About Yale University

About Yale University

Jahidul · 4 years ago

About Yale University
Yale University's roots can be traced back to the 1640s, when colonial clergymen led an effort to establish a college in New Haven to preserve the tradition of European liberal education in the New World. This vision was fulfilled in 1701, when the charter was granted for a school “wherein Youth may be instructed in the Arts and Sciences [and] through the blessing of Almighty God may be fitted for Publick employment both in Church and Civil State.” In 1718 the school was renamed “Yale College” in gratitude to the Welsh merchant Elihu Yale, who had donated the proceeds from the sale of nine bales of goods together with 417 books and a portrait of King George I.

Yale College survived the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) intact and, by the end of its first hundred years, had grown rapidly. The nineteenth and twentieth centuries brought the establishment of the graduate and professional schools that would make Yale a true university. The Yale School of Medicine was chartered in 1810, followed by the Divinity School in 1822, the Law School in 1824, and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in 1847 (which, in 1861, awarded the first Ph.D. in the United States), followed by the schools of Art in 1869, Music in 1894, Environment in 1900, Nursing in 1923, Drama in 1955, Architecture in 1972, and Management in 1974.

International students have made their way to Yale since the 1830s, when the first Latin American student enrolled. The first Chinese citizen to earn a degree at a Western college or university came to Yale in 1850. Today, international students make up nearly 9 percent of the undergraduate student body, and 16 percent of all students at the University. Yale’s distinguished faculty includes many who have been trained or educated abroad and many whose fields of research have a global emphasis; and international studies and exchanges play an increasingly important role in the Yale College curriculum. The University began admitting women students at the graduate level in 1869, and as undergraduates in 1969.

Yale College was transformed, beginning in the early 1930s, by the establishment of residential colleges. Taking medieval English universities such as Oxford and Cambridge as its model, this distinctive system divides the undergraduate population into twelve separate communities of approximately 450 members each, thereby enabling Yale to offer its students both the intimacy of a small college environment and the vast resources of a major research university. Each college surrounds a courtyard and occupies up to a full city block, providing a congenial community where residents live, eat, socialize, and pursue a variety of academic and extracurricular activities. Each college has a master and dean, as well as a number of resident faculty members known as fellows, and each has its own dining hall, library, seminar rooms, recreation lounges, and other facilities.

Today, Yale has matured into one of the world’s great universities. Its 11,000 students come from all fifty American states and from 108 countries. The 3,200-member faculty is a richly diverse group of men and women who are leaders in their respective fields. The central campus now covers 310 acres (125 hectares) stretching from the School of Nursing in downtown New Haven to tree-shaded residential neighborhoods around the Divinity School. Yale’s 260 buildings include contributions from distinguished architects of every period in its history. Styles range from New England Colonial to High Victorian Gothic, from Moorish Revival to contemporary. Yale’s buildings, towers, lawns, courtyards, walkways, gates, and arches comprise what one architecture critic has called “the most beautiful urban campus in America.” Yale's West Campus, located 7 miles west of downtown New Haven on 136 acres, was acquired in 2007 and includes 1.6 million square

River Birch Tree

Bongsong · 10 months ago

Native to North America, the river birch tree (Betula nigra) puts on a beautiful show during all four seasons. "Bright green leaves on semi-arching branches appear in the spring, followed by long, dangling seed pods in early summer," says Kate Walz, a gardening expert with KW Gardens & Flowers. "In the fall, the leaves turn a striking shade of yellow, and after they drop, the unique exfoliating bark on the trunk is revealed—which provides ornamental interest during the winter."

As the name suggests, the river birch naturally grows along riverbanks and wet areas in the United States. However, this tree can tolerate a variety of soil conditions in the landscape. Often grown as a multi-stemmed tree, its spreading limbs provide an overall pyramidal to oval shape.

The bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) is a deciduous conifer and is special because it's the only conifer that sheds its needles in the fall. (That's how it got its name.) It also produces nice shade when full of foliage and has a high tolerance to air pollution and less-than-ideal soil conditions.

Speaking of fast-growing shade trees that can tolerate extreme conditions: The palo verde (Parkinsonia florida) is a desert native that produces an incredible show every spring via a burst of tiny yellow blooms. These flowers are so dense that they provide nice shade. When not blooming, the lush green leaves step in to provide respite from the desert sun. In the winter, when temperatures are cooler and days are shorter, it drops its leaves and becomes bare.

As you may have guessed, the tulip tree (Liriodendron) gets its name because it produces blossoms that closely resemble springtime tulips. These buds are aromatic and are a golden-green hue ringed with vibrant orange. "The tulip tree, a member of the magnolia family, is one of the largest native trees in North America," says Walz. "Tulip trees are also the host plant for tiger and spicebush swallowtail butterflies."

