Georgetown University, Research university in Georgetown, Washington DC, United States.
Georgetown University's main campus sits on a hill above the Potomac River, with Healy Hall, a National Historic Landmark, as its recognizable centrepiece. The grey stone building has a steep dark roof, a gabled wing with arched windows in bays, and a tall clock tower inscribed "COLLEGIUM GEORGETOWN" above "IN DOMINO CONFIDO", topped by a cross and weather vane. Dormers and chimneys line the roofline.
John Carroll founded the institution in 1789 as the first Catholic and Jesuit university in the United States. It expanded during the 19th century to include medicine and law, then grew into an internationally recognized research institution throughout the 20th century.
The blue and gray of Georgetown's athletic colors date to 1876, when the rowing club adopted them for Union and Confederate uniforms, signaling that students of both loyalties coexisted peacefully. The university's teams are called the Hoyas, and the men's basketball team won the NCAA championship in 1984 and has reached the Final Four five times.
Visitors can join campus tours led by students that provide access to public areas including libraries, gardens, and the chapel. The campus sits within walking distance of the historic Georgetown neighborhood with its shops, restaurants, and the canal towpath.
The tower inscription reads "COLLEGIUM GEORGETOWN" above "IN DOMINO CONFIDO" ("In God I trust"). The building is Healy Hall, named for Patrick Francis Healy, president from 1873 to 1881, who was the first person of African descent to lead a predominantly white American university and is called the school's "second founder".
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