125 years of Carnegie Mellon University
From life-saving medical devices to next-gen AI to performances that encapsulate the human experience, Carnegie Mellon University’s legacy can be found in every corner of the globe and in every part of our daily lives. Made possible by a longstanding commitment to innovation, collaboration and creativity and a willingness to embrace the power of possibilities, CMU’s milestones have brought the world to where it is today.
Is 125 years of history a bit overwhelming? You can focus your exploration on key areas of Carnegie Mellon's history that are of the most interest to you:
Bringing CMU to Africa.
In 2012, Carnegie Mellon opens a campus in Rwanda, focusing on master's programs that meet Africa's need for educating its youth in engineering and technology. Since its first graduation of 22 students in 2014, CMU-Africa has produced more than 600 alumni and counting.
Cultivating the next generation of STEM leaders.
Carnegie Mellon and the Norman and Ruth Rales Foundation announce the Rales Fellows Program, a $150 million investment to broaden access to graduate STEM education, in 2023 and the first cohort joins CMU in 2024.
Getting things rolling.
Originally dubbed the Interfraternity Motor Sweepstakes, the inaugural Buggy races take place in 1920 as part of the university's first alumni celebration, Campus Week.
Driving to success.
Tartan Athletics' first national athletics title is brought home by the men’s golf team in 2023. The women's golf team matches that accomplishment in 2024 on the very same course.
Racing past the competition.
The Tartan Racing Team wins the prestigious DARPA Urban Grand Challenge in 2007 with a self-driving SUV named Boss, which completed the 55-mile course in 4:10:20.
This is no joke.
Emoticons, which evolved into today's ubiquitous emoji, are created when CMU professor Scott Fahlman first puts a colon, hyphen and parentheses together to distinguish sarcastic posts from serious ones on his department's online message boards in 1982.