Housing ...........................................................................9

Student Organizations .....................................................11

Faculty .............................................................................13

The Value of a Rochester Degree ....................................15

Alumni .............................................................................17

History and Traditions .....................................................19

Beyond the River Campus ...............................................21

City of Rochester .............................................................23

Meliora ............................................................................25

Contact Us .......................................................................27

Table of Contents

1

College should be a time to explore and refine your interests without worrying about a standard course of study.

With Rochester’s open curriculum, you will create a personalized

education around your own strengths and passions. You’ll choose a

major in one of the three divisions of learning (natural sciences, social

sciences, and humanities) and take thematic three-course clusters in

the other two divisions. (Engineering students only need to complete

one cluster.) There are thousands of courses and endless combinations

of majors and minors, and best of all, there are no required subjects.

The only thing resembling a “gen-ed” requirement at Rochester is an

undergraduate writing course—and even that can be molded to your

particular interests with course specializations in over fifty different

themes. Rochester celebrates the fact that you have your own academic

goals and want to customize your education.

“I chose Rochester because I wanted to have the freedom to choose what

classes I wanted to take without having to worry about getting required

classes out of the way. Rochester gave me exactly what I wanted.”

Eveli Flores | Astoria, NY | Class of 2017 American Sign Language | Health, Behavior, and Society

“Although I am decidedly a student of the humanities and social sciences,

I miss the logic and rigidity of numbers and equations that accompanies

math and science. At Rochester, I can comfortably dabble in different

academic disciplines until I’m entirely certain of my major.”

Natalie Ziegler | Akron, OH | Class of 2018 Undecided

Academics

3

Rochester is one of the nation’s top-tier research institutions and attracts more than $400 million in funding each year.

There are numerous facilities across campus devoted to research,

including the Medical Center, the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, the

Mt. Hope Family Center, and the Music Research Laboratory.

Research is an integral part of Rochester’s learning philosophy; as a

student, you’re expected to take what you learn in the classroom and

apply it to the real world. Students even in their freshman year team

up with professors to conduct innovative research across all disciplines,

and not just the natural sciences. Beyond the City of Rochester, students

conduct research in Japan, Italy, Malawi, Antarctica, and many other

locations around the state, country, and world.

“Last summer, I traveled to Ladakh, India, to conduct research on tobacco

control initiatives. It was a great opportunity to apply what I’d learned in

the classroom to an actual community. I worked with one of my professors

from a class I took freshman year, which I don’t think would have been

possible without my school’s amazing student-to-faculty ratio.”

Alap Patel | Chino Hills, CA | Class of 2015 Health, Behavior, and Society

Research

5

Students at the University are genuine, curious, and driven.

Not only have they earned impressive academic credentials, but they

also represent every US state and territory and more than 100 countries.

Together, they make up a diverse global village, and they’ll challenge you

to explore different cultures, traditions, and perspectives.

Students in every major earn internships, run enterprises and

philanthropic events, study abroad, and pursue graduate study after

Rochester. Most of the 5,000 undergraduates live on campus all four

years and are leaders in at least one activity, making life on campus

exciting and close-knit.

“As a Rochester student, you are bound to become an involved member

on campus. I myself am a mentor for the Rising Leader Program and

a counselor for Rochester’s Pre-College Programs. I’m involved in the

musical theater performing group and a ballet group, and I receive private

vocal lessons at the Eastman School of Music. Although academics are

my number one priority, being involved on campus is an important, self-

gratifying aspect of my college experience.”

Jackie Capita | Rochester, NY | Class of 2018

History | English

Students

7

About a quarter of Rochester’s students take advantage of studying abroad as a great way to complement campus studies and gain a global perspective.

Rochester offers study abroad programs in over 35 countries and there’s

something for every major. Even science and engineering majors with

their rigorous coursework are encouraged to take their studies abroad.

