Professional Documents
Culture Documents
University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
Academic AJCU ACCU
affiliations
NAICU WASC
Students 10,636[3]
Undergraduates 6,577[3]
Postgraduates 4,059[3]
,
California
,
United States
37°46′46″N 122°27′07″WCoordinates: 37°
46′46″N 122°27′07″W
Colors Green and Gold [5]
Nickname Dons
Website www.usfca.edu
The University of San Francisco (USF) is a private Jesuit university in San Francisco,
California. The university's main campus is located on a 55-acre (22 ha) setting
between the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park. The main campus is
nicknamed "The Hilltop" and is split into two sections. Part of the main campus is
located on Lone Mountain, one of San Francisco's major geographical features. Its
close historical ties with the City and County of San Francisco are reflected in the
university's traditional motto, Pro Urbe et Universitate (For the City and University).
Contents
1History
2Academics
o 2.1Rankings
o 2.2Global education
3Campuses
o 3.1Campus buildings
4Organization and administration
5Student clubs and organizations
o 5.1Student-produced media
o 5.2Performing arts
o 5.3Greek life
6Student body
o 6.1Admissions
o 6.2Financial aid
7Athletics
o 7.1History
o 7.21951 USF Dons football team
o 7.3Basketball
o 7.4Soccer
8Alumni
9See also
10References
11Further reading
12External links
History[edit]
USF Campus at Sunset
Founded by the Jesuits in 1855 as St. Ignatius Academy, USF started as a one-room
schoolhouse along Market Street in what later became downtown San Francisco.
Father Anthony Maraschi, S.J. (1820-1897) was the college's founder and first
president, a professor, the college's treasurer, and the first pastor of St. Ignatius
Church. Under Maraschi, St. Ignatius Academy received its charter to issue college
degrees on April 30, 1859, from the State of California, and signed by governor John B.
Weller. In that year, the school changed its name to St. Ignatius College.
The original curriculum included Greek, Spanish, Latin, English, French, Italian, algebra,
arithmetic, history, geography, elocution, and bookkeeping.[7]
A new building was constructed in 1862 to replace the first frame building. In June 1863,
the university awarded its first Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1880, the college moved from
Market Street to a new site on the corner of Hayes Street and Van Ness
Avenue (currently occupied by the Davies Symphony Hall).
The third St. Ignatius College received moderate damage in the 1906 San Francisco
earthquake, but was completely destroyed in the ensuing fire. The campus moved west,
to the corner of Hayes and Shrader Streets, close to Golden Gate Park. It occupied a
hastily constructed structure known as the Shirt Factory (for its resemblance to similar
manufacturing buildings of the era) for the next 21 years. The college moved to its
present site on Fulton Street in 1927, on the site of a former Masonic Cemetery.[1]
To celebrate its diamond jubilee in 1930, St. Ignatius College changed its name to the
University of San Francisco. The change from college to university was sought by many
alumni groups and by long-time San Francisco Mayor James Rolph Jr.[7]
A male-only school for most of its history, USF became fully coeducational in 1964,
though women started attending the evening programs in business and law as early as
1927. In 1969, the high school division, already wholly separate from the university,
moved to the western part of San Francisco and became St. Ignatius College
Preparatory. In 1978, the university acquired Lone Mountain College.[7] October 15,
2005, marked the 150th anniversary of the university's founding. [8] In the fall of 2017,
USF enrolled 11,080 undergraduate and graduate students in all of its programs housed
in four schools (Law, Management, Education, Nursing and Health Professions) and
one college (Arts and Sciences).[9]
Academics[edit]
Aerial view of San Francisco, facing northeast, with USF in the foreground.
Rankings[edit]
Academic rankings
National
Forbes[10] 210
THE/WSJ[11] 156
Global
QS[14] 1001-1200
USF was ranked tied for 103rd overall by U.S. News &
World Report, tied for 68th "Best College for Veterans", and
tied for 69th in "Best Value" in the National University
category in 2020.[15]
Washington Monthly ranked USF 148th out of 389 national
universities in 2020 based on its contribution to the public
good, as measured by social mobility, research, and
promotion of public service.[16]
Global education[edit]
USF's Center for Global Education advises students on international programs
sponsored by USF or external organizations and schools and facilitates the process.
