Auburn University is a warm, friendly campus that attracts the brightest students to its well-respected programs in engineering, architecture, agriculture, pharmacy, and the arts and sciences. Auburn is a public, multipurpose, land-grant university with a 1,871-acre campus. It was founded as a private, liberal arts institution in 1856, came under state control in 1872, and began admitting women in 1892. The energy and spirit of the campus is so unique it is called `The Auburn Spirit.' This spirit has come to represent the `hello' from a stranger walking by, the closeness among students, the excitement of an athletic event and the qualities of professional competence and interpersonal skills that characterize an Auburn graduate.