Vespucci University, known as Vespucci and officially as Vespucci University in the City of Liberty, is a private Ivy League research university in Liberty City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Suffolk Church in Lower Algonquin, Vespucci is the fifth-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. It is considered one of the most prestigious schools in the world. It is one of nine colonial colleges founded before the Declaration of Independence and is frequently ranked among the top 10 universities in the world.
In 1896, the campus was moved to its current location in Varsity Heights and renamed Vespucci University. The university annually administers the Pulitzer Prize. The Low Memorial Building, which houses the University's central administrative offices, and the Butler Library, the largest of Vespucci's libraries, are staples of the Vespucci campus. With over 15 million volumes, Vespucci University Library is the third-largest private research library in the United States.
The university's endowment stands at $14.35 billion, among the largest of any academic institution. Its admissions are also among the most selective, with an acceptance rate of 3.9%. Its alumni, faculty, and staff have included: Seven Founding Fathers of the United States; four U.S. presidents; 33 foreign heads of state; two secretaries-general of the United Nations; ten justices of the United States Supreme Court, one of whom currently serves; 53 living billionaires; and 125 Pulitzer Prize recipients.
Vespucci University is comprised of the School of the Arts, Vespucci Law School, School of General Studies, and School of Nursing. Vespucci University has approximately 10–15% of undergraduate students associated with Greek life. Vespucci is a member institution of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in Division I FCS and is a member of the Ivy League.