San Diego State University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
San Diego State University

Former names	San Diego Normal School (1897–1923) San Diego State Teachers College (1923–1935) San Diego State College (1935–1972) California State University, San Diego (1972–1974)
Motto	"Leadership Starts Here"
Type	Public research university
Established	March 13, 1897; 128 years ago (1897-03-13)
Parent institution	California State University
Accreditation	WSCUC
Academic affiliations	Space-grant
Endowment	$380.1 million (2022)
Budget	$1.25 billion (2023)
President	Adela de la Torre
Provost	William Tong
Students	37,539 (Fall 2023)
Undergraduates	32,896 (Fall 2023)
Postgraduates	4,643 (Fall 2023)
Location	San Diego , California , United States 32°46′31″N 117°04′20″W / 32.77528°N 117.07222°W / 32.77528; -117.07222
Campus	Large city, 283 acres (1.15 km2)
Newspaper	The Daily Aztec
Colors	Red and black
Nickname	Aztecs
Sporting affiliations	Mountain West Conference
Mascot	Aztec warrior
San Diego State College
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Location	5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California
Area	283 acres (114.5 ha)
Architectural style	Mission/Spanish Revival
NRHP reference No.	97000924
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	September 4, 1997

San Diego State University (SDSU) is a large public school in San Diego, California. It was started in 1897 as San Diego Normal School. Its first goal was to train women to be elementary school teachers.

SDSU is the third-oldest university in the California State University (CSU) system. It is also the southernmost of the 23 schools in the CSU system. The university offers many different degrees. These include bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.

The university has eight main colleges. These include colleges for Arts and Letters, Business, Education, and Engineering. There are also colleges for Health and Human Services, Professional Studies and Fine Arts, and Sciences. SDSU also has a special Weber Honors College.

SDSU is known for its research activities. It is ranked among universities with "High research activity." In Fall 2023, over 32,000 undergraduate students attended SDSU. The school's sports teams are called the San Diego State Aztecs. They compete in NCAA Division I sports.

History of SDSU

San Diego State University began on March 13, 1897. It was first called the San Diego Normal School. Its main purpose was to train women to become teachers. The school was located on a 17-acre campus in University Heights.

It started with only seven teachers and 91 students. At first, students could only study English, history, and math. In 1923, the school changed its name to San Diego State Teachers College. It became a four-year public school.

By the 1930s, the school needed more space. In 1931, it moved to its current spot on Montezuma Mesa. In 1935, the school offered more than just teacher training. It was then renamed San Diego State College. In 1960, it became part of the California State Colleges system. This system is now known as The California State University.

The school's name changed again in 1972 to California State University, San Diego. Finally, in 1974, it became San Diego State University (SDSU).

Many important people have visited SDSU. On June 6, 1963, John F. Kennedy, who was the President of the United States, gave a graduation speech. He received an honorary degree, which was a special award. This was the first time a California State College gave such an award.

On May 29, 1964, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at the Open Air Theater. He talked about his hopes for the future. He also asked for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to be passed. In April 2012, the XIV Dalai Lama also spoke at SDSU's Viejas Arena.

After the San Diego Chargers football team moved in 2017, SDSU worked to get their stadium. This stadium was called Qualcomm Stadium. SDSU wanted to buy the land around it too. The plan, called SDSU West, was approved by voters in 2017.

On May 29, 2020, the city agreed to sell 135 acres to SDSU for $88 million. SDSU started building a new 35,000-seat stadium in August 2020. This stadium, called Snapdragon Stadium, opened in September 2022. It hosts SDSU football games, concerts, and other events. The stadium is also home to the San Diego Wave FC soccer team and the San Diego Legion rugby team. A new soccer team, San Diego FC, will play there starting in 2025.

The whole project, called SDSU Mission Valley, will cost $3.5 billion. It will include homes, offices, shops, hotels, and 80 acres of parks. This includes a 34-acre river park. The project will be built in stages over 15 years.

University Presidents

SDSU has had 10 presidents over the years. Two of them served as temporary presidents. Many buildings on campus are named after past presidents. These include Hardy Tower, Hepner Hall, and the Malcolm A. Love Library.

In 2017, President Elliot Hirshman resigned. Sally Roush was the temporary president. On January 31, 2018, Adela de la Torre became the permanent president. She is the first woman to hold this role permanently.

