Hofstra University is a private, non-profit, nonsectarian institution of higher learning. Its main campus is located in the village of Hempstead, New York, United States, approximately 7 miles (11 km) east of New York City. The college—established as an extension of New York University (NYU) — was founded on the estate of a recently deceased wealthy couple, a lumber entrepreneur of Dutch ancestry, William S. Hofstra (1861–1932) and his second wife, Kate Mason (1854–1933). Hofstra University is fully committed to academic freedom and to the transmission, advancement, and preservation of knowledge for its own academic community and for the community at large. Hofstra University offers undergraduate and graduate programs taught by a research-active and professionally engaged faculty.