Arizona State University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Arizona State University

Former names	Territorial Normal School (1885–1889) Tempe Normal School of Arizona (1889–1903) Tempe Normal School  (1903–1925) Tempe State Teachers College (1925–1929) Arizona State Teachers College (1929–1945) Arizona State College (1945–1958)
Type	Public research university
Established	March 12, 1885; 140 years ago (1885-03-12)
Parent institution	Arizona Board of Regents
Accreditation	HLC
Academic affiliation	AAU ORAU URA USU Space-grant
Endowment	$1.47 billion (2023)
Budget	$4.1 billion (2023)
President	Michael M. Crow
Provost	Nancy Gonzales
Academic staff	5,000+
Total staff	About 18,500
Students	57,588, Tempe 11,097, Downtown Phoenix 5,825, Polytechnic 4,968, West 62,551, online
Undergraduates	112,177
Postgraduates	30,459
Location	Tempe , Arizona , United States 33°25′15″N 111°56′02″W / 33.4209°N 111.9340°W / 33.4209; -111.9340
Campus	Midsize city, 1,532.04 acres (6.1999 km2) (total) Tempe: 661.6 acres (2.677 km2) Polytechnic: 574.55 acres (2.3251 km2) West: 277.92 acres (1.1247 km2) Downtown Phoenix: 17.97 acres (0.0727 km2)
Other campuses	Glendale Lake Havasu City Los Angeles Mesa Phoenix Scottsdale Show Low Tucson Washington, D.C. Shanghai
Newspaper	The State Press
Colors	Maroon and gold
Nickname	Sun Devils
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FBS – Pac-12 MPSF
Mascot	Sparky the Sun Devil

Arizona State University (also known as Arizona State or ASU) is a large public research university in the Phoenix area of Arizona. It started in 1885 as the Territorial Normal School, created to train teachers. Today, ASU is one of the biggest public universities in the United States by how many students it has.

ASU is one of three universities managed by the Arizona Board of Regents. It is known for its high level of research activity. The university has nearly 145,000 students, with over 62,000 taking classes online. About 112,000 are undergraduate students and nearly 30,000 are postgraduate students. These students are spread across ASU's five main campuses and four learning centers throughout Arizona. ASU offers many different degree options, with 350 choices for undergraduate students and over 400 for graduate students.

The Arizona State Sun Devils compete in 26 different sports in the NCAA Division I Pac-12 Conference. ASU has over 1,100 student clubs and groups. Its sports teams have won 165 national championships, including 24 NCAA trophies. Many ASU athletes have gone on to compete in the Olympics, winning 60 medals (25 gold, 12 silver, and 23 bronze).

As of January 2022, ASU had over 5,000 teachers and researchers. Among them were 5 Nobel Prize winners, 10 MacArthur Fellows, 10 Pulitzer Prize winners, and many members of important national academies.

History of Arizona State University

Early Years: Training Teachers

Arizona State University began on March 12, 1885. It was called the Territorial Normal School in Tempe. Its main goal was to train teachers for the growing Arizona Territory. The first campus had just one four-room schoolhouse on 20 acres of land. Classes started on February 8, 1886, with 33 students.

Over the years, the school's name changed several times as it grew. It was known as Tempe Normal School of Arizona (1889–1903), Tempe Normal School (1903–1925), Tempe State Teachers College (1925–1929), Arizona State Teachers College (1929–1945), and Arizona State College (1945–1958). Finally, in 1958, voters decided by a 2-to-1 margin to name it Arizona State University.

By 1923, the school stopped offering high school classes. Students needed a high school diploma to get in. In 1925, it became Tempe State Teachers College and started offering four-year degrees. In 1929, it was renamed Arizona State Teachers College. During President Arthur John Matthews's time (1900–1930), the school grew a lot. He had the first dorms in the state built in 1902. He also started planting many trees and the famous 110 Mexican Fan Palms on what is now Palm Walk.

During the Great Depression, Ralph Waldo Swetman became president in 1930. He worked to make teacher training better. Under his leadership, the number of students doubled, reaching over 1,000 for the first time.

Growth and New Programs

In 1933, Grady Gammage became president. He led the university for nearly 28 years. He oversaw the building of many new buildings on the Tempe campus. He also helped create graduate programs. The first Master of Arts in Education degree was given in 1938. During his time, the school's name changed to Arizona State College in 1945, and then to Arizona State University in 1958. One of his biggest achievements was the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium, finished in 1964.