• Samuel T. Black (1898–1910)
• Edward L. Hardy (1910–35)
• Walter R. Hepner (1935–52)
• Malcolm Love (1952–71)
• Donald E. Walker (1971–72, acting)
• Brage Golding (1972–77)
• Trevor Colbourn (1977–78, acting)
• Thomas B. Day (1978–96)
• Stephen L. Weber (1996–2011)
• Elliot Hirshman (2011–17)
• Sally Roush (2017–18, acting)
• Adela de la Torre (2018–present)

SDSU Campus

Several buildings at SDSU are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites.

• Scripps Cottage was finished in 1931. It was funded by a donation from Ellen Browning Scripps. It was first used for women's student activities. Later, it became a center for international students. Today, it is used for meetings and events.
• Near Scripps Cottage is a famous turtle pond. Students call it the turtle pond. However, the university meant for it to be a Koi fish pond. The turtles are actually pets left behind by old owners. Still, the turtle pond is a popular spot on campus.
• The Aztec Bowl was built in 1936. It cost $500,000 to build. It was first planned to hold 45,000 seats. But it was only expanded once, adding 5,000 seats in 1948.
• Viejas Arena was built over part of the Aztec Bowl. It opened in July 1997.
• The CalCoast Credit Union Open Air Theatre opened in 1941. It was funded by the Works Progress Administration.
• Hepner Hall was renamed in 1976 to honor Walter R. Hepner. It is one of the main buildings on campus.
• Peterson Gymnasium was finished in 1961. It was first called the Women's Gym. It was later remodeled and reopened in 1990.
• Hardy Memorial Tower looks like a Spanish bell tower. It is one of the most recognized buildings on campus. It holds the university's chimes. It also used to hide a large water tank. The building had the university's first library.
• Other historic buildings include the Communications building, Exercise and Nutritional Sciences building, and the Life Sciences building.

Other important buildings on campus include:

• The Malcolm A. Love Library is a very large library. It opened in 1971. It was named after President Malcolm A. Love. He helped the college become a university. The library can hold one million books.
• The Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union was finished in 2014. It is twice as big as the old student union. It is the first student union in the U.S. to earn a special "LEED Platinum" award. This means it is very energy-efficient.
• The Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center opened in 2009. It cost $11 million. It is home to the SDSU Alumni Association.
• Storm and Nasatir Halls were rebuilt and opened in 2014. They house eight academic departments. They also have new classrooms and research facilities. Storm Hall is named after geography professor Alvena Storm. Nasatir Hall is named after history professor Abraham P. Nasatir.

On-Campus Living

In 1937, Quetzal Hall was the first dorm for students. It housed 40 women. Today, SDSU has housing for over 4,100 students. This includes dorms, apartments, and special housing.

About 63% of new freshmen live on campus. About 14% of all students live on campus. SDSU offers themed living areas. These include "gender-neutral housing" and "explore San Diego."

Off-Campus Facilities

Mount Laguna Observatory

Since 1968, SDSU's Astronomy Department has owned the Mount Laguna Observatory. It is located in the Cleveland National Forest.

Biological Field Stations

SDSU's College of Sciences runs several field stations. These are places where scientists study nature. They include:

• Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve
• Sky Oaks Field Station
• Fortuna Mountain Research Reserve
• Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve

Coastal and Marine Institute Laboratory (CMIL)

The Coastal and Marine Institute Laboratory (CMIL) is a lab run by the SDSU College of Sciences. It is located on the coast.

Branch Campuses

Imperial Valley Campus

SDSU has a branch campus called the Imperial Valley Campus (IVC). It is located in Calexico, California. There is also a smaller campus in Brawley, California. This campus now accepts some freshmen and sophomores.

SDSU–Georgia Campus

SDSU-Georgia is a branch campus in Tbilisi, Georgia. It works with three Georgian universities. SDSU-Georgia offers degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Academics and Student Life

Fall Freshman Profile

	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013
Applicants	82,691	76,821	67,602	64,700	69,713	68,897	60,554	60,545	58,898	56,759	54,320
Admits	28,344	30,231	25,610	23,711	23,685	23,676	21,311	20,858	20,204	19,524	20,183
% Admitted	34.3	39.4	37.9	36.6	34.0	34.4	35.2	34.5	34.3	34.4	37.2
Enrolled	6,095	6,514	5,236	4,798	5,210	5,680	5,301	5,011	5,142	4,978	4,671
Avg GPA	3.86	3.87	3.82	3.81	3.78	3.73	3.71	3.68	3.69	3.69	3.61
ACT	N/A	N/A	N/A	25.2	25.2	25.2	25.4	25.2	25.0	24.5	24.1
SAT*	N/A	N/A	N/A	1198	1212	1208	1195	1117	1118	1115	1106
*(out of 1600)

SDSU offers many different degrees. These include 190 bachelor's degrees, 91 master's degrees, and 30 doctoral degrees. It also offers 26 different teaching certificates. SDSU offers more doctoral degrees than any other school in the California State University system. It also has the most doctoral students.