Study Abroad

Examples of UR-Sponsored and Affiliated Study Abroad Programs

Italy: Arezzo, Milan, Rome, Siena

Japan: Nagoya, Tokyo

Jordan: Amman

Morocco: Rabat

Netherlands: Amsterdam

New Zealand: Auckland, Christchurch

Peru: Lima

Poland: Krakow, Warsaw

Russia: St. Petersburg

Senegal: Dakar

Singapore

South Africa: Cape Town

Spain: Barcelona, Granada, Madrid, Salamanca

Sweden: Uppsala

Taiwan: Taipei

Thailand: Khon Kaen

Turkey: Istanbul

United Arab Emirates: Sharjah

United Kingdom: Bath, Brighton, Bristol, Edinburgh, London, Oxford, York

Argentina: Buenos Aires

Australia: Canberra, Perth, Sydney

Austria: Vienna

Belgium: Brussels

Botswana: Gaborone

Brazil: Rio de Janeiro

Chile: Santiago

China: Beijing, Hong Kong, Kunming, Macau, Nanjing, Shanghai

Costa Rica: San Jose

Czech Republic: Prague

Denmark: Copenhagen

Ecuador: Galapagos, Quito

Egypt: Cairo

France: Nantes, Nice, Paris

Germany: Berlin, Bonn, Cologne, Freiburg

Ghana: Legon

Greece: Athens

Hungary: Budapest

India: Delhi

Ireland: Dublin

Israel: Beer-Sheva, Haifa, Jerusalem

9

The ‘River Campus’ is the intimate and lively student college home within the multi-campus University.

Within ten minutes’ walk, you’ll find ten dining locations, a winding river,

an interfaith chapel, the enormous medical center, a full athletic center,

and the stately Rush Rhees Library.

As a freshman, you get to choose from Susan B. Anthony Hall, which also

houses a dining hall, or the scenic Quad, which includes Gilbert, Hoeing,

Tiernan, and Lovejoy halls. Special interest housing is also a popular

option where students integrate shared interests into their residential

life. In the past, those special interests have included community service,

music, leadership, drama, and computer science.

Transfers and upperclassmen tend to live in suite-style housing or live off

campus in nearby apartments.

Housing

11

Each student creates a personal blend of activities by choosing among 250+ student-run groups, over 30 Greek life organizations, 23 NCAA Division III sports, dozens of intramural and club sports, and nightly campus events.

Below is just a sample of some of the popular student organizations on

campus. The full list can be found at ccc.rochester.edu.

Student Organizations

Clubs & Organizations

• American Sign Language Club

• Ballet Performance Group

• Bhangra

• Campus Times newspaper

• Cinema Club

• Creative Arts Club

• Habitat for Humanity

• Improv Comedy Troupe

• Journal of Undergraduate Research

• Kendo

• Marching Pep Band

• Mini Baja

• Model United Nations

• Outing Club

• Pride Network

• Quidditch

• Quiz Bowl

• Running Club

• Sailing Club

• Strong Jugglers

• Swing Dance Club

• Ultimate Frisbee

• WRUR 88.5 radio

• Yellowjackets a cappella

Varsity sports

Men’s

• Baseball

• Basketball

• Cross Country

• Football

• Golf

• Soccer

• Squash

• Swimming & Diving

• Tennis

• Track & Field

Women’s

• Basketball

• Cross Country

• Field Hockey

• Lacrosse

• Rowing

• Soccer

• Softball

• Swimming & Diving

• Tennis

• Track & Field

• Volleyball

13

At the University, there are more than two thousand leading, prize-winning faculty and instructional staff.

Just like their students, professors come to the River Campus from across

the US and around the world. Rochester’s professors are committed

to their students as partners in their lifelong scholarship and research,

in a ratio of 1:10. Many students “major in a professor,” taking several

courses and joining projects with committed and renowned scholars who

don’t separate research from teaching.