By the 1960s, under President G. Homer Durham, ASU started adding many new colleges. In 1961, the Arizona Board of Regents allowed the university to offer doctoral degrees. By the end of his nine years, ASU's student numbers had more than doubled, reaching 23,000 in 1969.

The next presidents, including Harry K. Newburn, John W. Schwada, and J. Russell Nelson, helped the university become even more respected academically. They also saw the creation of the ASU West Valley campus in 1984.

Modern Expansion and Innovation

From 1990 to 2002, President Lattie F. Coor led ASU's growth. This included creating the Polytechnic campus and expanding learning sites. He also focused on making education better for all students, increasing research, and helping the economy. A big part of his work was a successful fundraising campaign that brought in over $500 million for the university. This money helped create things like Barrett, The Honors College.

In 2002, Michael M. Crow became the 16th president. He had a vision to turn ASU into a "New American University". This meant making it open and welcoming to everyone, and becoming a top research university. Crow started the idea of "One university in many places." This means ASU is a single university with several campuses that share students, teachers, and programs. This led to combining departments and expanding the West Valley and Polytechnic campuses. The Downtown Phoenix campus also grew, with many colleges moving there.

During Crow's time, ASU built many new research facilities, like the Biodesign Institute and the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability. The number of faculty members also grew, including five Nobel Prize winners. Since 2002, the money ASU spends on research has tripled.

Even during the economic downturn that started in 2008, ASU continued to grow. It expanded its campuses and created a lower-cost campus in Lake Havasu City. In 2015, the Thunderbird School of Global Management became the fifth ASU campus. ASU also partnered with Mayo Clinic for health care education and research. In 2016, the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law moved to the Downtown Phoenix campus.

How Arizona State University Works

ASU college/school founding

College/School	Year founded
Barrett, The Honors College	1988
College of Health Solutions	2012
Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts	1964
Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering	1954
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences	1954
College of Integrative Sciences and Arts	2014
Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College	1954
New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences	1984
College of Nursing and Health Innovation	1957
Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions	1979
Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law	1964
Thunderbird School of Global Management at ASU	1946
University College	2011
W. P. Carey School of Business	1961
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication	1941

The Arizona Board of Regents is in charge of Arizona State University, along with the University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University. This board has 12 members who help guide the state's universities.

ASU has four main campuses in the Phoenix area: the Tempe campus, the West Valley campus in Glendale, the Downtown Phoenix campus, and the Polytechnic campus in Mesa. ASU also offers classes and degrees online through ASU Online. There are also ASU Colleges in Lake Havasu City and other learning programs in different towns.

The Arizona Board of Regents chooses the university's president. The president is the main leader and budget officer. The current president is Michael M. Crow, who started in July 2002. He works with other leaders like the provost, vice presidents, and deans to run the university.

ASU Campuses and Locations

ASU has academic programs spread across four different campuses in the Phoenix area. Unlike many universities with multiple campuses, ASU sees itself as "one university in many places." This means it's a single institution with several campuses that share students, teachers, and official recognition. Each campus has a special focus.

The Tempe campus is the main center for research and graduate studies. Undergraduate programs here focus on research to prepare students for advanced degrees or jobs. The Polytechnic campus focuses on hands-on professional and technology programs. It has many simulators and labs for project-based learning. The West Valley campus focuses on different subjects and the liberal arts, along with programs that help the community. The Downtown Phoenix campus is for urban and public programs like nursing, public policy, and journalism. ASU also moved some health programs to its new ASU-Mayo Medical School campus. Shuttles and light rail make it easy for students and teachers to travel between campuses.

Tempe Campus: The Original Home

ASU's Tempe campus is in downtown Tempe, Arizona, about 8 miles (13 km) east of downtown Phoenix. It's an urban campus, covering about 660 acres (2.7 km2). The campus is designed around wide walking paths and is like a big garden. It's the largest ASU campus, with over 70,000 students taking at least one class there in Fall 2017.

The Tempe campus is where ASU first started. The oldest building, Old Main, is still there. The campus has many famous spots, like Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. There's also Palm Walk, lined with 111 palm trees, and the Charles Trumbull Hayden Library. The campus also has a large collection of public art. Near the campus is the Mill Avenue district, a lively area with restaurants and shops that students enjoy. All of the university's sports facilities are also on the Tempe campus.

