alumni also include 17 university presidents, 21 members of the United States Congress, and 30 Rhodes Scholars.
== History ==
=== 19th Century ===
==== Founding and early years ====
Washington University was founded in 1853 by 17 St. Louis business, religious, and political leaders concerned by the lack of institutions of higher learning in the Midwest. State Senator Wayman Crow and Unitarian minister William Greenleaf Eliot led the effort. Crow secured the university charter, and Eliot was named president of the board of trustees, with Crow serving as vice president. Joseph Gibson Hoyt became the university's inaugural chancellor.
Unlike most American institutions, Washington University initially lacked a financial endowment and did not have the backing of a religious organization, wealthy patron, or government support.
Originally called Eliot Seminary, the name faced opposition from Eliot himself, who favored a nonsectarian identity for the institution. To address this, Eliot appointed a subcommittee …
