Founded in 1851, Santa Clara University is the oldest operating university in all of California. The school is located in the heart of Silicon Valley on a campus that surrounds the Mission of Santa Clara de Asis, which dates all the way back to 1776, more than 70 years before California even became a state.
SCU is a private non-profit Jesuit university. While this means the school has to adhere to certain Jesuit principles, it is open to people of all faiths and backgrounds. Various ministry programs and lectures are held on campus, and all students are invited but not required to attend them. Undergraduate students are required, however, to complete three religious studies courses as part of their degrees.
Students at Santa Clara can pursue any of 45 majors in three schools and colleges: the College of Arts and Science, the School of Engineering, and the Leavey School of Business. Most impressively, the university also offers undergrads a large number of extracurricular activities to further their learning. The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics brings together students, faculty, and community members to research and discuss applied ethics topics focused on areas such as business, health care, and biotechnology, just to name a few. The Ignation Center for Jesuit Education provides students with numerous community-learning opportunities as well as immersion trips to developing countries so that students can really apply what they’ve been learning in the classroom.
One really cool feature of SCU’s undergraduate experience is the Residential Learning Program. Residential Learnig Communities (RLCs) are groups of students who usually live in the same residence hall and take some classes together. There are eight RLCs, each of which is based around a certain theme. RLCs are meant to help students integrate into campus life and make them feel like they belong to a community.
For a student body of only 5,400 undergrads, Santa Clara also offers a relatively high number of extracurricular activities to choose from. There are more than 125 student organizations and clubs covering everything from anthropology and STEM research to improv and dance. Sports are also a pretty big focus on this campus. SCU participates in NCAA’s Division I, so the basketball team is a big source of pride. There are also 19 varsity sports and 18 club sports for students to enjoy as either participants or as spectators.
Santa Clara University has a lot of wonderful things to offer potential students but perhaps its most notable quality is its commitment to advancing an inclusive campus based on its Jesuit values. Diversity is not just welcomed, it’s celebrated here, and this results in a uniquely respectful and caring campus.
For more information: http://www.scu.edu