“Professor Rizzo in the economics department has been my favorite

professor and he’s the reason I’m an economics major. I can see him

shaking his head right now if he were to read this, because he’s very

modest, but his courses and mentorship have been truly formative for

me. He’s taught me to love critical thinking and to expect more of myself

intellectually. He still forwards me interesting articles even though I’ve

graduated and I have so much respect for his curiosity, knowledge, and

self-doubt.”

Antoinette Esce | Liverpool, NY | Class of 2015 Economics

“My first college lecture started with the sentence, ‘Do not call me professor

or doctor; call me Chris.’ The effort Chris Niemiec made to make every

student comfortable and feel like they could approach him with any

question set the tone for the cooperative and supportive relationships I

have had with every Rochester professor.”

Rocco Porcellio | Fairport, NY | Class of 2017 Psychology

Faculty

15

A quality education is a substantial investment.

The Financial Aid Office is available to help you and your family afford a

Rochester education through a combination of different aid programs

tailored to meet your calculated need. Most students receive some

amount of financial aid, and every applicant is automatically considered

for merit scholarships.

Most Rochester graduates enter the job market in fields they are

excited about. Recently, they’ve represented Rochester as educators,

researchers, engineers, and entrepreneurs, and work for organizations

such as Google, J.P. Morgan, Microsoft, Teach for America, and many

different universities.

Just as students and families invest in Rochester, the University invests

in its students. Through unique programs like the Take 5 and Kauffman

Entrepreneurial Year, students can receive a tuition-free fifth year of

more focused study. Additionally, the Gwen M. Greene Career and

Internship Center is a resource available to all students and alumni. The

Center helps students earn internships, plan their career, and network

with professionals in their field of interest. Members of the Center’s staff

even have specialties to offer students more focused counseling. Learn

more at rochester.edu/careercenter.

“I have a strong conviction that our students are as qualified as any to get

coveted jobs, and that with the help of alumni and friends of the University,

they can compete successfully, and then in turn they will help others and

find many ways to give back to Rochester.”

Gwen M. Greene | Class of 1965

The Value of a Rochester Degree

17

Rochester alumni form a network that reaches over 140 countries around the globe.

Countless students have graduated from the University to become Nobel

Prize winners, Academy Award winners, authors, inventors, government

leaders, actors, CEOs, astronauts, and opera singers. They are invested

in Rochester’s legacy and remain actively involved, generously donating

to the University and mentoring new students about their studies and

professional ambitions.

“I chose my majors as a freshman. From the beginning, I knew I wanted

to study international affairs and Spanish. I declared my Spanish major

and then created my own interdepartmental major in “international

environmental politics,” combining classes in political science, chemical

engineering, anthropology, and philosophy. I found that the skills gained in

writing term papers and my honors thesis were invaluable in the beginning

of my career. Being able to integrate material from various courses shaped

my thinking. Seeing interconnections between seemingly disparate material

has enhanced my ability to be a good research analyst.”

Raisa Dukas | Class of 2007 | Research analyst, US Department of Energy

“I had to meet with the chair of the math department, and I told him of my

love of bioethics cases and the Hastings Center Report. He told me that I could

work in bioethics for a living. Today, I am a professor at Drexel University,

teaching bioethics, and I have even published my own articles in the Hastings

Center Report. And it all began with that conversation. Whenever someone

knocks on my office door asking for advice, I pay it forward, in remembrance

of the professors who were so generous with their time for me.”

Constance K. Ihlenburg Perry | Class of 1987 Associate professor, Drexel University

Alumni

19

Part of what makes the Rochester experience so fun and memorable is the host of rich campus traditions.

The Dandelion

Founded in 1850, the University was originally housed in a downtown

building. There was a need for a more spacious and scenic space, so

in 1853, Azariah Boody donated the cow pastures on his estate to the

University. This was the campus until the construction of the River

Campus in 1930. That original well-fertilized cow pasture produced fields

of dandelions that distinguished the campus and led to the University

adopting the flower as its official emblem.

