Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Henrietta, New York, a suburb of Rochester. Established in 1829, RIT evolved from the Rochester Athenæum and later the Mechanics Institute before adopting its current name in 1944. The university offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across disciplines including engineering, computing, business, design, imaging science, and the arts. RIT is also home to the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, a federally supported college established on campus in 1968. With a strong emphasis on career-oriented education, cooperative education programs, and applied research, Rochester Institute of Technology attracts students interested in technology-driven and creative fields.

Rochester Institute of Technology traces its origins to 1829 with the founding of the Rochester Athenæum in Rochester, New York. In 1891, the Athenæum merged with the Mechanics Institute, a technical training school founded in 1885, forming the Rochester Athenæum and Mechanics Institute. Over the early twentieth century, the institution expanded its technical and professional programs to serve the region’s growing industries. In 1944, the school adopted the name Rochester Institute of Technology and re-established the 1829 founding charter. RIT awarded its first bachelor of science degree in 1955 and continued to broaden its academic offerings. In 1968, the university relocated from downtown Rochester to a new suburban campus in Henrietta, New York, and became home to the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Since then, Rochester Institute of Technology has developed into a comprehensive research university with doctoral programs and expanded research activity.