Founded in 1861 by a private gift of 10 acres in what is now the heart of downtown Seattle, the University of Washington, also known as UW, Washington or, informally, UDub, is one of the oldest public universities on the West Coast. The main Seattle campus is situated on the shores of Union and Portage Bays, with views of the Cascade Range to the east and the Olympic Mountains to the west. UW is deeply committed to upholding the responsibility that comes with that legacy. And being public has always meant being accessible. Anyone can enjoy and be enriched by all the UW has to offer, including world-class libraries, art, music, drama, sports and the highest quality medical care in Washington state. Being public also means being engaged with the local communities, and through knowledge and discovery UW are elevating the quality of lives of others. UW has 16 colleges and schools and offers 1,800 undergraduate courses each quarter. UW is ranked number one among public universities in the US to receive federal research and training funds, and since 1975 has been in the top five for public and private universities.