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  Old Main, the oldest building on campus.

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  The ASU Bridge.

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  The Gammage Auditorium was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

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  The Palm Walk is the main pathway through the campus.

West Valley Campus: A Suburban Oasis

The West Valley campus was created in 1984. It covers about 278 acres (1.1 km2) in a suburban part of northwest Phoenix. This campus is about 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Downtown Phoenix. It's known as a "Phoenix Point of Pride" and gets almost all its power from solar panels. Over 4,000 students attend this campus, choosing from more than 100 degree programs.

Polytechnic Campus: Hands-On Learning

Started in 1996 as "ASU East," the Polytechnic campus serves over 4,800 students. It offers more than 130 bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in professional and technical fields. The campus is like a desert garden and has outdoor learning labs, simulators, and indoor labs for hands-on teaching and research. This 600-acre (2.4 km2) campus is in southeast Mesa, Arizona, about 25 miles (40 km) southeast of the Tempe campus. It's built on the former Williams Air Force Base.

Downtown Phoenix Campus: Urban Focus

The Downtown Phoenix campus opened in 2006. It has a modern, urban design with new academic buildings mixed with offices and shops. It also uses some older buildings, like a 1930s Post Office. This campus has 11,465 students and is home to colleges focused on health, public service, nursing, and journalism. In 2016, the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law moved here from Tempe.

ASU Colleges at Lake Havasu City: Affordable Degrees

ASU created a smaller, undergraduate-only college in Lake Havasu City to offer more affordable higher education in Arizona. These colleges focus on teaching and offer popular undergraduate degrees at lower tuition rates. They also have a small student-to-teacher ratio, which means more personal attention.

ASU Online: Learning from Anywhere

ASU Online offers over 150 undergraduate and graduate degree programs through an online platform. These online degrees have the same official recognition as the traditional campus programs. ASU Online is based at ASU's SkySong Innovation Center in Scottsdale, Arizona. U.S. News & World Report has ranked ASU Online among the top programs for online bachelor's degrees.

Online students are taught by the same professors and receive the same diploma as students on campus. ASU's online programs allow students to learn in interactive ways, working with other students and using personalized learning tools. In 2015, ASU Online partnered with edX to create the Global Freshman Academy, which allows anyone to take college courses without needing to submit high school grades. As of spring 2017, over 25,000 students were enrolled in ASU Online.

Mayo Clinic School of Medicine and ASU

In 2016, Mayo Clinic and ASU teamed up to create a new way for students to learn about health care and research. Starting in 2017, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine students in Phoenix and Scottsdale can earn a certificate in the Science of Health Care Delivery. They can also get a master's degree in this field through ASU.

Thunderbird Campus: Global Business Focus

The Thunderbird School of Global Management is one of the newest parts of Arizona State University. It focuses on global business. Its main campus was in Glendale, Arizona, until 2018, when it moved to the Downtown Phoenix area.

ASU in Washington, D.C. and California

ASU opened the Barrett and O'Connor Center in Washington, D.C., in 2018. This center helps ASU connect with the capital city. It hosts ASU's D.C.-based academic programs, like the Washington Bureau of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. It also offers classes and internships.

ASU also has a "California Center" in Los Angeles. This center offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, workshops, and seminars. In 2022, ASU took over a small college called Columbia College Hollywood and renamed it California College of ASU. In 2023, ASU also partnered with the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) to offer some of its programs, creating ASU FIDM.

Academics at ASU

Fall First-Year Statistics (Tempe Campus only)

	Fall 2019	Fall 2018	Fall 2017	Fall 2016	Fall 2015
Applicants	34,188	26,869	34,181	33,466	33,575
Admits	29,562	22,779	28,096	27,111	27,452
% Admitted	86.5	84.8	82.2	81.0	81.8
Enrolled	10,044	8,861	10,278	10,415	10,391
Avg. HS GPA	3.53	3.54	3.53	3.49	3.48

Fall First-Year Statistics (ASU Systemwide)

	Fall 2021	Fall 2020
Applicants	61,603	53516
Admits	54,329	47290
% Admitted	88.2	88.3
Enrolled	14,250	12,677
Avg. HS GPA	3.54	3.52

As of August 2022, ASU had a total of 140,759 students, including those taking online classes. About 79,000 students were on campus, and over 61,000 were online students.

For the 2022–2023 school year, ASU accepted 88% of all new student applications. The average high school GPA for new students was 3.54.

