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University of San Diego

Coordinates: 32°46′16″N 117°11′15″W / 32.77111°N 117.18750°W / 32.77111; -117.18750
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For the University of California university, see University of California, San Diego. For the California State University university, see San Diego State University. For other uses, see University of San Diego (disambiguation).

University of San Diego
Former names
San Diego College for Women (1949–1972)
San Diego University (1949–1972)
MottoEmitte Spiritum Tuum (Latin)
Motto in English
Send Forth Thy Spirit
TypePrivate university
Established1949; 75 years ago (1949)
Religious affiliation
Catholic
Academic affiliations
Endowment$652.5 million (2022)[1]
PresidentJames T. Harris III[2]
Academic staff
1007
Undergraduates5,702
Postgraduates2,529
Other students
810
Location
San Diego, California
,
United States

32°46′16″N 117°11′15″W / 32.77111°N 117.18750°W / 32.77111; -117.18750
CampusUrban
Colors   Blue and white[3]
NicknameToreros
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division I – WCC, Pioneer Football League
MascotDiego Torero
Websitewww.sandiego.edu

The University of San Diego (USD) is a private Catholic research university in San Diego, California, United States. Chartered in July 1949 as the independent San Diego College for Women and San Diego University (comprising the College for Men and School of Law), the two institutions merged in 1972.[4]

The university includes the College of Arts and Sciences, Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, Division of Professional and Continuing Education, Knauss School of Business, School of Law, School of Leadership and Education Services (SOLES), and the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering.[5]

USD has 89 undergraduate and graduate programs, and enrolls approximately 9,073 undergraduate, paralegal, graduate and law students. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".[6] The San Diego Toreros compete in NCAA Division I (FCS) as a member of the West Coast Conference.

History

[edit]
Immaculata Parish Church at USD showing the architectural style of the campus

Charters were granted in 1949 for the San Diego College for Women and San Diego University, which included the College for Men and School of Law.[7][8][9] The College for Women opened its doors to its first class of students in 1952. The Most Reverend Charles F. Buddy, D.D., then bishop of the Diocese of San Diego and Reverend Mother Rosalie Hill, RSCJ, a Superior Vicaress of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, chartered the institution from resources drawn from their respective organizations on a stretch of land known as "Alcalá Park," named for Didacus of Alcalá. In 1954, the College for Men and the School of Law opened.[10] These two schools originally occupied Bogue Hall on the same site of University High School, which would later become the home of the University of San Diego High School. Starting in 1954, Alcalá Park also served as the diocesan chancery office and housed the episcopal offices, until the diocese moved to a vacated Benedictine convent that was converted to a pastoral center. In 1957, Immaculate Heart Major Seminary and St. Francis Minor Seminary were moved into their newly completed facility, now known as Maher Hall. The Immaculata Chapel, now no longer affiliated with USD, also opened that year as part of the seminary facilities. For nearly two decades, these schools co-existed on Alcalá Park. Immaculate Heart closed at the end of 1968, when its building was renamed De Sales Hall; St. Francis remained open until 1970, when it was transferred to another location on campus, leaving all of the newly named Bishop Leo T. Maher Hall to the newly merged co-educational University of San Diego in 1972. Since then, the university has grown quickly and has been able to increase its assets and academic programs. The student body, the local community, patrons, alumni, and many organizations have been integral to the university's development.

The Universidad de Alcalá in Spain, inspiration for Mother Hill's USD

Significant periods of expansion of the university, since the 1972 merger, occurred in the mid-1980s, as well as in 1998, when Joan B. Kroc, philanthropist and wife of McDonald's financier Ray Kroc, endowed USD with a gift of $25 million for the construction of the Institute for Peace & Justice. Other significant donations to the college came in the form of multimillion-dollar gifts from weight-loss tycoon Jenny Craig,[11] inventor Donald Shiley,[12] investment banker and alumnus Bert Degheri, and an additional gift of $50 million Mrs. Kroc left the School of Peace Studies upon her death. These gifts helped make possible, respectively, the Jenny Craig Pavilion (an athletic arena), the Donald P. Shiley Center for Science and Technology, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Degheri Alumni Center. As a result, USD has been able to host the West Coast Conference (WCC) basketball tournament in 2002, 2003 and 2008, and hosted international functions such as the Kyoto Laureate Symposium at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice and at USD's Shiley Theatre. Shiley's gift has provided the university with some additional, and more advanced, teaching laboratories than it had previously. In 2005, the university expanded the Colachis Plaza from the Immaculata along Marian Way to the east end of Hall, which effectively closed the east end of the campus to vehicular traffic. That same year, the student body approved plans for a renovation and expansion of the Hahn University Center which began at the end of 2007. The new Student Life Pavilion (SLP) opened in 2009 and hosts the university's new student dining area(s), offices for student organizations and event spaces. The Hahn University Center is now home to administrative offices, meeting and event spaces, and a restaurant and wine bar, La Gran Terazza.

