Harvard University Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with about 6,700 undergraduate students and about 15,250 post graduate students. Established in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, clergyman John Harvard, Harvard is the United States' oldest institution of higher learning, and its history, influence, and wealth have made it one of the world's most prestigious universities. The Harvard Corporation is its first chartered corporation. Although never formally affiliated with any denomination, the early College primarily trained Congregational and Unitarian clergy. Its curriculum and student body were gradually secularized during the 18th century, and
Academic regalia of Harvard University century. The Harvard regalia deviates from the Intercollegiate Code's standards in that the color of the degree is shown on the crow's foot emblem instead of on the hood trimming, and the color refers to the school granting the degree rather than the subject of the degree itself. The colors are: The colors themselves mostly follow the Intercollegiate Code's standards, with the exception of the Business School, Design School, and arguably the Engineering School. The gown of the President of Harvard University is a form of Puritan clerical dress rather than an academic robe. It is worn open over a