Roger Williams University (RWU) is a semi-private, coeducational American liberal arts university located on 140 acres in Bristol, Rhode Island, on Mt. Hope Bay, with a branch in Providence, RI. Founded in 1956, it was named for theologian and Rhode Island cofounder Roger Williams. In recent years, the enrollment has been over 5,000 students, with over 480 academic staff. The university has no religious affiliation.