USF has more than 40 institutional partnerships with other universities throughout the
world, including in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech
Republic, Chile, China, El
Salvador, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, M
exico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua,
the Philippines, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand,
and Uruguay. USF offers 133 semester-long international programs to its students.
During the 2016-2017 academic year, 721 USF students earned academic credit
through study abroad, exchange, intern, or social justice programs. Several USF
students have received the Gilman Award for their participation in study abroad
programs through the center.[17]
Campuses[edit]
The University of San Francisco offers more than 230 undergraduate, graduate,
professional, and certificate programs on its main Hilltop Campus. USF also offers
programs at several additional campuses. [18]
The USF Downtown San Francisco Campus, founded in the Folger Coffee Company
Building at 101 Howard Street in 2012, offers the MBA and the Executive MBA, MBA
Dual Degree programs, and master's degrees in Entrepreneurship and Innovation,
Financial Analysis, Global Entrepreneurial Management, Nonprofit Administration,
Organization Development, and Public Administration. [19]
The Orange County Campus, founded in Orange in 1983, offers the Master's in Sport
Management and the Master's in Nursing for Non-Nurses. [20]
The Pleasanton Campus, founded in San Ramon in 1986, then moved to Pleasanton in
2012, offers a Bachelor's in Management (Degree Completion), the Master's in Nursing
for the Registered Nurse, and the Master's in Teaching with the Single or Multiple
Subject Teaching Credential.[21]
The Presidio Campus, founded at the San Francisco Presidio in 2003, offers the Master
in Behavior Health, the Master of Public Health, and the Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in
Clinical Psychology.[22]
The Sacramento Campus, founded in 1975, offers the Bachelor of Science in Nursing,
the Master of Public Health, the Master's in Counseling with an Emphasis in Marriage
and Family Therapy, and the Master's in Teaching with the Single or Multiple Subject
Teaching Credential.[23]
The San Jose Campus, founded in 1980, offers the Master's in Information Systems,
the Master's in Teaching with the Single or Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, the
Master's in Counseling with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy, and the RN
to MSN Nursing/Clinical Nurse Leader.[24]
The Santa Rosa Campus, founded in 1989, offers the Master's in Counseling with an
Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy, and the Master's in Teaching with the Single
or Multiple Subject Teaching Credential.[25]
Campus buildings[edit]
View from atop Lone Mountain to St. Ignatius Church on Main Campus.
The Associated Students of the University of San Francisco (ASUSF) Senate is the
student body governance organization responsible for organizing major campus events,
voicing student concern, and reviewing the ASUSF budget. [31] USF's professional and
academic organizations include chapters of many national and international groups,
including the Professional Business Fraternity Delta Sigma Pi, the Lambda Iota
Tau English Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta, Jesuit Honor Society Alpha Sigma Nu,
the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, National Political Science Honor Society Pi
Sigma Alpha, Biological Honor Society Tri Beta, Accounting and Finance Honor
Society Beta Alpha Psi and Psychology Honor Society Psi Chi. Professional
organizations include the Family Business Association, Pre-Professional Health
Committee, Pre-Dental Society, Hospitality Management Association, the Nursing
Students Association, and the Entrepreneurship Club. Religious and spiritual
organizations on campus include the Muslim Student Union, the USF chapter
of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and the USF Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish
Campus Life. USF leisure and hobby organizations include a chapter of many national
organizations: Best Buddies, Outdoors and Environmental Education Club, Prism
(formerly USF Queer Alliance), San Quentin TRUST Alliance, Knitting for Neighbors,
Back to the Roots, Surf and Skate Club, and the Animation Comics and Video Games
(ACV) Club. Cultural and multicultural organizations around campus serve international
students, Indian students, Black students (the Black Student Union), Latin American
students and Hawaiian Students. There are also groups specifically for women of color
and Latinx women. Social justice clubs on campus include chapters of Amnesty
International, School of the Americas Watch, Up 'til Dawn, Student Outreach for
Refugees, Asylees and Immigrants,[32] and Invisible Children. There is also a Politics
Society, Philosophy Club, Women in Media Club, Women in Math Club (AWM), and
Women in Science Club.[33]
Student-produced media[edit]
The San Francisco Foghorn is the official student weekly newspaper and is sponsored
by ASUSF. The Foghorn was founded in 1903 and was first called The Ignatian. In the
1930s when the college name was changed, the newspaper became the San Francisco
Foghorn. The Foghorn has played a significant role on campus throughout the years
and has some notable alumni: Pierre Salinger, editor of the San Francisco
Chronicle and Press Secretary for President John F. Kennedy; well-known author and
historian Kevin Starr; and Leo T. McCarthy, former California Lieutenant Governor. In
1961, the Foghorn received the American Newspaper Publishers
Association "Pacemaker Award". In 1998, Associated Collegiate Press named it
"College Paper of the Year".
