University of Arizona

BizTUCSONApril 4, 2025

2 minutes read

Almost three decades before Arizona was a state, the University of Arizona was founded in Tucson in 1885 with a $25,000 appropriation by the territorial legislature. But, Bear Down, it almost didn’t happen. Initially, Tucson wasn’t too keen on the prospect of a college.

No one was willing to provide land for the new institution, until two gamblers and a saloon keeper donated 40 acres for the school. The very first building and an enduring icon, Old Main, was completed in 1890 and the first graduating class in 1895 had three students.

Today’s UA, which spans 400 acres and 200 buildings, boasts more than 44,000 students and more than 300,000 alumni. It’s nationally ranked in numerous disciplines, is tops in space and management information systems, it invented tree-ring research, sampled an asteroid for the first time in U.S. history and is a powerhouse in college sports, with 22 national championships and a recent entrance into the Big 12 conference.

Through a business lens, UA is a monumental economic driver for our region. It’s one of the nation’s leading public research universities, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants and awards annually. Its economic impact from space sciences rivals a Super Bowl. Arizona Athletics generates $265 million for the state each year, and Tech Parks Arizona, the university’s hub of innovation and startup incubator, contributes $2 billion to Arizona’s economy.

More Accomplishments:

UA is one of the top employers in Southern Arizona.
Internationally recognized physician Dr. Andrew Weil chose UA to open the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine.
The UA’s globally respected Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research was established by the pioneer of dendrochronology, A.E. Douglass.
UA has two medical schools in the state of Arizona, one in Tucson and one in Phoenix.
The Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab is casting the mirrors for the Giant Magellan Telescope, the largest telescope in the world.

Just last year, the world watched as OSIRIS-REx, a NASA mission launched in 2016 and helmed by UA principal investigator Daute Lauretta, successfully retrieved an asteroid sample that is now revealing the building blocks of the universe. The UA team behind the mission has been given one of the most prestigious awards in aviation and the project has cemented the college’s place at the forefront of aerospace.

Looking forward, the UA recently opened the one-of-a-kind, 89,000-square-foot Applied Research Building that will fuel research in optics, manufacturing, space exploration and more. It’s a game-changer to be sure.

Finally, UA officials projected that the school’s research activity exceeded $1 billion in FY 2024, placing it among a select group of U.S. schools. “Our faculty members tackle urgent global challenges, from energy and environmental issues to national security, human health and the societal impact of technological change,” said current UA President Suresh Garimella.