University of Virginia

Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, UVa was designated by UNESCO as America's first and only collegiate World Heritage Site in 1987, an honor shared with nearby Monticello. UVa’s original governing Board of Visitors included Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe. Monroe was the sitting President of the United States at the time of its foundation. Former Presidents Jefferson and Madison were UVA's first two rectors and the Academical Village and original courses of study were conceived and designed by Jefferson.