California State University, Fresno

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California State University, Fresno
Image:CSUFSeal.gif
Established: 1911
Type: Public
President: Dr. John Welty
Faculty: 2,109
Undergraduates: 18,000
Postgraduates: 3,000
Location: Fresno, California, USA
Campus: Urban, 327 acres (1.3 km²) and 1,083 acre (4 km²) University Farm
Colors: Cardinal and blue         
Mascot: Bulldog
Affiliations: California State University system; Western Athletic Conference (NCAA Division 1)
Website: csufresno
The campus on a sunny day
The campus on a sunny day

California State University, Fresno, commonly referred to as Fresno State, is one of the campuses of California State University, located at the northeast edge of Fresno, California, USA.

The campus sits at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the San Joaquin Valley. Fresno County is the sixth largest metropolitan area in California. The university is within an hour's drive of many mountain and lake resorts and within a three- or four-hour drive of both Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Fresno State operates on a semester schedule. The fall semester runs from late August through December. The spring semester runs from mid-January through mid-May. A summer semester was officially established in 2007 and runs from late-May through early-August.

Contents

[edit] Campus

The greater campus extends from Fraternity Row off of Millbrook and Bulldog Stadium in the west to the Save Mart Center and soon to be constructed Campus Pointe and Highway 168 in the east. Vineyards and orchards designate the northern boundary of the campus, while Shaw Avenue designates the southern.

The 388 acre (1.6 km²) main campus features more than 46 traditional and modern buildings. An additional 34 structures are on the 1,022 acre (4 km²) University Farm, which is considered one of the most modern and best equipped agricultural facilities in the West.[citation needed] Fresno State was officially designated as an arboretum in 1978 and now boasts more than 4,000 trees on campus.

In February of 2006, the Student Recreation Center opened. The center was fully funded by private donations and continues to be fully funded by a semester student-use fee. The center has four full-size basketball courts, a dance studio, a 1/8 mile (200 m) indoor running track, locker rooms, 2 racquetball courts, aerobic equipment, and weight-lifting machines. The Student Recreation Center is adjacent to the Save Mart Center arena.

A variety of projects are under construction, including a solar panel-covered parking lot and a new library building which will serve as the new campus centerpiece. The north wing of the building was demolished in the fall of 2006, and when completed in 2008 the new Henry Madden Library will be the largest in the 23-campus California State University system.

In addition, to serve the growing rural population in Central California, Fresno State offers upper-level classes at the College of the Sequoias, West Hills College, and Antelope Valley College via distance learning.

[edit] Academics

Smittcamp Honors College - Scholarship program providing top California high school graduates a fully paid scholarship, room and board, as well as other amenities for the duration of their studies. Named after longtime campus friend and philanthropist Earl Smittcamp.

Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) - Designed as a program to increase the number of college students and graduates from underserved and rural Hispanic families.

The Craig School of Business is considered one of the top business schools in the western US. According to the Princeton Review, Craig School (MBA) is a top-45 business school nationwide, based on annual rankings. Listed in that publication's 2006 "Best 282 Business Schools." The Sid Craig School of Business at California State University Fresno is accredited by the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Air Force AFROTC and Army ROTC detachments on campus.

Graduation - Annual Commencement ceremony now takes place at the Save Mart Center arena (since 2004). Previous graduations were conducted at Bulldog Stadium.

[edit] Accreditation

Fresno State is accredited by California Board of Education and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The university has 26 nationally accredited departmental programs, among the highest number within the CSU system.

The campus on a foggy morning
The campus on a foggy morning

[edit] Colleges

[edit] Athletics and traditions

Image:Splitsection.svg
 It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article entitled Fresno State Bulldogs. (Discuss)


Main article: Fresno State Bulldogs football
Fresno State Bulldogs logo
Fresno State Bulldogs logo

Fresno State is a member of the NCAA's Division I. Fresno State has been a member of the Western Athletic Conference since 1992. Before that, it had been a member of the Big West Conference since 1969 (the conference was known as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association until 1988). Fresno State was also a member of the California Collegiate Athletic Association from its beginning in 1939 (when Fresno State was in Division II).

