Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit university in Santa Clara, California, United States. It was established in 1851, making it the oldest operating institution of higher learning in California. The university's campus surrounds the historic Mission Santa Clara de Asís, which was founded in 1777. The buildings on campus reflect the Mission's style, featuring Mission Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival architecture.

The university offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees through six colleges, including the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Education and Counseling Psychology, Leavey School of Business, School of Engineering, Jesuit School of Theology, and School of Law. As of Fall 2024, it has about 6,484 undergraduate students and 3,151 postgraduate students.

Santa Clara's sports teams are called the Broncos, and their colors are red and white. They compete at the NCAA Division I level in the West Coast Conference across 19 sports. The Broncos have won NCAA championships in both men's and women's soccer. Many of its athletes have gone on to play professionally or represent their countries in the Olympics.

History

Mission Santa Clara de Asís, founded by the Spanish Empire in 1777

Santa Clara University is the oldest school in California, starting in 1851. Its campus is built where an old mission, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, was founded in 1777 by Saint Junipero Serra. The mission was built on land that belonged to the Ohlone people.

In 1851, two Jesuit priests started Santa Clara College, which later became Santa Clara University. It was the first college in California to open its doors to students and gave out the state’s first bachelor’s degree in 1857. Women were allowed to study there starting in 1961. In 2026, the university announced plans to start a new medical school with help from Sutter Health, thanks to a big donation. This will be the first new medical school in the San Francisco Bay Area in over 100 years.

Campus

The Santa Clara University campus is located in Santa Clara, California, with some parts extending into San Jose, California. Over the past 150 years, the campus has grown to cover more than 106 acres.

In the 1950s, the university began buying land around it to make room for new buildings and sports fields. In 1989, a major road that cut through the campus was moved, helping to bring the campus together. The 1990s saw many new buildings, such as a music and dance building, a science wing, and a fitness center.

Mission Santa Clara de Asís is at the heart of SCU's historic campus.

Recent developments include a new baseball field (Stephen Schott Stadium), a renovated basketball arena (Leavey Center), and a large new library. In 2022, the university finished building the Sobrato Campus for Discovery and Innovation, a big facility for science and engineering. In 2025, the Jesuit School of Theology will move from Berkeley back to the main campus.

The campus has several interesting spots, such as the historic Mission Santa Clara de Asís, used as the university chapel. There is also a fitness center, a field for sports, and a parish hall.

The university works hard to be environmentally friendly. It has received awards for its green efforts and follows rules to make new buildings better for the planet.

Administration

Santa Clara University is a private university run by a group of 44 people called a board of trustees. The university has around 5,435 undergraduate students and 3,335 students in graduate programs. There are 522 teachers, split among four schools and the College of Arts and Sciences.

Kenna Hall, built in a Spanish Colonial Revival style in 1924

In July 2009, the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley joined Santa Clara University and is now called the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. It stays in Berkeley, California.

The president of the university must be a Jesuit priest. About 42 Jesuit priests and brothers work as teachers and leaders at the main campus, and 15 work at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley. They teach many subjects besides theology.

In 2024, Santa Clara University started programs to help students who need financial aid, making sure they can afford to attend.

Colleges and schools

Santa Clara University has six main schools. These include the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Education and Counseling Psychology, SCU Leavey School of Business, School of Engineering, Jesuit School of Theology, and the School of Law. Each school is led by a dean.

College of Arts and Sciences

O'Connor Hall on the Alviso Mall

The College of Arts and Sciences gives students Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees.

Leavey School of Business

Main article: SCU Leavey School of Business

The Leavey School of Business started in 1923. Students can get a Bachelor of Science in Commerce, a Master of Business Administration, an Executive Master of Business Administration, and a Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS).

Education, Counseling Psychology, and Pastoral Ministries

The School of Education, Counseling Psychology, and Pastoral Ministries began in fall 2001. It has many graduate programs in these areas, with hundreds of students studying each subject.

School of Engineering

The School of Engineering started in 1912 and offers bachelor’s degrees. Over time, it added master’s and doctoral programs. Students and teachers often work with companies and groups in Silicon Valley, especially in electrical engineering and information technology.

Jesuit School of Theology

Main article: Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University

The Jesuit School of Theology is in Berkeley, California. It became part of Santa Clara University in 2009. Before that, it was called the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley.

School of Law

The School of Law started in 1911. It offers the Juris Doctor degree and can also combine this with other degrees like a Master of Business Administration. The school also gives special training in areas like High Tech, Intellectual Property law, International law, and Public Interest and Social Justice law.

Academics and rankings

Santa Clara University has about 6,500 undergraduate students and 3,200 graduate students. Students can choose from 45 different majors in three main schools: Arts and Science, Engineering, and Business. The university also has six graduate schools, including Law and Education.

Classes are kept small, with most having fewer than 50 students. The university is very selective, accepting about 42% of applicants. It also focuses on social justice and its Catholic Jesuit traditions, encouraging students to get involved in community service.

In rankings, Santa Clara University is often highly placed. It was ranked 38th among the best colleges in the U.S. by the Wall Street Journal, and tied for 59th among national universities by U.S. News & World Report. It also ranks well for specific programs like Engineering, Business, and Communications.

Undergraduate demographics as of fall 2022
Race and ethnicity	Total
White	40%
Asian	21%
Hispanic	19%
Other	11%
Foreign national	6%
Black	3%
Economic diversity
Low-income	11%
Affluent	89%

Student life

Santa Clara University offers students many ways to get involved through over 125 student groups. These groups cover many areas like sports, careers, community service, cultures, business, health, media, music, art, politics, and more. Some popular groups include the SCU Ski & Snowboard club, which goes skiing weekly to Lake Tahoe, and SCEO, which helps student entrepreneurs connect with others and learn new skills.

The university also has special groups that plan events for everyone, a student newspaper called The Santa Clara, a literary magazine, and a student radio station, KSCU 103.3 FM. There are also groups focused on helping the community and promoting sustainable living on campus. Students can also join the university’s student government, which represents undergraduate students. The university also has a ROTC program that has a long history and has received awards for excellence.

Athletics

Main article: Santa Clara Broncos

Santa Clara University is part of the NCAA's Division I and competes in the West Coast Conference. The university has many sports teams, including soccer, basketball, and water polo. There are 19 main teams and many more club sports to choose from. The school's colors are red and white, and the team mascot is called the "Bronco."

The university has strong soccer and basketball teams. Many of its athletes have gone on to compete in the Olympic Games. Sadly, the football team was stopped in 1993, but other sports continue to grow and succeed. The university also has special places to play sports, like stadiums and arenas, where students can enjoy games and matches.

Faculty and alumni

For a full list of notable alumni and faculty, see List of Santa Clara University people.

Santa Clara's faculty and alumni have achieved many important positions. They include U.S. senators, members of the House of Representatives, a winner of a special award called the Pulitzer Prize, very wealthy business leaders, and governors of U.S. states. Among them are a director of the CIA, a U.S. secretary of defense, a U.S. secretary of agriculture, a White House press secretary, and a United States secretary of homeland security. Santa Clara has Fulbright Scholars and four Rhodes Scholars.

Notable alumni of Santa Clara University include: