California State University, Fresno facts for kids
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Former name
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Fresno State Normal School (1911–1949) Fresno State College (1949–1972) |
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| Motto | Lucem Accipe Ut Reddas (Latin) |
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Motto in English
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"Receive the light that you may give it forth" |
| Type | Public research university |
| Established | 1911 |
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Parent institution
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California State University |
| Accreditation | WSCUC |
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Academic affiliation
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| Endowment | $170.8 million (2020) |
| Budget | $286.5 million (2017) |
| President | Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval |
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Academic staff
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1,194 |
| Students | 25,341 (Fall 2020) |
| Undergraduates | 22,564 (Fall 2020) |
| Postgraduates | 2,777 (Fall 2020) |
| Location |
,
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United States
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| Campus | Large city, 388 acres (157 ha) and 1,011 acres (409 ha) University Farm |
| Other campuses | Visalia |
| Newspaper | The Collegian |
| Colors | Cardinal red and blue |
| Nickname | Bulldogs |
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Sporting affiliations
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| Mascot | Victor E. Bulldog |
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California State University, Fresno (often called Fresno State) is a public university located in Fresno, California, United States. It's part of the larger California State University system. In Fall 2020, over 25,000 students attended Fresno State.
The university offers many different study programs. You can choose from 60 programs to earn a bachelor's degree (your first college degree), 45 programs for a master's degree, and 3 programs for a doctoral degree (the highest degree).
Fresno State is known for its cool facilities. It has its own planetarium on campus! There are also raisin and wine grape vineyards, and even a winery where students make award-winning wines. If you're on the nationally ranked equestrian (horse riding) team, you can even keep your horse on campus! The university also has a huge Student Recreation Center and one of the biggest libraries in the California State University system.
Contents
History of Fresno State
California State University, Fresno started in 1911 as the Fresno State Normal School. Its first president was Charles Lourie McLane. Back then, "normal schools" were places that trained teachers for public schools, which were growing very fast. Many of these schools later became colleges and then universities.
The first campus of Fresno State was where Fresno City College is today. In 1956, Fresno State moved to its current location in the northeast part of the city. The old campus was then bought by Fresno City College.
In 1949, the school's name changed to Fresno State College because it was allowed to offer bachelor's degrees. In 1961, it became part of the State College System of California, which later became the California State University System. Finally, in 1972, its official name became California State University, Fresno. Even with the long official name, most people still call it "Fresno State," especially for sports!
Exploring the Campus
The Fresno State campus stretches from Valley Children's Stadium on the west side to Highway 168 on the east. The University Agricultural Laboratory is on the north side, and Shaw Avenue is on the south.
Fresno State Library
The Fresno State Library is a huge place filled with books and information. It helps students and teachers with their learning and research.
The library opened in 2009. It holds over 1,000,000 books and is about 327,920 square feet in size. If you stretched out all the shelves, they would be over 20 miles long! It's the third-largest library in the CSU system and the biggest building on the Fresno State campus. The library has five floors with seating for almost 4,000 people, group study rooms, Wi-Fi, and even a Starbucks!
The library also has special collections. One is the Arne Nixon Center, which is a research center for children's and young adult books. Another is the Central Valley Political Archive.
Campus gallery
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Fresno State Library
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Music Building
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The Craig School of Business with the Sierra Nevada mountains in the background
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Tree Walk, part of Fresno State's arboretum
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Joyal Administration building
What You Can Study (Academics)
Fresno State was the first of all 23 California State University campuses to offer its own doctoral degree. For graduate students, Fresno State also has highly-rated programs in Physical Therapy, Nursing, Speech-Language Pathology, and Social Work.
In May 2019, Fresno State had its largest graduating class ever, with more than 6,200 students earning their degrees!
Accreditation and Recognition
California State University, Fresno is officially recognized by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. This means the university meets high standards for education. The engineering programs are also recognized by ABET, and the Craig School of Business is recognized by AACSB.
The U.S. government also recognizes Fresno State as a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI). This is because a large number of its students are from these groups.
Colleges and Schools
Fresno State has different colleges and schools where students can focus on specific subjects:
- Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology
- College of Arts and Humanities
- Craig School of Business
- Kremen School of Education and Human Development
- Lyles College of Engineering
- College of Health and Human Services
- College of Science and Mathematics
- College of Social Sciences
Smittcamp Family Honors College
The Smittcamp Family Honors College is a special program for top high school students. It offers a "President's Scholarship" that pays for tuition and housing. To get in, students need excellent grades and test scores. Students in this program get special benefits, like being able to register for classes first and meeting the university president.
