The University of Alabama is a major, comprehensive, student-centered research university founded in 1831 as Alabama's first public college.  Dedicated to excellence in teaching, research and service, UA provides a creative, nurturing campus environment where our students can become the best individuals possible, learn from highly qualified faculty, and make a positive difference in the community, the state and the world.  On a typical day on our beautiful and historic southern campus, an undergraduate student works side by side with a top molecular biologist, researching Parkinson's disease; students openly debate controversial topics at programs sponsored by the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility, and students participate in community service projects in the Tuscaloosa area.  Fall weekends are alive with the excitement of Alabama football -- and Roll Tide Roll echoes across the campus.  Ranked among the top public universities in the nation in the enrollment of National Merit scholars, UA's rising tide of academic excellence is attracting the best and brightest students from Alabama and across the nation. Our 2014 freshman class was the largest and best qualified in UA history, with one in four freshmen enrolling in Honors College. UA's graduates and students include numerous Rhodes, Goldwater, Truman and Hollings Scholars.  Participation in original research and creative activity is a hallmark of the undergraduate experience at UA, with students working closely with faculty on a wide variety of challenging and innovative projects.  In addition to equipping our students to succeed academically, The University of Alabama's programs set the bar high for character, service and citizenship.  Students are encouraged to participate in one or more of 500 campus organizations.  Campus ministries are thriving.  At The University of Alabama, our students are members of a proud family that is more than 180 years old.  That's why we treat them as if they were our own sons and daughters.