SDSU is one of the most popular universities to apply to in the U.S. For Fall 2018, it received over 60,500 applications. It accepted about 21,300 students. This means about 35% of applicants were accepted. This is one of the lowest acceptance rates in the CSU system.

In Fall 2022, SDSU had a record number of students, nearly 37,000. Over 400,000 people have graduated from SDSU.

SDSU is known as a Hispanic-serving institution. This means it has a large number of Hispanic students. It can also be called an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander serving institution.

For Fall 2018, new students who were accepted had an average high school GPA of 3.93. Their average SAT score was 1,264 out of 1,600.

Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2023

Race and ethnicity	Total
White	34%	34
Hispanic	34%	34
Asian	13%	13
Other	10%	10
Foreign national	4%	4
Black	4%	4
Economic diversity
Low-income	25%	25
Affluent	75%	75

In 1987, SDSU had its highest number of students, with 35,945 full-time students. This made it the largest university in California at the time. The California State University decided to limit SDSU's enrollment to 33,000 students. However, enrollment has changed over the years. In 2008, it went back up to nearly 35,000 students.

University Rankings

San Diego State University is often listed among the best universities. PayScale ranked SDSU 227th in the U.S. for its "Best Value Colleges" in 2019. This ranking looks at how much money graduates earn compared to the cost of their education.

Money magazine ranked SDSU 79th out of 739 schools in 2020. This was for its "Best Colleges for Your Money" list.

U.S. News & World Report ranked SDSU tied for 143rd among national universities in 2021. It was also tied for 65th among "Top Public Schools." The College of Engineering's undergraduate program ranked tied for 102nd.

The Academic Ranking of World Universities placed San Diego State among the top 200 universities worldwide for Economics and Business.

SDSU is also a top producer of U.S. Fulbright Scholars. These are students who receive special scholarships to study abroad. More than 65 SDSU students have received Fulbright Scholarships since 2005.

The university is ranked highly for its diversity. Nearly 45% of all SDSU graduates are the first in their family to earn a college degree.

SDSU offers many international programs. It has 335 programs in 52 countries. Thirty-four SDSU programs require students to study abroad. SDSU ranks first in California for students studying abroad.

SDSU is home to the first-ever MBA program in Global Entrepreneurship. Students in this program study at universities around the world. In 1970, SDSU started the first women's studies program in the country.

University Structure

Schools and Colleges

SDSU has three colleges focused on general studies:

• College of Arts & Letters
• College of Sciences
• College of Professional Studies & Fine Arts

It also has five colleges that focus on specific career paths:

• Global Campus (and American Language Institute)
• Fowler College of Business
• College of Education
• College of Engineering
• College of Health & Human Services (which includes the Graduate School of Public Health)

SDSU also has two named schools:

• L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
• Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy

Additionally, SDSU has 11 specialized schools:

• School of Communication
• School of Public Affairs
• School of Music and Dance
• School of Art and Design
• School of Exercise and Nutritional Science
• School of Social Work
• Graduate School of Public Health
• School of Journalism and Media Studies
• School of Nursing
• School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
• School of Theatre, Television, and Film

Athletics at SDSU

Men's Sports	Women's Sports
Baseball	Basketball
Football	Cross country
Basketball	Golf
Golf	Lacrosse
Soccer	Soccer
Tennis	Softball
	Swimming & Diving
	Tennis
	Track & Field†
	Volleyball
	Water Polo
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor.

SDSU's sports teams are called the "Aztecs." The university has six men's and eleven women's sports teams.

Early sports at SDSU included rowing, tennis, basketball, golf, and baseball. The football team even had faculty members play because there weren't enough students. In 1921, the college joined the Junior College Conference. They won many titles, so the league asked them to leave.

From 1925 to 1926, the college played independently. Then, in 1926, they joined the Southern California Conference. The football team didn't win a conference championship until 1936. But the tennis and basketball teams did very well.

The basketball team won many championships in the 1930s and 1940s. They reached the national championship in 1939 and 1940. In 1941, they won the college's first national title. The track team also won many conference titles.

In 1961, Don Coryell became the football coach. He led the team to three championships from 1966–68. His record was 104 wins, 19 losses, and 2 ties. Famous coaches like John Madden and Joe Gibbs helped him. In 1969, San Diego State College moved to NCAA Division I.

