Hopkins Retrospective

Johns Hopkins is a historic institution in so many ways. In our founding, we defined the model of the American research university, now emulated around the globe. Yet, there is still more to uncover about the how the elements of our one university coalesced and evolved, shaped by and influencing the events and discoveries of the past 145 years. What lessons can we draw from our experience as we look forward to our collective future? Hopkins Retrospective is a research and outreach initiative seeking to expand understanding of the history of Hopkins and to weave that history into the university experience.

The centerpiece of the project is going to be a history of the university written by Professor Stuart “Bill” Leslie, told through the spaces that define Hopkins like the laboratory or seminar room, with emphasis on the people that have also made Hopkins what it is today. The project also includes a range of other initiatives like research fellowships, oral history interviews, and public programming. We hope this page will be a place where you can learn more, explore the history of the university in greater depth, and share your stories, pictures and perspectives on the role that you played as part of the history of Johns Hopkins University.