Though its name might sound sad, the beauty of this elegant tree is anything but. The weeping willow (Salix babylonica) features slender green and silver leaves that droop downward to create a cavern-like effect that's perfect for reading a good book, chatting with a friend, or enjoying a picnic under. It has a romantic, almost storybook appearance and thrives best at the water's edge.

Thuja Green Giant (standishii x plicata 'Green Giant') is a large, fast-growing conifer that sports dense, dark green foliage. It takes on a pyramid shape via its flat splays and stays green throughout the year. "Thuja 'Green Giant' can quickly provide a lush, dense privacy screen that looks great all year round," says Walz. "It requires little or no pruning but can easily be sheared if necessary."

The red maple (Acer rubrum) is indigenous to the eastern United States, though it has spread in popularity across a great portion of the country. "The red maple is used in landscapes for its brilliant fall foliage," Pisegna says. "In the spring, this tree sports red male flowers and red samaras on female trees. Red maple leaves, twigs, and fruits provide a food source for many insects, birds, and mammals.”

The magnificent ficus tree (Ficus benjamina) grows at an incredibly fast rate and produces a dense display of glossy, dark green foliage. It provides not just wonderful shade but a haven for local birds who are happy to rest on its branches out of the sun's reach. Because of how quickly they grow, it's important to be strategic when planting this tree; its roots can stretch far.

The American elm (Ulmus americana) is native to the eastern United States and provides an elegant, umbrella-shaped canopy and a crown of leaves that cast dense shade. "This is an iconic American tree with large specimens still present in Central Park and along the National Mall in Washington, D.C.," Watkins says. "Disease-resistant cultivars are sold in nurseries, making it possible to grow a piece of American history in your backyard."

Deciduous trees are defined by their seasonal shedding of leaves, which they do to prepare for winter dormancy. These towering plants often fill yards with multiple seasons of interest, from foliage that changes color throughout summer and fall to exfoliating bark that adds beauty to the winter landscape. One downside? Many deciduous tree species can be slow-growing. To help you reap the beauty of these trees without the wait time, consider these expert picks for fast-growing deciduous trees that can grow up to 3 feet a year.

Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is a tall variety with bright green leaves and yellow-green tulip-like flowers, hence the name. "Fall foliage will be shades of golden yellow for this Eastern North American tree," says Mark Canney, urban forester at the Arbor Day Foundation. Avoid overwatering this variety and ensure it gets full sun for better blooming.

Known for its large, maple-shaped leaves, American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) has clusters of beautiful flowers that appear in spring. "However, its most distinguishable feature is the marbled gray, cinnamon, and creamy-white bark," says Canney, adding that this tough, adaptable tree is consistently long-lived.

Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) is a deciduous conifer with a feathery appearance. It's native to the Southeastern U.S. and resembles a needled evergreen during the growing season before transitioning into a russet color by fall, says Canney. This variety can grow in both wet and dry conditions.

Looking for a fast-growing showstopper? Consider northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa). "Known for its height and large heart-shaped leaves, this forest favorite looks tropical with its white-to-purple hue of flowers that bloom from May to June and fill the air with sweet fragrance," says Canney. "In late summer or autumn. fruit will appear."

Red oak (Quercus rubru) is an iconic tree with an attractive, broad, rounded canopy of dark green leaves. "The leaves are known for their fall colors, which put on a show of shades of red, burgundy, and copper," says Canney. "Fun fact: The oldest of the red oaks may live to 300 to 500 years of age."

Red maple (Acer rubrum) is a fast-growing deciduous tree that boasts rounded, green leaves and showy red flowers from March to April, says Linda Langelo, horticulture specialist at Colorado State University. She says that you shouldn't plant red maple by sidewalks or driveways because of its shallow root system.

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is a large deciduous tree native to the Northeastern U.S. and Eastern Canada. "Sugar maples are famed for their distinctive leaves (think: Canadian flag) that explode into ideal fall colors supported by the smooth gray bark of the trunk," says Canney. "In optimal conditions, sugar maple trees can live for several centuries, with some individuals exceeding 400 years of age."

American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is a woody deciduous tree that's often found in wet river bottoms and swamps, as well as on drier uplands. "It's noted for the star-like leaves and hard, spiked fruits with fall color that resemble embers of a fire," says Canney. "Regular care is essential, including regular watering, especially during periods of drought, and essential during the tree’s establishment phase."

Weeping willow (Salix babylonica) is beloved for its beautiful crown of branches that sweep downward to the ground, says Langelo. "This tree is dioecious with male and female flowers on separate trees. These appear in silvery green catkins," she says. Weeping willows aren't very cold-hardy and are only moderately drought-tolerant.