Dickinson College is a private liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Originally established as a Grammar School in 1773, Dickinson was later chartered in 1783, making it the first college founded in the newly recognized United States. Dickinson was founded by Dr. Benjamin Rush, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence from Philadelphia and named in honor of a signer of the Constitution, John Dickinson.

In the most recent edition of "America's Best Colleges" from U.S. News & World Report, Dickinson was ranked number 45 out of 217 national liberal arts colleges. With an enrollment of nearly 2,300 students, Dickinson is known for its innovative curriculum and outstanding international education programs, which have received national recognition from the American Council on Education and Association of International Educators.

Dickinson College is not to be confused with the Dickinson School of Law which abuts the campus, but has not been associated with the college since the late 19th century. This is the law school of The Pennsylvania State University.

Notable Alumni and Alumnae

• Spencer Fullerton Baird, U.S. Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
• James Buchanan, U.S. President
• John Curley, CEO of Gannett News Corporation and first Editor of USA Today
• Harmar Denny, U.S. Representative
• Alfred V. du Pont, head of the du Pont company
• William Perry Eveland, Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church
• George Gekas, U.S. Representative
• Jim Greenwood, U.S. Representative
• Jim Gerlach, U.S. Representative
• Robert Grier, United States Supreme Court
• Jennifer Haigh, A New York Times Best-Selling Author, winner of PEN/Hemingway Award, published by HarperCollins
• Jennifer Holm, Historical Author, wrote Newbery Honor Book
• John E. Jones III, U.S. District Judge who decided the 2005 Dover Intelligent Design case
• Barry W. Lynn, Executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State
• Andy MacPhail, Major League Baseball Executive
• Robert McClelland, U.S. Representative from and Governor of Michigan, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
• Rosie O'Donnell, Actress, Television Host (Although she failed to complete her degree).
• Stuart Pankin, Actor
• Jennifer Ringley, Famous for the pioneering website JenniCam.org
• Bill Shuster, U.S. Representative
• Rick Smolan, Published a best-selling book of Digital Photography
• Roger Brooke Taney, Chief Justice of the United States and author of the Dred Scott Decision
• William Wilkins, U.S. Representative, Senator, and Secretary of War under John Tyler.

External links

• Dickinson College official website
• Dickinson College Campus News Extra
• The Compass (Dickinson College News and Events)
• The Dickinsonian (Dickinson College student newspaper)
• Dickinson College Student Senate

Universities and colleges in Pennsylvania | Liberal arts colleges | 1783 establishments | Educational institutions established in the 1780s | Posse schools