Trinity College ( Connecticut ) Trinity College is a private , liberal arts college in Hartford , Connecticut . Founded in 1823 , it is the second - oldest college in the state of Connecticut after Yale University . The college enrolls 2 , 300 students and has been coeducational since 1969 . Trinity offers 38 majors and 26 minors , and has a student to faculty ratio of 10 : 1 . The college is also known as one of the few Little Ivies . History . Early history . Trinity was founded in the spring of 1823 as Washington College , in downtown Hartford , receiving its current name in 1845 . Because of the social dominance of rival Congregationalists in Connecticut and because Trinity ' s founder and first president , the Rt . Rev . Thomas Brownell , was an Episcopal bishop , the college had some early difficulties obtaining its charter from the state . A condition imposed by the charter was that , despite its Episcopal roots , the college must prohibit any imposition of religious standards on students , faculty members , or other members of the college . A year after opening , Trinity moved to its first campus , which consisted of two Greek Revival - style buildings , one housing a chapel , library , and lecture rooms and the other a dormitory . Within a few years the student body grew to nearly one hundred , a size that was rarely exceeded until the 20th century . A new campus . In 1872 Trinity College was persuaded by the State of Connecticut to move from its downtown “ College Hill ” location ( now Capitol Hill , the site of the state capitol building ) to its current campus a mile to the southwest . Although the college sold its land overlooking the Park River and Bushnell Park in 1872 , it did not complete its move to its Gallows Hill campus until 1878 . The original plans for the Gallows Hill site were drawn by the noted Victorian architect William Burges but were too ambitious and too expensive to be fully realised . Only one section of the proposed campus plan , the Long Walk , was completed . Twentieth century . Trinity ended the nineteenth century as an institution primarily serving the Hartford area . The founding of the University of Hartford in 1877 , however , allowed Trinity to focus on becoming a regional institution rather than a local one . The early years of the century were primarily growth years for Trinity . Enrollment was increased to 500 men . In 1932 under President Remsen Ogilby , the Gothic chapel was completed , becoming the symbol of Trinity College . It replaced the Seabury chapel which had become too small for the student body . In 1968 the trustees of Trinity College voted to make a commitment to enroll ( with financial aid as needed ) more minority students . This decision was preceded by a siege of the administrative offices in the Downes and Williams Memorial buildings during which Trinity students would not allow the president or trustees to leave until they agreed to the resolution . Less than one year later Trinity College became co - educational and admitted its first female students , as transfers from Vassar College . Today , women make up about 50 percent of Trinity ' s student body . Traditions . Matriculation . The matriculation ceremony , sometimes referred to as the " signing of the books , " first started in 1826 and is the oldest continuously observed tradition at Trinity . First year students formally join Trinity College as students by signing the matriculation register . By signing the register , students agree to the declaration found in The Charter and Standing Rules that reads : " I promise to observe the Statutes of Trinity College ; to obey all its Rules and Regulations ; to discharge faithfully all scholastic duties imposed upon me ; and to maintain and defend all the rights , privileges , and immunities of the College according to my station and degree in the same . " Symbolic of Trinity ' s becoming coeducational in 1969 , the first student to sign the matriculation register was a woman . The Bantam . Trinity ' s mascot , the bantam , was conceived by Hon . Joseph Buffington , Class of 1875 , who was a federal judge and trustee of the College . He was a noted speaker , and gave an address during an 1899 dinner with alumni of other prestigious colleges . Giving his view on what a Trinity student is , and supporting his view that Trinity students are different from the " collegiate barnyard " consisting of Harvard and Yale ( amongst others such as Amherst ) , Buffington said : " But I tell you , my fellow chanticleers , that the Trinity bantam has been brought up in the Trinity barnyard on different principles , and the most marked outcome of his collegiate training is the fostering of a habit which leads him to size things from his own standpoint , and not have somebody else size them for him . " He continued , saying : " You will therefore understand , gentlemen , the spirit in which the Trinity bantam , game from comb to spur , crows at your door , hops in , shakes his tail feathers , and with a sociable nod to the venerable John , and a good natured " How d ' ydo " to the ponderous old Elihu steps into the collegiate cock pit , makes his best bow to the tiger , says he is glad to be here , is not a whit abashed at your hugeness , [ and ] is satisfied with himself and his own particular coop . " Subsequent to this address , word spread throughout campus , and newspapers began to refer to the Trinity athletic teams as the " bantams . " Soon after , the bantam became accepted at Trinity and at fellow colleges as the mascot and has been so ever since . Alma Mater . Trinity ' s alma mater is " ’ Neath the Elms . " It was written in 1882 by Trinity student Augustus P . Burgwin to the tune of a song that his butler often sang . When " ' Neath the Elms " was written , the College had been planting elm trees on the quad , which remain today . Trinity alumni use this as a motto when referencing Trinity ; for example , a Trinity alumnus would say to another : " I ' ll see you ' neath the elms . " The alma mater of Trinity College is also the basis for other terms used on campus , such as " Ol ' Trin . " The Hartford Campus . The Long Walk Buildings . The first buildings completed on the current campus were Seabury and Jarvis halls in 1878 . Together with Northam Towers , these make up what is known as the " Long Walk . " These buildings are the earliest examples of Collegiate Gothic architecture in the United States , built to plans drawn up by William Burges , with F . H . Kimball as supervising architect . The Long Walk has been expanded and is connected with several other buildings . On the northernmost end there is the Chapel , whose western side is connected to the Downes and Williams Memorial building . Heading south , the next building is Jarvis . Jarvis becomes Northam Towers heading south , then Seabury Hall . Seabury Hall , named for Samuel Seabury ( 1729 – 1796 ) , is connected to Hamlin Hall . To Hamlin ' s east is Cook , then Goodwin and then Woodard . The dormitories on the Long Walk end there , and the terminal building on the south end of the long walk is Clement / Cinestudio . Clement is the chemistry building ; Cinestudio a student run movie theater . If one travels to the south of Hamlin there will be Mather Hall and the Dean of Students Office . The Chapel . The Trinity College Chapel was built in the 1930s to replace Trinity ' s original chapel , located in Seabury Hall ( now a lecture hall ) . The Chapel ' s facade is made almost entirely of limestone and connects to the adjacent Downes Memorial Clock Tower . Its primary architect was Philip Hubert Frohman , of Frohman , Robb and Little , who were also responsible for the National Cathedral in Washington , DC . The dorms Frohman - Robb and Little are named after the architects . The two dormitories are adjacent and are on the south side of campus , behind the Life Science Center ( LSC ) . The Main Quadrangle . Trinity ' s campus features a central green known as the Main Quad , designed by famed architect Frederick Law Olmsted . The large expanse of grass is bound on the west by the Long Walk , on the east by the Lower Long Walk , on the north by the Chapel , and on the south by the Cook and Goodwin - Woodward dormitories . While a central green is a feature of many college campuses , Trinity ' s is notable for its unusually large , rectangular size , running the entire length of the Long Walk and with no walkways traversing it . Trees on the Quad have been planted in a ' T ' configuration ( for Trinity ) with the letter ' s base located at the statue of Bishop Brownell ( built 1867 ) . and its top running the length of the Long Walk . Tradition holds that the trees were intended to distinguish Trinity ' s campus from Yale ' s . Also located on the Quad are two cannons used on the " USS Hartford " , flagship of Admiral David Farragut during the American Civil War . The whole of Trinity ' s campus is set out on a parcel of land that is bound on the south by New Britain Avenue , on the west by Summit Street , on the east by Broad Street , and on the north by Allen Place . Trinity ' s former northern border , Vernon Street , has been transferred from the city of Hartford to Trinity College and closed off at one end ( Broad Street ) , creating a cul - de - sac within Trinity ' s borders . Completed in 2001 , and located on what was formerly an abandoned bus depot adjacent to Trinity ' s campus , the Learning Corridor is a collection of K - 12 public magnet schools co - created by Trinity and the governments of Hartford and Connecticut . Streets . Crescent Street , on the southeastern end of campus , is the only through street on Trinity ' s campus . The only other exception until its recent closure was Vernon Street , at the north end of the campus . Since the street was transferred to the school from the city , Trinity widened and repaved it , as well as installing light posts about every ten feet and adding granite crosswalks , curbs , benches , and fenceposts . Vernon Street is the location of most of the campus ' cultural houses and Greek organizations , as well as Vernon Social Center . There are also various residences on that street , including the President ' s house , the Dean of Students ' house , other faculty housing , and the Smith House for visitors . Planning is currently underway to reconstruct Crescent Street in a fashion similar to Vernon Street , as the College has demolished blighted former public housing units that once occupied the street . Sustainability Initiatives . Trinity is a signatory of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment . Students are involved with programs such as Green Campus , ConnPIRG , and The TREEhouse ( Trinity Recreational and Environmental Education House ) . Students also have access to Zipcars , UPass bus passes . Academics . Trinity offers three types of degrees : BAs , BSs , as well as MAs in a few subjects . In total , the College offers 38 majors . Students also have the option of creating a self - designed major or adding an interdisciplinary or departmental minor . Trinity is part of a small group of liberal arts schools that offer degrees in engineering . Trinity has a student to faculty ratio of 10 : 1 . Profile . Admissions . Admission to Trinity has been increasingly competitive in recent years ; this may be attributed to a large increase in admission applications . In January 2011 , Trinity ' s Dean of Admissions reported a 45 % application increase , one of the highest ever . A " New York Times " article in January 2011 noted a 47 . 38 % increase , the highest increase of the nation ' s most selective colleges . Trinity ' s President James F . Jones commented " The 48 . 4 percent increase in completed apps is unprecedented : at Trinity or anywhere else for that matter as far as we know . Trinity has become a very hot school because of the vast opportunities we offer , all of which are being better publicized through our new admissions materials , the new website , and our ever - evolving use of social media . " For the class of 2015 , Trinity received 6 , 967 applications , and accepted 2 , 118 ( 30 . 4 % ) . The yield rate ( the percentage of accepted students who enroll ) was approximately 28 % . In terms of class rank , 55 % of the class of 2015 were in the top 10 % of their high school classes ; 77 % ranked in the top quarter . The middle 50 % range of SAT scores was 580 - 678 for verbal / critical reading , 600 - 690 for math , and 610 - 698 for writing , while the ACT Composite range was 26 – 29 . Rankings . Trinity has consistently been ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the United States . In 2013 , " U . S . News & World Report " ranked Trinity 38th in its annual college ranking publication in the category of best national liberal arts colleges in the United States . However , the college joined the " Annapolis Group " in August 2007 , an organization of more than 100 of the nation ' s liberal arts schools , in refusing to participate in the magazine ' s rankings . " The Wall Street Journal " has ranked Trinity as one of the 50 best " feeder schools " in the nation for top graduate school programs . Data compiled by the National Science Foundation lists Trinity as a liberal arts college that graduates disproportionately high numbers of future scientists . In 2009 , authors Howard and Matthew Greene published the second edition of " Hidden Ivies : 50 Top Colleges that Rival the Ivy League " which included Trinity among the most prestigious academic institutions in the country . Likewise , " The Princeton Review " has given Trinity a 95 ( out of 100 ) for selectivity and in 2011 named Trinity as a best value college . In addition , " Forbes Magazine " in 2012 listed Trinity College 89th among the top colleges in the nation . A 2011 " Huffington Post " article named Trinity one of the top 10 Trendiest Schools in America , along with other exclusive schools such as Columbia and Yale . The article noted Trinity ' s " drastic application increases and soaring student reviews " and " close - knit student body . " In September 2012 , The Alumni Factor , a college ranking platform , concluded that Trinity College alumni have some of the highest rates of financial success in the United States noting that " competitive rivalry appears to drive Trinity grads to astonishing Financial Success ( ranked 4th among all schools and 3rd among liberal arts colleges ) and