Stanford University

In 1885, a sad and special college was born. You see, Leland and Jane Stanford founded Stanford University with a deep emotion, following the untimely demise of their only child, Leland Stanford Jr. They found solace in dedicating the university to his memory. Tracing the origins back to Stanford's previous Palo Alto farm, the university finally threw open its doors in 1891.

The intriguing part? The Stanfords drew inspiration from the highly esteemed Eastern universities, specifically Cornell University, based in Ithaca, New York. So much so, that Stanford University was hailed as the "Cornell of the West" in 1891, as its student body had former Cornell members in its fold. Their first president, David Starr Jordan, and second president, John Casper Branner, were both Cornell affiliates.

Jane and Leland Stanford were trailblazers of their time. They were among the first to democratize higher education, making it accessible and non-sectarian. Significantly, Stanford was opened to women, as well as men. It was a radical departure from traditional education and the credit for being one of the first American universities to embrace this change goes to Cornell. Stanford was quick to adopt this revolutionary practice too.

But the Stanfords had an eye for something different, especially Jane. She envisaged a university that didn't look like the other Eastern ones. They wanted to have an institution that was reminiscent of the old adobe houses from the Spanish era, which were one-storeyed with deep window seats, open fireplaces, and roofs covered with the familiar dark red tiles. To this day, this specification guides campus architecture. They even brought on board the famous landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, who had worked on the Cornell campus before designing the Stanford’s one.

Stanford University faced a grave crisis in 1893 when its benefactor, Leland Stanford, passed away. A federal lawsuit against Leland's estate cast a shadow of uncertainty on the university's future. But Jane Stanford was nothing if not resilient. She insisted on the university continuing to operate despite the financial crisis. The university sustained significant damage resulting from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. However, most of the damage was repaired, with only a few original features of the Memorial Church and the Quad left unrestored.

In the early 20th century, Stanford grew rapidly, adding four professional graduate schools including the School of Medicine in 1908, which moved to Stanford campus from San Francisco in 1959. The Law department transitioned into a professional law school in 1908, earning accreditation from the American Bar Association in 1923. The Graduate School of Education and the Graduate School of Business were also established during this period.

Stanford University made a significant contribution to the establishment of Silicon Valley. During the 1940s and 1950s, Frederick Terman, a Stanford engineering professor, encouraged students to become entrepreneurs, leading to Stanford Industrial Park's establishment in the 1950s. William Shockley, a Nobel laureate and Stanford professor, founded the Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory which played a significant role in the birth of Silicon Valley.

Stanford University has had its share of controversies too. It faced accusations of restricting Jewish admissions in the 1950s and denied doing so for years until an apology was issued in 2022. Despite this, the university continued to grow and gain prestige in the 1960s under the leadership of president Wallace Sterling.

Stanford continues to evolve, overcoming challenges and maintaining its reputation as an academic powerhouse. Its history, filled with ambition and resilience, steers it forward, shaping a future that is as bright as its past.