History of Tufts University

rdf:langString History of Tufts University

rdf:langString The history of Tufts University, originally Tufts College, can be traced back to 1847 when the Universalist Church set up convention for the creation of a university for the parish. In 1858, the college was established when Boston businessman Charles Tufts donated 20 acres of land to the church to establish the college. It is the second oldest college that was founded in the Boston area. During the 19th century the college grew. The official college seal, bearing the motto Pax et Lux (Peace and Light) was adopted in 1857. The school colors of brown and blue were selected in 1876. Tufts' mascot became Jumbo when P.T. Barnum gave a natural history museum to the university. During the late 19th and early 20th century, the college grew and expanded to becoming a national university offering masters and PhD programs with the establishment of a medical school in 1899, an engineering school in 1898, a dental school in 1899, and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1933. In 1954, Tufts College became Tufts University. During the 1970s, French American nutritionist Jean Mayer became president and through a series of acquisitions, increased the endowment six-fold and expanded the university. During the 1990s and 2000s, Tufts continued to observe growth with the merger with the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and the establishment of the Allen Discovery Centers.