Barrett, The Honors College is one of the best honors programs in the country. While there are no strict rules to get in, students usually have high grades. For example, in Fall 2017, new students in Barrett College had an average GPA of 3.78. The Honors college has 7,236 students, including 719 National Merit Scholars.

ASU has many international students, with 10,268 students from over 150 countries. In 2016–2017, ASU was ranked the top public university in the U.S. for hosting international students. In June 2022, ASU was recognized as a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI). This means that for the first time, Hispanic students made up over 25% of the university's undergraduate students.

What Can You Study at ASU?

Undergraduate and Graduate Enrollment

	Fall 2021	Fall 2020	Fall 2019	Fall 2018	Fall 2017	Fall 2016	Fall 2015	Fall 2014	Fall 2013
Undergraduate	107,425	103,609	96,726	89,888	83,544	79,442	74,139	67,498	62,082
Graduate	28,304	25,179	23,225	21,361	19,986	18,704	17,183	15,762	14,646
Total campus-based enrollment	77,881	74,795	75,698	73,875	72,947	72,362	71,305	69,511	66,770
Online	53,933	53,993	44,253	37,374	30,583	25,784	20,017	13,749	9,958
Total including online enrollment	135,729	128,788	119,951	111,249	103,530	98,146	91,322	83,260	76,728

ASU offers over 350 different majors for undergraduate students. It also has more than 100 graduate programs. These programs lead to many master's and doctoral degrees in subjects like arts, sciences, engineering, journalism, education, business, law, nursing, and sustainability. These programs are part of 16 colleges and schools across ASU's six campuses.

ASU also has a "4+1 accelerated program." This allows students to earn their master's degree just one year after finishing their bachelor's degree. Arizona State University is officially recognized by the Higher Learning Commission.

ASU's Rankings and Recognition

In 2021, U.S. News & World Report ranked ASU tied for 103rd among all universities in the U.S. and tied for 46th among public universities. It was also ranked 1st for "most innovative schools." This ranking looks at how universities are making improvements in their classes, teachers, student life, and technology.

The Wall Street Journal ranked ASU 5th in the nation for producing the best-qualified graduates. This was based on a survey of companies looking to hire. ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication has been named one of America's top 10 journalism schools for over a decade.

ASU is also recognized for its efforts in sustainability. The Sierra Club named ASU one of the top 6 "Cool Schools" in 2017.

Research and Innovation at ASU

ASU is known for its "Very High Research Activity." In 2020, the university spent $673 million on research. ASU is a NASA-recognized national space-grant institute. In 2023, it joined the Association of American Universities, a group of top research universities. ASU is currently in the top 10 for research funded by NASA.

Over 180 companies have started based on ASU's ideas and inventions. The U.S. National Academy of Inventors ranks ASU among the top 10 nationally for U.S. patents given to universities. This shows how much new technology and ideas come from ASU.

The university has created many research institutes. These institutes help bring in more funding and researchers in different fields. ASU's Knowledge Enterprise (KE) helps with research, new ideas, partnerships, and economic growth. KE supports several research institutes that work across different subjects.

One famous institute is the Biodesign Institute. It does research on health care, like finding ways to diagnose and treat diseases with Mayo Clinic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Biodesign developed a quick, saliva-based test for the university community. The institute also works on sustainability research, like turning CO₂ into clean biofuels. Researchers at Biodesign also helped create the Ebola treatment ZMapp.

ASU is also involved with NASA in space exploration. The university built a large building called Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building IV (ISTB 4) for space research. One important project there is the OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emission Spectrometer (OTES). This is the first major scientific tool completely designed and built at ASU for a NASA space mission. ASU scientists also worked on instruments for the Martian rovers Spirit and Opportunity. The Buseck Center for Meteorite Studies, which has rare Martian meteorites, is on ASU's Tempe campus. In 2017, an ASU professor, Lindy Elkins-Tanton, was chosen by NASA to lead a mission to Psyche, a metal asteroid. This was the first NASA mission led by the university.

The Army Research Laboratory has given ASU's Flexible Display Center (FDC) grants to develop flexible screens. In 2012, researchers at the center made the world's largest flexible full-color organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen, which was 7.4 inches. The next year, they made an even bigger one, 14.7 inches. This technology is high-performing and affordable to make.