University Rankings
Fresno State is often recognized as a great university.
- In 2022, Forbes magazine ranked Fresno State among the top universities in the nation.
- U.S. News & World Report also ranked Fresno State highly among U.S. national universities and public schools. It was also noted for helping students from all backgrounds succeed.
- Money magazine ranked Fresno State as one of the "Best Colleges for Your Money" and among the best public schools in the U.S.
- Washington Monthly ranked Fresno State highly for its focus on social mobility, research, and public service.
- In 2017, U.S. News & World Report said Fresno State was number one in the nation for its graduation rate performance among public universities.
Student Life at Fresno State
Student Involvement Center
The Student Involvement Center helps students get involved in campus life. They offer programs and activities that help students learn new skills and grow. They plan big events like Homecoming Week and Commencement (graduation).
Fraternity and Sorority Life
Fraternities and sororities have been a part of Fresno State for almost 100 years. There are 42 different groups with over 1,420 students. These groups offer a chance to make friends, do community service, and develop leadership skills.
Associated Students, Inc. (ASI)
ASI is the student government at Fresno State. Each year, twenty students are elected to represent the student body. ASI helps fund student projects and events on campus. They also provide grants to students for research and other academic projects.
Student Recreation Center
The Student Recreation Center opened in 2006. It's a place where students can exercise and stay active. Students pay a fee to use it, and it's right next to the Save Mart Center arena.
The center has four basketball courts, a dance studio, an indoor running track, locker rooms, racquetball courts, and lots of exercise equipment. You can also get personal training or join group fitness classes.
University Student Union
The original student union building was built in 1968. It's a central spot on campus for students to gather, relax, and study.
Fresno State Athletics: The Bulldogs!
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Fresno State is part of the NCAA Division I Mountain West Conference. The university's 22 sports teams are called the Bulldogs, and their colors are cardinal red and blue. The Bulldogs are known for their success in many sports, including basketball, football, soccer, tennis, baseball, softball, and volleyball.
In 2017, Fresno State brought back its wrestling program. They also added equestrianism (horse riding) to their sports.
The Fresno State–San Diego State football rivalry is a fun competition between the Fresno State Bulldogs football team and the San Diego State Aztecs. The winner of their game gets a special trophy called the "Old Oil Can."
The Bulldogs have won two NCAA Division I National Championships:
- In baseball, in 2008.
- In softball, in 1998.
Media at Fresno State
FresnoStateNews is an online news source that shares information about what's happening at Fresno State for students, teachers, and staff.
The FresnoState Magazine is published twice a year. It's a magazine that features current events at the university and stories about successful alumni (former students).
The Collegian is the campus newspaper, run by students. It comes out three times a week during the school year and also has an online version with videos and podcasts.
KFSR Radio is the campus radio station. It broadcasts at 90.7 FM and online. It's a non-profit station that plays jazz, blues, and many other types of music and shows 24/7.
Fresno State Focus is a weekly TV news show produced by students in the Media, Communications, and Journalism department.
ROTC Programs
Fresno State has two military programs on campus: Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC. ROTC stands for Reserve Officers' Training Corps, and it helps students train to become officers in the military after they graduate.
The Army unit is called the Bulldog Battalion. The Air Force ROTC unit, Detachment 35, is one of the oldest in the country, started in 1948. It has won many awards, including being named the top mid-sized detachment in the entire southwest region and then the best in the nation!
Famous Alumni
Many notable people have graduated from Fresno State. These include people who have worked in government, become famous athletes, or succeeded in business and media. For example, Paul George is a well-known basketball player, and Joy Covey was the first Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Amazon.com.
- Notable Fresno State alumni include:
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Rick Husband, American astronaut and former fighter pilot
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Timothy P. White, the seventh chancellor of the California State University
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Kenny Guinn, former American businessman and former governor of Nevada
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Cruz Bustamante, former American politician
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Ashley Swearengin, former Mayor of Fresno and current President/CEO of the Central Valley Community Foundation
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Lee P. Brown, American criminologist, public administrator, politician, and businessman
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Jim Nielsen, currently serving in the California State Senate
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Jim Costa, American politician
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Gary Soto, poet and novelist
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Devon Mathis, member of the California State Assembly
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David Carr, American former professional football athlete
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Davante Adams, professional football player
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Derek Carr, professional football player
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Trent Dilfer, professional football player and analyst
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Aaron Judge, professional baseball player
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Ryan Mathews, professional football player
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Lane Kiffin, professional football coach
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Images for kids
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The Old Administration Building, Fresno State's first permanent building (now part of Fresno City College)
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Downing Planetarium
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The campus on a foggy morning
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