RIT - 175 Year Anniversary

Welcome to RIT's 175th Anniversary website. The University celebrated the anniversary during the 2004-05 academic year. This website is no longer active and will no longer be updated. The site remains active, however, to preserve the history of both RIT and the anniversary year.

RIT Documentary Available on DVD

DVD Cover: RIT 175: Rochester and its Institute

The documentary film "RIT 175: Rochester and its Institute" is now available on DVD. This DVD is closed captioned.

The film, co-produced by RIT and WXXI public television, is one of the highlights of the175th Anniversary. The documentary is dedicated to the RIT faculty and staff, past and present.

Film and animation professor Malcolm Spaull and David Cronister, director of the Educational Technology Center, produced and directed the 55-minute film. Students in the School of Film and Animation assisted in the project. Along with the film, another 30 minutes of content has been added to the DVD, including extended interviews and student-produced mini-films.

The DVD is available in the RIT bookstore, Campus Connections for $18.95. For more information, call 475-2504 or visit http://bookstore.rit.edu.

On April 30th, Student Government is sponsoring an RIT Parade!

175th Anniversary wine is available at selected locations!

Education. Exploration. Innovation.

These three words aptly describe RIT’s history dating back to 1829. These words also clearly define RIT’s future with our vision to lead higher education in preparing students for successful career development over their lifetimes.

Consider this your invitation to join the RIT family in its 175th anniversary celebration. Our celebration kicks off with the May 2004 commencement and continues through the 2004-2005 academic year. Events and activities will include major speakers, lectures, exhibits, alumni celebrations and much more.

Albert J. Simone We have plenty to commemorate during our anniversary:

The 1829 creation of the Rochester Athenaeum by Revolutionary War veteran and our city's namesake, Col. Nathaniel Rochester.
The merger of the Athenaeum that led to Mechanics Institute and later RIT.
The 1968 move from downtown Rochester to our magnificent Henrietta campus.

You can reflect on the past by reviewing RIT history on this Web site. We also hope you take a "campus tour" to view the RIT of today. We've come a long way and more is on the way! This site will also help you keep up to date on the latest events and information during our celebration.

We look forward to you joining the RIT family as we celebrate 175 years of education, exploration and innovation.

Warmest regards,

Albert J. Simone
President