In 2022, students began taking classes at the new Knauss Center for Business Education, a 120,000-square-foot complex that serves as an innovation and collaboration ecosystem for business students.[13]

In the spring of 2022, USD's total enrollment was 9,041 undergraduate, graduate, paralegal and law students from 85 countries and 50 US states.[14]

Environment and location

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Alcalá Park sits atop the edge of a mesa overlooking Mission Bay and provides stunning panoramic views of San Diego.

The philosophy of USD's founder and her fellow religious relied on the belief that studying in beautiful surroundings could improve the educational experience of students. Thus, the university's buildings are designed in a 16th-century Plateresque architecture, a style of the Spanish Renaissance, paying homage to both San Diego's Catholic heritage[clarification needed] and the Universidad de Alcalá in Spain.

The campus is located approximately two miles north of downtown San Diego, on the north crest of Mission Valley in the community of Linda Vista. From the westernmost edges of Alcalá Park the communities of Mission Hills, Old Town, Point Loma, Ocean Beach, Bay Park, Mission Beach and Pacific Beach can be seen. Also, the Pacific Ocean, San Diego Bay, the Coronado Islands and La Jolla are visible from the campus.

In February 2022, Travel+Leisure named USD campus as one of the most beautiful college campuses in the United States,[15] and Best Choice Schools ranked it the most beautiful urban campus in the United States.[16]

Administration

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Though a Catholic university, the school is no longer governed directly by the Diocese of San Diego. Today, a lay board of trustees governs the university's operations. However, the Bishop of San Diego, Robert W. McElroy, retains a seat as a permanent member and retains control of the school's designation of "Catholic."

Academics

[edit]
The Donald P. Shiley Center for Science and Technology, opened in 2003

USD offers more than 80 degrees at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. Students choose from undergraduate and graduate degree programs from the seven schools and college that comprise the University of San Diego:

  • College of Arts and Sciences
  • Knauss School of Business
  • Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering
  • Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science
  • Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies
  • School of Law
  • School of Leadership and Education Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Law are the oldest academic divisions at USD; the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies is the university's newest school. USD offers an honors program at the undergraduate level, with approximately 300 students enrolled annually.

  • Undergraduate Programs: 43 bachelor's degrees with many concentrations; 56 minors
  • Graduate Programs: 36 master's degrees, Juris Doctor (JD), five LLM degrees, four doctorates, dual degree programs

USD has a Carnegie Classification of R2- Doctoral University: High Research Activity. Carnegie gives this ranking to “institutions that awarded at least 20 research/scholarship doctoral degrees and had at least $5 million in total research expenditures (as reported through the National Science Foundation (NSF) Higher Education Research & Development Survey (HERD)).”

The School of business was recently renamed to Knauss School of Business after Don Knauss announced to increase the philanthropic giving to the university to $50 million as an investment in educating ethical and compassionate business leaders[17]

Rankings

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Academic rankings
National
Forbes[18]106
U.S. News & World Report[19]98
Washington Monthly[20]74
WSJ/College Pulse[21]47
Global
QS[22]1001-1200
THE[23]601-800
Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2020
Race and ethnicity[24] Total
White 49% 49
 
Hispanic 22% 22
 
Other[a] 10% 10
 
Asian 7% 7
 
Foreign national 7% 7
 
Black 3% 3
 

USD was ranked 47th in the WSJ/College Pulse 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S.,[25] an annual ranking that rates the top 500 universities in the country.