Luminosity Lab: Student-Led Innovation

The Luminosity Lab is a special group at ASU where students lead research and development projects. It was started in 2016. Students from many different subjects work together here.

Cool Projects by Luminosity Lab

NASA A team of students from the Luminosity Lab were finalists in NASA's 2020 BIG Idea Challenge. This was a national competition to build a probe to explore the dark parts of the Moon. Another team was a finalist in NASA's Space Robotics Challenge.

X-Prize In 2020, a team of five students from the Luminosity Lab won the X-Prize Next-Gen Mask challenge. They won $500,000 for designing a new type of mask. Their winning design got attention from news around the world.

ASU Libraries

ASU has nine libraries across its five campuses. Hayden Library, Noble Library, Music Library, and Design and the Arts Library are on the Tempe campus. Fletcher Library is on the West campus. The Downtown Phoenix campus has its own library and the Ross-Blakley Law Library. There's also a library on the Polytechnic campus and the Thunderbird Library.

As of 2013, ASU's libraries had 4.5 million books and other materials. The Arizona State University library system is ranked as the 34th largest research library in the U.S. and Canada.

Hayden Library is in the middle of the Tempe campus and is currently being updated. It opened in 1966 and is the biggest library at ASU. An expansion in 1989 created the underground entrance. There are two floors underground with a landmark called the "Beacon of Knowledge" rising from the center.

Sustainability at ASU

As of March 2014, ASU was the top university in the U.S. for generating solar energy. Today, the university produces over 24 megawatts (MW) of electricity from solar panels on its campuses. ASU has 88 solar panel installations with over 81,000 solar panels across its campuses and research park. In 2017, another large solar installation was added, bringing the university's total solar power to 50 MW.

Also, six wind turbines on the roof of the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability building on the Tempe campus have been working since 2008. These turbines produce enough electricity to power about 36 computers.

In 2021, ASU researchers put a special cooling film on bus shelters in Tempe. This film helps cool the shelters during the day by sending heat into space without using any energy. It cooled the shelters by 4 °C.

ASU's School of Sustainability was the first school in the United States to offer degrees in sustainability. This school is part of the Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability. It started in 2007 and offers majors, minors, and certificates in sustainability.

The university has set big goals for sustainability. One goal is to create a large recycling and composting program to keep 90% of waste out of landfills. This involves teaching students about avoiding too much waste. Another goal is to reduce water use by 50%. ASU also aims to be the first large research university to have zero carbon emissions from its buildings and operations.

ASU's College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (CISA) offers degrees and certificates in sustainable farming, natural resources, and wildlife management. CISA's Burrowing Owl Conservation Project at the Polytechnic campus is a special feature of ASU.

ASU Traditions

Maroon and Gold Colors

Gold is the oldest color linked to Arizona State University, dating back to 1896. Maroon and white were added in 1898. Gold represents ASU's "golden promise" that every student will get a great education. It also stands for Arizona's famous sunshine. Maroon means sacrifice and bravery, while white shows balance. On big game days, the school's colors decorate buildings around Tempe.

Sparky the Sun Devil Mascot

Sparky the Sun Devil is ASU's mascot. Students voted for his name on November 8, 1946. Sparky often travels with the sports teams and has been at every football bowl game ASU has played in. He is seen at every home game in Sun Devil Stadium. His routine at football games includes doing pushups after every touchdown the Sun Devils score. He is helped by Sparky's Crew, who are male cheerleaders. The female cheerleaders are called the Spirit Squad.

"A" Mountain: A Campus Landmark

A letter has been on the side of this mountain since 1918. The "A" has been there since 1938 and can be seen from campus. The original "A" was destroyed in 1952, but a new one made of strong concrete was built in 1955. There are many traditions around "A" Mountain. One is "guarding the 'A'," where students camp on the mountain before games against rival schools. Another is "Whitewashing" the "A." New students paint the letter white during orientation week. It's then repainted gold before the first football game of the season. This tradition started in the 1930s and is very popular.

Lantern Walk and Homecoming

The Lantern Walk is one of ASU's oldest and most loved traditions, going back to 1917. It celebrates the history of ASU. Anyone connected to ASU can join, including students, alumni, and staff. In the past, seniors would carry lanterns up "A" Mountain, followed by freshmen. The senior class president would talk about ASU's traditions, and the freshmen would promise to continue them. Today, participants walk through campus and up "A" Mountain to "light up" Tempe. The event includes speakers and performances, ending with fireworks. The Lantern Walk is now held the week before Homecoming, a tradition that started in 1924.