From 1977, USF radio station KUSF broadcast online until 2011 when its license was
sold[34] to a Southern California-based classical radio station. KUSF had garnered
international attention for its diverse musical programming, which varied from rock to hip
hop to world music.[35] It received numerous awards,[36] including public service awards,
[37]
for its weekly community service series. USF's other radio station, KDNZ, is student-
run.[38]
The University of San Francisco television station USFTV, founded in 2006 [39] and
entirely student-run, is broadcast on Channel 35 in the dormitories and around campus,
[40]
with news, sports, and cultural programming. In 2008, USFtv students collaborated
with Wyclef Jean to create a music video for his song, "If I Was President". [41]
The Ignatian is USF's annual literary magazine published every spring, with a wide
array of content from philosophical pieces to personal essays, short fiction, poetry, and
photography.
Performing arts[edit]
USF has numerous student clubs for the performing arts, including a theater group
(College Players), two-time Golden Gate Regional winning improvisational team
(Awkward Silence), choir (ASUSF Voices), USF Don Marching Band, contemporary
mass ensemble, and a dance program that focuses on social justice.
The College Players, founded in 1863, is considered one of the oldest student-run
theater groups in the United States.[42] Their annual production of The Vagina
Monologues gives all its proceeds to women's charities in the Bay Area. [43]
ASUSF Voices, in collaboration with the Performing Arts Department, contains a variety
of choral ensembles, including jazz and popular. [44] The USF Contemporary Mass
Ensemble (vocal and instrumental) are USF alumni who perform at Sunday Masses in
St. Ignatius Church.[45] The USF dance program is affiliated with the Performing Arts and
Social Justice Major. Students can enroll in traditional and modern dance classes and
participate in the USF Dance Ensemble which includes, under professional
choreographers.[46]
Greek life[edit]
All social sororities and fraternities recognized by the university must participate in the
Greek Council, which tends to the development of these organizations and their
members.[47] Chapters have some common mixers and socials, Thanksgiving potluck,
Christmas clothing drive, Homecoming, and Greek Games. [48]
Student body[edit]
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please
help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources.
Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January
2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Among the total USF student population in the fall of 2017, 19.9 percent were Asian
American, 5.1 percent were African American, 20.6 percent were Latino, 0.2 percent
were Native American, 0.7 percent were Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 15.5 percent
were international, 6.0 percent were of multiple races, and 28.0 percent were white.