a level of professional accomplishment that any other school would covet . " The rankings declared that the college had " the fourth - highest percentage of millionaire graduates in the country as almost 26 percent of graduates reported their worth at more than a $ 1 million , " ranking higher than other elite institutions including Yale , Columbia , Harvard , Stanford , MIT , UPenn , Amherst , and Williams . Student life . Fraternities and sororities . Officially , approximately 18 % of the student body are affiliated with a Greek organization . Athletics . The Trinity College Department of Athletics currently sponsors Football . Study Away . Study away is an integral part of the Trinity experience and is also a critical component of Trinity ’ s urban / global focus . Approximately 70 percent of Trinity undergraduates study abroad or in another U . S . city before graduating . In addition to the Trinity College , Rome Campus , Trinity has programs in Paris , Barcelona , Vienna , Trinidad and Tobago , Cape Town , and Buenos Aires that are partially staffed by Trinity professors . In addition there are many other study abroad programs which Trinity students are approved to take part in . In 2012 Trinity will establish a program in Shanghai through a partnership with Fudan University . Trinity College , Rome Campus . Trinity College , Rome Campus ( TCRC ) is a study abroad campus of Trinity College . It was established in 1970 and is located in a residential area of Rome on the Aventine Hill close to the Basilica of Santa Sabina within the precincts of a convent run by an order of nuns . The program usually consists of 50 – 70 students from different American colleges and universities . Students can either attend TCRC for a semester or for their summer program . Each semester , there are usually a range of courses from economics to art history . Most courses make use of the city of Rome by conducting numerous walking tours and trips . Every student enrolled in the program is required to take the appropriate level of study of Italian language . The program also regularly makes trips to other parts of Italy , such as Florence , Venice , and Capri . Trinity College and Hartford . Trinity is located in urban Hartford , within walking distance of the state capital of Connecticut . The main campus is bordered by Summit Street , Allen Place , Broad Street and New Britain Avenue . Trinity and the community . Along with Trinity , the Learning Corridor , Hartford Hospital , and The Institute of Living make up the Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance , or SINA . SINA aims to create affordable housing in Hartford ' s Frog Hollow and Barry Square neighborhoods as well as in the creation of the Learning Corridor and the Trinity College Boys and Girls Club . Trinity ' s library , computer resources and the new Community Sports Complex are available to Hartford residents . The new sports complex functions both as a rink for Trinity ’ s ice hockey teams and as a public skating rink . Trinity also runs the Trinfo Café which provides Hartford residents with internet and computer access as well as computing services / education . Trinity has a partnership with the Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy ( formerly Hartford Magnet Middle School ) located across the street . Trinity advises the school with academic affairs , provide professors to lead summer courses and opens up some Trinity courses to qualified seniors at Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy . In the summer months , when not in session , the college opens its campus to the community for its Plumb Memorial Carillon Concerts that are held on Wednesday nights . Trinity ' s 49 - bell Carillon is one of approximately 200 such instruments in North America . Contributions to the arts . Cinestudio is an art cinema with 1930s - style design . An article in the " Hartford Advocate " described this non - profit organization , which depends solely on grants and the efforts of volunteer workers who are paid in free movies . Cinestudio has been located in the Clement Chemistry Building since it was founded in the 1970s . Cinestudio is host to the annual Eyeball Film Festival , in which young film makers premier their latest works in front of their peers . The festival has judges , each schooled in film from a different perspective , who judge the students ' films . Trinity also hosts the annual Trinity International Hip Hop Festival . A three - day celebration of global hip hop culture , the festival features lectures , panel discussions , workshops and live performances . The festival was founded in 2006 with the goal of unifying Trinity with the city of Hartford . Trinity has a strong faculty in fine arts , including Picasso scholar and art historian Michael C . FitzGerald .