The 1973 men's volleyball team won the NCAA national championship. This was SDSU's first NCAA Division I national title.

SDSU competes in NCAA Division I FBS. Its main conference is the Mountain West Conference. The university's colors are red and black. The mascot is the Aztec Warrior.

Baseball

The baseball team plays at Tony Gwynn Stadium on campus. It opened in 1997. The stadium is named after Tony Gwynn. He was a famous SDSU baseball player and coach. He also played for the San Diego Padres. The field is named Charlie Smith Field, after a long-time SDSU baseball coach.

Football

The football team plays in the Football Bowl Subdivision. They started playing at the new Snapdragon Stadium in 2022. They have won 21 conference championships. They also won three national championships in the small college division.

The Fresno State–San Diego State football rivalry is a big game. The winner gets the "Old Oil Can" trophy.

Basketball

The men's and women's basketball teams play at Viejas Arena. It opened in 1997. The court is named Steve Fisher Court. This is after the long-time SDSU basketball coach Steve Fisher. Both teams practice at the Jeff Jacobs JAM Center.

The men's team started in 1921. They have been to fifteen NCAA Division I tournaments. They also went to six NIT tournaments. Their best finish was in the 2023 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.

Soccer

The men's and women's soccer teams play at the SDSU Sports Deck. This facility opened in 2000. The women's team plays in the Mountain West Conference. The men's team plays in the Pac-12 Conference. In 1987, the men's team reached the NCAA Division I Men's Championship final.

Volleyball

The women's volleyball team plays at Peterson Gymnasium's Aztec Court. The former men's volleyball team won the 1973 NCAA men's volleyball tournament. This was SDSU's first national championship in any sport. However, the men's program was stopped in 2000.

Other Sports

• The SDSU Sports Deck also hosts the women's track & field team. It has a natural grass soccer field and a track.
• The softball team plays at the SDSU Softball Stadium. It was finished in 2005.
• The women's swimming and diving and women's water polo teams use the Aztec Aquaplex. This facility opened in 2007. It has an Olympic-size swimming pool.
• Both the men's and women's tennis teams play at the Aztec Tennis Center. This facility has 12 courts.
• The Aztecs rugby club started in 1958. The men's team won the US National Collegiate Rugby Championship in 1987.
• Other water sports are based at the Mission Bay Aquatic Center (MBAC). This center offers many outdoor and water activities for students.

Student Life

Media and Publications

Students started publishing The White and Gold in 1902. It was a magazine and newspaper. Later, the school newspaper became The Daily Aztec in 1959. It is now the largest daily college newspaper in California. The Koala is an independent comedy newspaper.

SDSU media and publications

• San Diego State University Press
• KCR (SDSU) College Radio
  • A radio station run by students for the SDSU community.
• KPBS Public Broadcasting TV/FM
  • TV and radio for the San Diego community.
  • Part of the PBS network.
• 360 Magazine
  • A magazine for SDSU alumni and the San Diego community.
• Montezuma Publishing
  • A non-profit that creates course materials for SDSU students.

SDSU campus newspapers

• The Daily Aztec, the largest daily college newspaper in California.
• The Koala, an independent funny newspaper.

Clubs and Activities

Some of the first clubs at SDSU included the Debating Club and the Associated Student Body. The oldest club on campus was The Rowing Association.

Formula SAE

Aztec Racing is SDSU's SAE student group. Every year, engineering students design and build a race car. They then compete against other universities in the Formula SAE event. Students from other majors also help with managing and promoting the project.

Greek Life

Fraternities and sororities have been at SDSU for over 100 years. SDSU has many recognized Greek-letter groups. Most belong to one of four main councils.

The Interfraternity Council (IFC) has 15 fraternities. The College Panhellenic Association (CPA) has 8 sororities.

Fraternities (IFC)		Sororities (CPA)
Alpha Epsilon Pi Beta Theta Pi Delta Chi Delta Sigma Phi Delta Upsilon Kappa Alpha Order Phi Delta Theta Phi Kappa Psi	Phi Kappa Tau Pi Kappa Alpha Sigma Alpha Epsilon Sigma Chi Sigma Phi Epsilon Tau Kappa Epsilon Zeta Beta Tau	Alpha Chi Omega Alpha Gamma Delta Alpha Phi Delta Gamma	Gamma Phi Beta Kappa Alpha Theta Kappa Delta Pi Beta Phi

SDSU also has many multicultural Greek groups. The United Sorority & Fraternity Council (USFC) has 17 groups. The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) has historically African American groups.

In 1974, the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society started a chapter at SDSU. This was the first in the CSU system.