There was a 50.4 percent increase in the overall student enrollment from the fall of 2000
to the fall of 2017. By ethnicity, the number of Latino students increased by 233.0
percent during this period, the number of Asian American students increased by 78.8
percent, and the number of international students increased by 160.7 percent. The
African American student population increased 36.4 percent, and the overall white
student population decreased by 5.5 percent since 2000. The ethnic composition of all
USF students in the fall of 2017 is displayed in Table 1. [51]
Table 1: Change in student enrollment by ethnicity[51]
Enrollment, 2000 Enrollment, 2017 % change
Asian American 1,232 2,203 78.8%
African American 418 570 36.4%
Latino 684 2,278 233.0%
Native American 49 23 -53.1%
Hawaii/ Pacific Islands 128 80 -37.5%
International student 657 1,713 160.7%
White 3,284 3,104 -5.5%
Other 914 440 -51.9%
Total 7,366 11,080 50.4%
Notable students marked the early years of student diversity at the USF. Chan Chung
Wing, whose parents had immigrated from near Canton, was in the first law class at
then St. Ignatius College of Law. In 1929, the Filipino Ignatians was founded. In 1930,
the African American Isaiah Fletcher was a starting tackle on the football team, years
before most colleges became integrated. In 1936, Earl Booker, another African
American, won the Intercollegiate Boxing Championship. [52]
International students made up 15.5% of the student body in the fall of 2017.
International students have a special orientation period [53] and a variety of student groups
like the International Student Association, Global Living Community, [54] an International
Advisory Council, and an International Network Program. [55] USF sponsors an annual
International Education Week with an international fair featuring consulates in the San
Francisco area, storytelling opportunities, educational speakers, and a performance
event called "Culturescape".[56]
Admissions[edit]
USF is categorized as a more selective university, according to U.S. News & World
Report.[57] The school's acceptance rate was 65% in the fall of 2018. [57] For freshman
enrolling in the fall of 2019, the average high school grade point average (GPA) was
3.54 and the middle 50% range of SAT scores for reading and math combined was
1130-1310 (out of 1600).[3]
Financial aid[edit]
In the 2019-2020 financial aid year, 82.0% of freshmen were given financial aid and/or
scholarships at University of San Francisco, averaging $23,895 per person, placing
USF in the top 20th percentile of all accredited colleges and universities nationwide. In
addition to scholarships, 26.0% of first year students received federal grant aid, for an
average of about $5,970 per person.[58]
[59]
For the 2019-20 year, tuition for full-time undergraduates is $49,740. The total
estimated cost for one year, including fees, housing, and dining, is $65,692. [59]
Athletics[edit]
Main article: San Francisco Dons
The 1951 University of San Francisco Dons football team, coached by Joe Kuharich,
went undefeated with a record of 9-0, and produced nine future NFL players. Five
became NFL Pro-Bowlers, and Gino Marchetti, Ollie Matson, and Bob St. Clair later
were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame – a record for one college team. Also
the team's Burl Toler became the first African American official in the NFL. [60] Future NFL
Commissioner Pete Rozelle played a role as the Dons' Athletic Publicist. At the height of
their success, due to the team having two African-American star players, Ollie Matson
and Burl Toler, they were not invited to play in any of the college football bowl games
hosted by the SEC (Southeastern Conference).[61] The team, less Toler and Matson, was
invited to the Orange Bowl but declined. Guard Dick Columbini said, "'No, we're not
going to leave ‘em at home’ ... ‘We're going to play with ‘em or we’re not going to
play.’"[60] The USF Athletic Department was forced to drop its football program in 1952,
due to a deficit in department funds.
Basketball[edit]
Alumni[edit]
Main article: List of University of San Francisco people
See also[edit]
References[edit]
1. ^ Jump up to: Ziajka, Alan. Lighting the City, Changing the World of the
a b
Further reading[edit]
McGloin S.J., John Bernard. (1972). Jesuits by the Golden
Gate: the Society of Jesus in San Francisco, 1849-1969.
University of San Francisco.
Pollack, Chris. (2001) San Francisco's Golden Gate Park:
A Thousand and 17 acres (6.9 ha) of Stories. Portland,
Oregon: WestWinds Press.
Ziajka, Alan. (2005). Legacy & Promise: 150 years of Jesuit
education at the University of San Francisco. San
Francisco: University of San Francisco, Association of
Jesuit University Presses.
Ziajka, Alan. (2012). The University of San Francisco
School of Law: 100 Years of Educating for Justice. San
Francisco: University of San Francisco, Association of
Jesuit University Presses.
Ziajka, Alan. (2014). Lighting the City, Changing the World:
A History of the Sciences at the University of San
Francisco. San Francisco: University of San Francisco,
Association of Jesuit University Presses.
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