Cornell University, founded in 1865, is both a land-grant institution for the state of New York and a private, comprehensive research university in the Ivy League. Founded to be an institution where any person can find instruction in any study, Cornell encourages students to take intellectual risks, explore the unfamiliar, and follow unconventional ideas. In addition to well-known graduate and professional programs, Cornell has seven undergraduate colleges. Each college defines its own academic programs, admits its own students, and provides its own faculty and advising. Cornell''s 745-acre campus is located in Ithaca, 45 miles from Syracuse.