LGBT-Friendly Campus

San Diego State University is known for supporting LGBT students. In 2016, Campus Pride Index ranked SDSU among the "Best of the Best" Top 30 LGBTQ-friendly colleges. SDSU has been on this list for seven years.

SDSU was recognized in 2014 as one of the top 20 LGBT-friendly campuses in the U.S. The university has many programs to support LGBT students. These include Safe Zone training and a Lavender Graduation ceremony. SDSU was the first university in California to offer a major in LGBT studies. In 2014, SDSU opened a Pride Center. This center provides resources for LGBT students.

Traditions at SDSU

• The San Diego State Marching Aztecs and Pep and Varsity Bands play at many sports events.
• The SDSU campus is called "Montezuma Mesa." This is because it is on a mesa (a flat-topped hill) overlooking Mission Valley.

S Mountain

On February 27, 1931, students painted a 400-foot white "S" on Cowles Mountain. This "S" was created to build school spirit. It was lit up at night for football games. During World War II, the "S" was covered up. This was to prevent it from being a target for enemy planes. It was uncovered in 1944.

In the 1970s, students stopped painting it. But after a brush fire in 1988, it was seen again and repainted. In 1997, 100 volunteers used flashlights to outline the "S." This was to celebrate the school's 100th anniversary.

School Colors and Aztec Mascot

The first school colors were white and gold. When a junior college joined in 1921, the colors became blue, gold, and white. Later, new colors were chosen: gold and purple. On January 28, 1928, the colors changed to scarlet (red) and black.

The school's teams used to have nicknames like "Normalites" and "Wampus Cats." The idea for the Aztec mascot came from a student in 1925. He was inspired by murals of native people from Latin America. The students voted to use the Aztec name. They wanted the name to stand for courage and fighting spirit.

In 1937, artist Donal Hord created a sculpture called "Aztec." It was made from a 2.5-ton block of black stone. In 2002, the sculpture was moved. A large copy of it was put in the Alumni Center in 2009.

In 1941, a student first dressed up as an Aztec for a football game skit. This character became known as Monty Montezuma.

In 2000, some students felt the Aztec name and mascot were not respectful. A group was formed to study the issue. They suggested updating the logos and defining Montezuma as an "ambassador," not a mascot. In 2002, Monty Montezuma was renamed Ambassador Montezuma. He was meant to teach about Aztec history.

In 2003, the school officially stopped using Ambassador Montezuma. Students and alumni voted to make the Aztec Warrior the official "Spirit Leader." In 2010, SDSU briefly used a jaguar mascot named Zuma. But Zuma was retired in 2012.

The Aztec mascot has continued to be a topic of discussion. In 2018, President Sally Roush decided to keep the Aztec identity. However, she decided to stop using the Aztec Warrior as a mascot. Instead, it would be a "Spirit Leader."

Campus Incident

1996 Campus Shooting

On August 15, 1996, a shooting happened on campus. A graduate student shot and killed three of his professors. This happened while he was presenting his thesis. The shooter was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. As a memorial, tables with plaques for each victim are near the College of Engineering building.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

San Diego State University has over 400,000 alumni around the world. Many famous people have graduated from SDSU. The university is one of the top schools for producing U.S. Student Fulbright Scholars.

• 

  Jerry Sanders, former Mayor of San Diego.
• 

  Kevin Faulconer, former Mayor of San Diego.
• 

  Ellen Ochoa, Director of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
• 

  Marion Ross, Actress.
• 

  Julie Kavner, Actress and Voice of Marge Simpson.
• 

  Ricardo Lara, California Insurance Commissioner.
• 

  Pam Muñoz Ryan, American writer for children and young adults.

• 

  Gregory Peck, Actor.
• 

  Darren Kavinoky, Lawyer and TV Personality.
• 

  Lalo Alcaraz, cartoonist and author.

• 

  Merrill McPeak, Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force.
• 

  Courtney Friel, News Anchor.
• 

  Kathleen Kennedy, Movie Producer (Jurassic Park, E.T.).
• 

  Raquel Welch, American actress and singer.

• 

  Tyler Diep, former California State Assembly member.

• 

  Steve Glazer, California State Senator.

• 

  Dennis Conner, yachtsman.

• 

  Tony Gwynn, MLB Hall of Fame.
• 

  Marshall Faulk, NFL Hall of Fame.
• 

  Kawhi Leonard, NBA Finals MVP.

• 

  Stephen Strasburg, MLB World Series MVP.
• 

  Xander Schauffele, PGA Tour player.

See also

In Spanish: Universidad Estatal de San Diego para niños