USD is the youngest independent institution on the U.S. News & World Report list of top 100 universities in the United States. In 2021, University of San Diego was ranked tied for 88th in the "National Universities". U.S. News & World Report also ranked the University of San Diego's undergraduate Engineering program tied for 13th in the U.S. for engineering schools where doctorates are not offered,[26] and the #1 Catholic Graduate Nursing School in the nation.

The Knauss School of Business was ranked the second-highest undergraduate business school in California, according to the 2022 ranking from Poets & Quants for undergraduate business schools.[27] The School of Business has ranked No. 1 in the nation for two years in a row on College Factual’s ranking of Best Real Estate Colleges in the United States and No. 13 of Best Communications Schools in the United States.

In February 2022, Travel+Leisure named USD campus as one of the most beautiful college campuses in the United States.[15] In 2021, The Princeton Review ranked the University of San Diego 6th in Most Beautiful Campus, 8th in Best Quality of life, 14th in Most Popular Study Abroad Program, and 18th in Green Colleges.[28]

In 2014, University of San Diego was ranked the 482nd top college in the United States by Payscale and CollegeNet's Social Mobility Index college rankings.[29] 18% of students are pell-grant eligible.

In 2013, QS Global 200 Business Schools Report ranked USD's MBA program 59th in North America.[30]

Athletics

[edit]
Main article: San Diego Toreros

The Toreros compete in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and are members of the West Coast Conference for most sports.

Facilities

[edit]

Athletic facilities for the school include:

USD has hosted NCAA Tournament events in men's and women's soccer, as well as men's and women's tennis. Additionally, between 2001 and 2003, the Jenny Craig Pavilion played host to the West Coast Conference Basketball Championships, as well as in 2008. Torero stadium has also played host to the 2012 Women's Soccer College Cup.

Notable alumni

[edit]
Main article: List of University of San Diego people

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Other consists of multiracial Americans & those who prefer to not say.

