|
Governor James Pollock.
(Term: January 16, 1855 - January 19, 1858)
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. |
|
| The first graduating class, 1861. |
The official founding date of the University, February 22, 1855, marks the date on which Governor James Pollock signed the charter for Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania, known today as The Pennsylvania State University.
This year marks the University’s 150th anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, Penn State has planned a yearlong celebration that will begin on July 8 with a public kick-off event in Schwab Auditorium.
The first enrollment of students actually occurred on February 16, 1859. On that date, 69 of the 100 students who had been accepted arrived at Farmers’ High School.
In December of 1861, the school graduated its first class. Eleven men received Bachelor of Scientific Agriculture degrees, making Penn State the first American institution of higher education to award baccalaureate degrees in agriculture.
Information courtesy of Penn State’s Office of University Relations