Victory Bell

In 2012, Arizona State University brought back the tradition of ringing a bell after every football team win. ROTC students carry the bell to events and ring it after Sun Devil victories. The first Victory Bell was used in the 1930s, but the tradition stopped in the 1970s. That old bell is now on display near Sun Devil Stadium.

Sun Devil Marching Band and Songs

The Arizona State University Sun Devil Marching Band, started in 1915, is known as the "Pride of the Southwest." It was one of the first bands in the Pac-12 to win the prestigious Sudler Trophy in 1991. The band plays at every football game in Sun Devil Stadium. They have also performed at many famous bowl games and even the Super Bowl XLII. Smaller groups from the band play at basketball and baseball games.

The most famous songs played by the band are "Alma Mater" and ASU's fight songs called "Maroon and Gold" and the "Al Davis Fight Song."

Curtain of Distraction

The Curtain of Distraction is a fun tradition at men's and women's basketball games. It started in 2013 to get more fans to the games. In the second half of games, a special "curtain" opens up in front of the opposing team when they are shooting a free throw. Students pop out of the curtain to try and distract the opponent. Some of the funny acts include an Elvis impersonator or people wearing unicorn heads. In 2016, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps even came out of the curtain wearing a Speedo!

Student Life at ASU

Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2020

Race and ethnicity	Total
White	47%	47
Hispanic	26%	26
Asian	8%	8
Foreign national	7%	7
Other	6%	6
Black	4%	4
Native American	1%	1
Economic diversity
Low-income	32%	32
Affluent	68%	68

Clubs and Activities

Arizona State University has many ways for students to get involved outside of classes. The Educational Outreach and Student Services (EOSS) office helps students find clubs, sororities, fraternities, community service opportunities, and student government roles.

The oldest student group on campus is Devils' Advocates. These are volunteer students who give tours of the campus. They started in 1966 to help attract top students.

Changemaker Central is a student-run center that helps students get involved in making positive social change. It offers spaces for students to meet, work, and find new projects. Changemaker Central also has programs like the Changemaker Challenge, where students can win up to $10,000 for their innovative ideas to help the community.

The Greek community (Greek Life) at ASU is also important for student life. It helps students connect and offers social activities. ASU is also home to one of the first and fastest-growing gay fraternities, Sigma Phi Beta, showing the university's support for diversity.

Student News and Radio

The State Press is the university's independent, student-run newspaper. It covers news and events across all four ASU campuses. Students are fully responsible for the content.

The Downtown Devil is a student-run news website for the Downtown Phoenix Campus. It's produced by students at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

ASU also has a student-run radio station called Blaze Radio. It's completely run by students and broadcasts online 24 hours a day. It plays music and features student-hosted news, music, and sports shows.

Student Government

The Associated Students of Arizona State University (ASASU) is the student government. It includes the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) and the Graduate & Professional Student Association (GPSA). Each ASU campus has its own USG. Students elect the members and officers of ASASU every year.

The Residence Hall Association (RHA) is the student government for all students living on campus. Each ASU campus has its own RHA. Their goal is to make life better in the dorms and to speak for students living on campus. They also organize cultural, educational, and social events.

ASU Athletics: The Sun Devils

Arizona State University's Division I sports teams are called the Sun Devils. This is also the nickname for students and alumni. They compete in the Pac-12 Conference in 20 different sports. ASU has a strong history in sports like baseball, golf, swimming, and football.

ASU has won 24 national team championships in sports like baseball (5), men's golf (2), women's golf (8), softball (2), and wrestling (1).

In 2012, Todd Graham became the head football coach. In December 2017, Herm Edwards took over as the head football coach. ASU's main rival is the University of Arizona.

The Arizona State Sun Devils football team started in 1896. They have played in many bowl games, including the Rose Bowl in 1987. They were also Pac-12 Champions in 1986, 1996, and 2007. Overall, the football team has won 17 Conference Championships.

ASU Sun Devils Hockey started competing with NCAA Division 1 schools in 2012 and became a full-time Division I team in 2016.

In April 2015, Bobby Hurley was hired as the men's basketball coach. In 2015, Bob Bowman, who trained Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, was hired as the head swim coach.

ASU students, including online students, can get a free ticket to all ASU athletic events by showing their student ID and reserving a ticket online.

