Rochester Institute of Technology, NY

Rochester Institute of Technology sits on a sprawling, wooded 1,300-acre campus in Henrietta, just south of Rochester. Known locally as "Brick City" thanks to its unmistakable red-brick architecture, RIT serves as a major anchor for the suburban area. The university blends high-tech engineering and computer science with top-tier industrial design, photography, and fine arts. Walking across campus, you will see everything from robotics testing grounds to glassblowing studios, giving the grounds a hands-on, creative energy.

RIT is also a major driver of innovation and local culture. It houses the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, which has helped make the Rochester area home to one of the largest and most vibrant deaf communities in the country. Because of this, American Sign Language is a regular part of everyday life in shops and restaurants throughout Henrietta. The university also features creative hubs like MAGIC Spell Studios, where students and faculty build commercial video games, produce digital media, and launch tech startups.

For newcomers settling in the area, the campus offers plenty of community entertainment year-round. Annual gatherings like the ROC Game Festival bring regional video game and tabletop developers together, while the massive Imagine RIT festival draws thousands of visitors each spring to explore student inventions and interactive exhibits. Add in spirited Division I hockey games on winter weekends, and RIT brings a lively collegiate buzz to south Rochester.