The University of Hartford, located in West Hartford, Connecticut, was founded in 1877. It is a private comprehensive independent university that offers a range of academic programs. The university is situated in New England, approximately 2.5 hours from New York City and 1.5 hours from Boston.

The university was formed in 1957 through the merger of three schools: Hartford Art School, Hillyer College, and Hartt School of Music. It now comprises seven colleges and offers 97 bachelor's degrees and 64 master's and doctoral degrees. Students come from 40 states and 65 countries. The university provides a rich and enjoyable learning and research environment, with modern teaching facilities and over 800,000 volumes in its libraries.

Connecticut is one of the wealthiest states in the U.S., home to many billionaires and a traditional industrial hub. The state is known for its information technology, metal manufacturing, aerospace, transportation, electronics, computers, shipbuilding, defense, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and insurance industries. Hartford, the state capital, is known as the "Insurance Capital of the World," with over 30 insurance company headquarters.