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.