The Columbia University is situated in New York City.
Established in 1754, it was the fifth university in the U.S.A.
- the first one in the State of New-York. The institution
was established as King's College by Royal Charter of King
George II of Great Britain. In 1784, after the War of Independance,
the name of the University changed. It renamed in honour of
the discoverer of America, Columbus. The motto of the University
is “In lumine Tuo videbimus lument”, which means
“By Your Light - We Shall See Light” (based on
Psalm 36:9).
At present the University has about 22,000 students,
divided over more than 20 faculties and study directions.
The University has a high reputation in the scientific area,
which has contributed to them winning 72 Nobel Prizes.
The university can be proud of a number of ex-students,
amongst them several American presidents. U.S. Presidents
Theodore Roosevelt (pres. 1901-1909) and Franklin D. Roosevelt
(pres. 1933-1945) both studied law at Columbia. Dwight D.
Eisenhower (pres. 1953-1961) was president of the University
before making his bid for the White House. U.S. President
Barack Obama received his undergraduate degree at Columbia
in 1983.
The seal of the Columbia University in
New York was, up to some years ago, shown on the website of
the University. Nowadays they are using a simple and more
modern design, on which a crown is represented. Nevertheless
much importance is still attached to the seal and it is still
represented on diplomas of the university. The seal can also
be found at least ten times inside the buildings of the University.
The history of the seal goes back to 1755. It was at
that time designed by the current president of the University,
Prof. Samuel Johnson, and it was approved by the presidents
of King’s College. The seal shows that Christian standards
and values were of high importance to the university. There
are no less than five symbolic references to God and the Bible
contained in the seal.