References

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  1. ^ As of June 30, 2022. U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2022 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY21 to FY22 (Report). National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  2. ^ "President-Elect Dr. James T. Harris III Named Fourth President of the University of San Diego". SanDiego.edu. University of San Diego. Archived from the original on June 24, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  3. ^ "Color Palette - USD Brand". University of San Diego. Archived from the original on March 26, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  4. ^ "History of the University of San Diego". SanDiego.edu. University of San Diego. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  5. ^ "Academics - University of San Diego". www.sandiego.edu. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  6. ^ "Carnegie Classifications Institution Lookup". carnegieclassifications.iu.edu. Center for Postsecondary Education. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  7. ^ "Congressional Record: Senate: Vol. 155 Part 5". United States Government Printing Office. 2009. p. 6066. Retrieved January 5, 2019. However, it was in 1949 that the Most Reverend Charles Francis Buddy, first Bishop of the Diocese of San Diego, and Reverend Mother Rosalie Clifton Hill, Vicar Superior of the U.S. Western Vicariate of the Society of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, obtained charters from the State of California to establish San Diego University and the San Diego College for Women, respectively.
  8. ^ Ristine, Jeff (July 28, 1999). "University of San Diego at 50 Faith in Future". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. B-1. Nov. 22, 1949 -- The State of California grants a charter for San Diego University (College for Men and School of Law) ... Dec. 2, 1949 -- The State of California grants a charter for San Diego College for Women.
  9. ^ Mellin, Maribeth; Onstott, Jane; Devlin, Judith (April 22, 2009). Insiders' Guide® to San Diego. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 307. ISBN 9780762755790. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  10. ^ "University of San Diego Buildings and Campus | City of San Diego Official Website". www.sandiego.gov. Archived from the original on September 25, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  11. ^ LLC, CurtCo/SDM (December 2006). San Diego Magazine. CurtCo/SDM LLC.
  12. ^ Robbins, Gary. "USD gets $20 million for engineering school". sandiegouniontribune.com. Archived from the original on September 25, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  13. ^ "Knauss Center for Business Education Is San Diego's Newest Ecosystem of Innovation and Collaboration". San Diego Magazine. September 1, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  14. ^ "University of San Diego Facts - University of San Diego". www.sandiego.edu. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  15. ^ a b ""America's Most Beautiful College Campuses", Travel+Leisure (September 2011)". Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  16. ^ "America's Most Beautiful College Campuses". Best Choice Schools. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  17. ^ "About - School of Business - University of San Diego". www.sandiego.edu. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  18. ^ "America's Top Colleges 2024". Forbes. September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  19. ^ "2023-2024 Best National Universities Rankings". U.S. News & World Report. September 18, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  20. ^ "2024 National University Rankings". Washington Monthly. August 25, 2024. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  21. ^ "2025 Best Colleges in the U.S." The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse. September 4, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  22. ^ "QS World University Rankings 2025". Quacquarelli Symonds. June 4, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  23. ^ "World University Rankings 2024". Times Higher Education. September 27, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  24. ^ "College Scorecard: University of San Diego". United States Department of Education. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  25. ^ WSJ/College Pulse 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S.
  26. ^ "University of San Diego Rankings". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  27. ^ "P&Q's Best Undergraduate B-Schools Of 2022". Poets and Quants. Poets and Quants. 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  28. ^ "University of San Diego - The Princeton Review College Rankings & Reviews". www.princetonreview.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2019. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  29. ^ "Social Mobility Index". Social Mobility Index. CollegeNet and PayScale. 2014. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  30. ^ [1] Archived June 26, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  31. ^ [Dansby, Andrew (September 10, 2009), "Jim Parsons find smart comedy role", Houston Chronicle] [verification needed]
  32. ^ "Ex-Bonanza star improves his baseball stock as collegian". Las Vegas Sun. Archived from the original on September 2, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018. [verification needed]
  33. ^ Knufken, Kelly (2006). "Townsend: The Tough Cookie" (PDF). USD Magazine (Summer)). San Diego, CA: University of San Diego: 25. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 12, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2016. [verification needed]
  34. ^ English, Vogue. "Mario Testino". Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2016. [verification needed]
  35. ^ "Whelan, Thomas J. | Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov. Archived from the original on December 3, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018. [verification needed]
  36. ^ Marguerite Ward (January 24, 2017). "Chicago Cubs President Theo Epstein shares his 20% rule for getting ahead in your career". CNBC.
  37. ^ Kenney, Kirk (June 13, 2017). "USD catcher Riley Adams selected by Toronto in third round of MLB Draft". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  38. ^ "USD Magazine / SUMMER 2013". UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO. Archived from the original on January 7, 2016. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  39. ^ "TROOP, CREW AND PACK 179". June 30, 2010. Archived from the original on June 30, 2010. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  40. ^ Cordileone, Salvatore. "Archbishop". sfarchdiocese.org. Archived from the original on July 23, 2017. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
  41. ^ Real Time Ranking. "Lorenzo Fertitta". Forbes. Archived from the original on June 17, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  42. ^ Sennhauser, Morgan (September 19, 2016). "What Happened to Andrew Firestone- News & Updates - Gazette Review". Archived from the original on December 24, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  43. ^ Lipkin, Maureen Cavanaugh, Michael (November 28, 2016). "San Diego City Councilman Todd Gloria Prepares For Assembly Swearing In". Archived from the original on December 24, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  44. ^ "Six other famous faces with law degrees". Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  45. ^ "Two USD Alumni Among NASA's 12 Newest Astronaut Candidates". Archived from the original on December 3, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  46. ^ "Verizon communications inc". BusinessWeek. Archived from the original on February 19, 2011. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  47. ^ "Lowell McAdam Wall Street Journal". topics.wsj.com. Archived from the original on March 17, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  48. ^ "NBA.com Eric Musselman". www.nba.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  49. ^ "Full Biography". Congressman Juan Vargas. December 11, 2012. Archived from the original on December 21, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  50. ^ "Senate confirms Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke as Interior secretary". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. Archived from the original on December 3, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.

Further reading

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  • Boudoin. Burt J. (2001). Fortress on the Hill: Founding the University of San Diego and the San Diego College for Women, 1942-1963 Mission Hills, CA: Saint Francis Historical Society, ISBN 0967847737 OCLC 46882831
  • Engstrand, Iris H. Wilson; White, Clare (1989). The First Forty Years: A History of the University of San Diego 1949–1989. San Diego, CA: University of San Diego. p. 121. OCLC 22975773, 20464871
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