Famous ASU Alumni

Arizona State University has over 600,000 alumni around the world. The Arizona State University Alumni Association is located in Old Main on the Tempe campus.

Leaders and Business People

Many important people have graduated from ASU. This includes influential U.S. senator Carl Hayden. Barbara Barrett, who was the U.S. Ambassador to Finland and later the Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, earned three degrees from ASU.

Other famous alumni include nine current or former U.S. Representatives, like Barry Goldwater Jr. and Ed Pastor. Arizona governors Doug Ducey and Jane Dee Hull also went to ASU. Peterson Zah, the first president of the Navajo Nation, is also an ASU alumnus.

Ira A. Fulton, a generous giver and founder of Fulton Homes, and Kate Spade, the famous fashion designer, both attended ASU. Alumnus Kevin Warren is a top executive for the Minnesota Vikings football team.

Athletes

Many world-famous athletes have attended ASU. This includes Silver Star recipient Pat Tillman, who left his National Football League career to join the United States Army after 9/11. World Golf Hall of Fame member Phil Mickelson, Baseball Hall of Fame member Reggie Jackson, and National Basketball Association All-Star James Harden are all ASU alumni.

Other notable athletes include baseball All-Stars Ian Kinsler and Dustin Pedroia, NBA All-Stars Lionel Hollins and Fat Lever, and NFL Pro Bowl players Jake Plummer and Danny White. Golfer Jon Rahm, who won the 2021 U.S. Open, and Olympic gold medalist swimmers Melissa Belote and Jan Henne also went to ASU.

Actors, Artists, and Writers

Famous people in entertainment who attended ASU include: Jimmy Kimmel Live! host Jimmy Kimmel; Steve Allen, the first host of The Tonight Show; actor Nick Nolte; Grammy Award-winning singer Linda Ronstadt; and Saturday Night Live actor David Spade. Wonder Woman actress Lynda Carter and actor Tyler Hoechlin also went to ASU.

Influential writers include Allison DuBois, whose novels inspired the TV show Medium, and best-selling author Temple Grandin.

Journalists and commentators include former Monday Night Football announcer Al Michaels and cartoonist Jerry Dumas. Radio host Michael Reagan, son of President Ronald Reagan, also briefly attended.

ASU Faculty

ASU's faculty (teachers and researchers) have included many famous people. Some are former CNN host Aaron Brown, physicist Paul Davies, and Pulitzer Prize winner Bert Hölldobler. David Kilcullen, an expert in counterinsurgency, is also a professor.

Donald Johanson, who discovered the 3.18 million-year-old fossil human ancestor Lucy (Australopithecus), is a professor at ASU. George Poste, a chief scientist for complex systems, is also on the faculty. Former U.S. senator Jeff Flake joined ASU as a distinguished dean fellow in 2020.

ASU has had several Nobel Prize winners on its faculty, including Leland Hartwell and Edward C. Prescott. Elinor Ostrom, ASU's third Nobel winner, passed away in 2012.

As of 2020, ASU faculty achievements include:

• 5 Nobel laureates
• 24 National Academy members
• 7 Pulitzer Prize winners
• 5 MacArthur Fellows
• 250 Fulbright American Scholars

Presidential Visits to ASU

Arizona State University has been visited by nine United States presidents. President Theodore Roosevelt was the first to visit, speaking at Old Main on March 20, 1911. President Lyndon B. Johnson spoke at ASU in 1972. Future president Gerald R. Ford debated at ASU in 1968 and returned as a former president in 1984. President Jimmy Carter visited the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism in 2015.

Future president Ronald Reagan gave a speech at the Memorial Union in 1957 and returned as a former president in 1989. President George H. W. Bush also gave a lecture at ASU in 1998.

President Bill Clinton was the first sitting president to visit ASU on October 31, 1996. He returned in 2006 and again in 2014 with Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton for a special event. President George W. Bush was the second sitting president to visit, debating Senator John Kerry at ASU in 2004. President Barack Obama visited ASU as president on May 13, 2009, to give the commencement speech. He had also visited as a senator.

President Richard Nixon did not visit ASU as president, but he did visit Phoenix in 1970 for an event that included the Arizona State University Band. He said, "when I am in Arizona, Arizona State is number one."

See Also

In Spanish: Universidad Estatal de Arizona para niños

• KAET (channel 8), a PBS member station owned by Arizona State University.