Citizens of the Commonwealth have recognized the importance of higher education for more than three centuries. The College of William and Mary was founded in 1693. By 1779, the Virginia House of Delegates was considering the Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge, which included provisions for the reform of the curriculum and governance of the College, penned by Delegate Thomas Jefferson.
The Commonwealth has devoted public funds to higher education since the founding of Mr. Jefferson's University of Virginia in 1819. The principle advocated by Mr. Jefferson was that a representative democracy cannot survive, much less flourish, without a well-educated citizenry. That principle remains the foundation of the Commonwealth's continued commitment to higher education.
As a direct result of this historic commitment, the citizens of Virginia today enjoy one of the most highly regarded state systems of higher education in the country.
Colleges and Universities - List of Schools
Community Colleges - List of Schools