Wilson Day

As part of their first week on campus, freshmen participate in this

community service project that honors the civic spirit of Rochester

benefactor and Xerox founder Joseph C. Wilson, Class of 1931.

Dandelion Day

Every spring, students enjoy this celebration of the end of classes,

soaking up the nice weather before final exams. The program features

amusement park rides on campus, festival food, and a headlining

evening concert.

Meliora Weekend

This event is a popular tradition among students, alumni, and the

community. Class reunions, family visits, homecoming activities, and

prominent keynote speakers like Bill Clinton and Laverne Cox draw

thousands of people to campus every year.

History and Traditions

21

The University’s campus and surrounding community has a wide range of resources available to you.

Beyond the River Campus, the University includes the Medical Center,

School of Nursing, the Simon Business School, the Hajim School of

Engineering, the Warner School of Education, and the Eastman School

of Music.

“As an undergrad, I have a whole variety of different engagement

opportunities. I’ve been able to research and volunteer at the Medical

Center and have been mentored by incredible faculty and staff. In the

campus organizations I’m involved in, such as GlobeMed and Partners

in Reading, I’ve been able to engage with community leaders who allow

students to learn and explore beyond the classroom. Some of my fondest

memories have been learning with students in Rochester City Schools and

interacting with non-profit leaders in events all around Rochester.”

Ramya Kaushik | Fremont, CA | Class of 2016 Biology | Public Health

Beyond the River Campus

23

Encompassing the swift Genesee River and its six waterfalls, the City of Rochester is an urban setting with a relaxed suburban feel.

Rochester has grown since 1840 as a corporate, tech, and college town

whose warm and diverse residents are never bored. The city’s hotspots

include the Memorial Art Gallery, Kodak Hall, three professional sports

venues, the National Museum of Play, and the George Eastman House, a

photography museum that attracts scholars from all over the world.

Rochester fostered the motion picture film industry, abolition, and

the women’s rights movement. Rochester’s economy is dynamic with

thousands of specialized, profitable firms in fields like optics and health

equipment and technology. Residents have easy access to Lake Ontario

beaches, Erie Canal recreation, and a vast greenbelt of gardens, parks,

and summer festivals.

City of Rochester

25

Rochester students are courageous enough to create their own education.

Professors don’t merely teach skills; they demonstrate how to teach

yourself. The University doesn’t look back at what’s been done; it looks

forward to what’s next. In fact, the Rochester motto is “Meliora,” Latin

for “ever better.” Rochester’s legacy of innovation ensures that students

graduate not just as specialists, but as forward thinkers and leaders in

their field, making the world better for the next generation.

Consistent with its core values of academic excellence, academic

freedom, diversity, and community, Rochester will continue to fortify

its position as one of the nation’s leading research universities through

teaching, research, clinical care, and creative arts. During the next five

years, Rochester will make major commitments to data science, health

care, faculty growth, new and expanded programs to support learning

and research, improved infrastructure, and classroom and library

renovation. New additions to campus include College Town, an expanded

Brooks Landing, the Golisano Children’s Hospital, a new Imaging

Sciences/Pediatric Ambulatory Building, a new University Data Science

facility, and a Science and Engineering Quadrangle.

Meliora

27

We want to hear from you!

University of Rochester Office of Admissions

Office of AdmissionsWallis HallPO Box 270251Rochester, NY 14627-0251

admit@admissions.rochester.edu

enrollment.rochester.edu

(585) 275-3221 or toll free (888) 822-2256

@URAdmissions ba x rz

University of Rochester Financial Aid Office

Financial Aid OfficeWallis HallPO Box 270261Rochester, NY 14627-0261

enrollment.rochester.edu/financial-aid

(585) 275-3226 or toll free (800) 881-8234

@URFinAid a

Contact Us

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