The State of Indiana boasts many different colleges and universities within its borders. It is the home to two large public university systems, as well as several other public universities. It also has many different private and liberal arts colleges within the state as well. Some of the most well-known universities in the state include Indiana University, Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame.
Indiana University is the largest public university system within the state. Its flagship campus is located in Bloomington, and the school was founded in 1820. The Bloomington campus has the largest enrollment, and is home to its most prestigious academic programs such as the business school, music school and the law school. There are 8 other campuses within the Indiana University system, three of which are combined with the Purdue System.
The Purdue University system consists of the main Purdue campus in West Lafayette, Indiana. It was founded in 1869 as a land-grant institution. Other campuses within the system are located outside of Chicago and in rural Indiana near Westville. The Purdue University College of Technology is also located in West Lafayette, but is a separate entity from the main university.
Other public universities in Indiana include Ball State University, Indiana State University and the University of Southern Indiana. The Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana is also located in the state.
The University of Notre Dame, located in South Bend, is probably the most well-known private institution in Indiana. It is a Catholic university with two other universities located nearby, College of the Holy Cross and the College of St. Mary. Notre Dame was founded in 1842 by Fr. Edward Sorin, who also served as the first president of the university. At the time of its founding, Notre Dame was an all-male educational institution. The first women were admitted to Notre Dame in 1972. To this day, the residents halls are single-sex living facilities. Holy Cross is still an all-male college and the College of St. Mary is an all-female college. Notable alumni include Regis Philbin and Condoleezza Rice.
The oldest university in Indiana is Vincennes University, which was founded in 1801. Vincennes is a public university and is located in Vincennes, Indiana. There are seven bachelor degree programs available at Vincennes, but most programs at this university are two-year programs. Unlike most two-year schools, Vincennes is a residential university.