Oldest Universities in the US

I'm doing a little project about the oldest universities in the US. Could someone help out with a list of such universities and maybe also give me a heads up about anything unique or interesting about their histories?

Sure, this is a fascinating topic! Here are some of the oldest universities in the U.S:

1) Harvard University: Established in 1636, it's the oldest in the U.S. It was named after John Harvard who was its first benefactor. An interesting fact is that Harvard was initially established to train clergy for the new commonwealth.

2) College of William & Mary: Founded in 1693, it's the second oldest university. It boasts the oldest college building still in use in America, the Wren Building, which was constructed between 1695 and 1700.

3) Yale University: Set up in 1701, Yale is the third oldest. Unique about Yale is that it's the first university in the U.S to award a PhD – way back in 1861.

4) University of Pennsylvania: Established in 1740, it claims to be the first university to offer both undergraduate and professional education. Penn also considers itself America's first university because of its multidisciplinary nature.

5) Princeton University: Founded in 1746, originally as the College of New Jersey. Fun fact: Princeton's first commencement was held in 1748 and was attended by six students.

6) Columbia University: Established in 1754 as King's College under royal charter of King George II of England. It's unique in that it was the first U.S institution to give M.D (Doctor of Medicine) degree.

7) Brown University: Founded in 1764, Brown was the first university to accept students regardless of their religious affiliation.

Each of these universities has had a unique role in shaping higher education in the United States and has its own rich history. Whether it's Harvard's initial aim to train clergy, Yale's multidisciplinary nature, or Brown's religious tolerance, each university has contributed to the diversity and richness of the U.S. educational landscape.