Fresno State's football team is currently coached by Pat Hill. Since joining the WAC in 1992, it has shared three WAC titles; in 1992 and 1993 under Head Coach Jim Sweeney, and in 1999 with the University of Hawaiʻi, Hill's only title. However, Hill has garnered a reputation for being willing to play any top-ranked opponent, anytime, anywhere (usually on the opponent's field). Fresno State (as of December 2005) has achieved success with a 10-8 record against BCS teams, the most by any program not in a BCS conference. This has provided the Bulldogs a following among college football fans who admire its willingness to challenge the best teams (and has resulted in the Bulldogs being featured more regularly on college football TV programs than most non-BCS conference teams). However, their success in their non-conference games hasn't translated to championships in conference play. The Bulldogs haven't won the WAC title since sharing it in 1999. Fresno State often travels between 10,000-20,000 miles (30,000 km) during its football season, between its WAC conference games (the conference itself is spread from Ruston, Louisiana to Honolulu, Hawaʻii) and its usually brutal non-conference schedule. Boise State and Hawaiʻi are two of Fresno State's major in-conference rivals.]] Bulldog basketball squads play at the crown jewel of the WAC, the Save Mart Center. This facility houses the ECHL's Fresno Falcons hockey team and is regularly on the Pollstar list of top 25 concert and entertainment venues by attendance.

The Lady Bulldog softball team has had a lengthy tradition of winning since the inception of the sport. The softball team owns the distinction of winning the first and only NCAA National Championship for Fresno State in 1998. Fresno State defeated then-top ranked Arizona 1-0 in the 1998 NCAA championship game in Oklahoma City thanks to the strong arm of All-American pitcher Amanda Scott and the bat of All-American Nina Lindenberg, who scored the game's only run on a solo home run. The Bulldogs finished the season ranked No. 1 in the nation. Through the 2007 season, Fresno State remains the nation's only softball team to have participated in all 26 NCAA Division I championships. The Bulldogs are coached by Margie Wright, the nation's winningest Division I coach in the sport. Wright, who has led Fresno State to nine Western Athletic Conference championships in the last 10 years and 17 league crowns overall, enters her 23rd season as head coach of the Lady Bulldogs in 2008.

Beiden Field was the former home of the Pacific Coast League (AAA) farm team of the San Francisco Giants (1998-2001). The Fresno Grizzlies moved to their current downtown stadium in May of 2002. Beiden Field is often listed by Baseball America as a top-25 NCAA baseball facility. It hosted the 2006 WAC baseball tournament.

[edit] Sports

Fresno State fields seven sports for men:

Fresno State fields nine sports for women:

[edit] Sports facilities

[edit] Traditions

  • Official colors are Cardinal and Navy blue
  • The mascot of Fresno State is a bulldog named Timeout.
  • The green "V" worn on the back of the football players' helmets (and also on the front of the basketball uniforms along the neckline) honors the agricultural industry of the San Joaquin Valley, and the importance it plays in financially supporting Fresno State (as well as the university's contributions to the area economy).
  • In August 2006, Fresno State brought back the official live Bulldog of the team. Victor E. Bulldog, a 2-year old Bulldog, was introduced during the football home opener versus Nevada on September 1, 2006.

[edit] Fight song

Fight Varsity
On your toes dig in and hit that line!
We're all pulling hard for you
So fight and give the best there is in you
Fight Varsity
On your toes and hit that line!
We'll fight on to victory
We're always true to Fresno State!

[edit] Alma Mater

Let us in song, our voices raise
 In cloistered courts, to sound thy praise.
Each voice and heart that sings is true
To thee, oh, Cardinal and Blue.
For thee, our hopes and memories;
For thee, our hearts and loyalties.
Thy sons and daughters hail thee great,
Our Alma Mater, Fresno State!

[edit] Notable alumni

Image:Splitsection.svg
 It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article entitled List of California State University, Fresno alumni. (Discuss)


  • Armen A. Alchian, Professor Emeritus, Founder of the "UCLA Tradition" in Economics
  • Verna L. Allen, Exec. Dir. Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Ed
  • Theresa Alvillar-Speake, Director of the Office of Minority Economic Impact, Department of Energy
  • Erika Aure, Director of Nursing in the Philippines, and recipient of the Presidential award for outstanding achievement in the field of excellence by the Philippines Board of Health.
  • Marvin Baxter, Justice, California Supreme Court
  • Prof. Wendell Bell, Yale University's Graduate Studies Director
  • Robert Beltran, Actor, Commander Chakotay of the USS Voyager (Star Trek)
  • William Boyanjian, former President, Gemological Institute of America
  • Lee P. Brown, former Mayor of Houston, former New York Police Commissioner
  • Ezunial Burts, President - Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce
  • Cruz Bustamante, California Lieutenant Governor
  • Joe Cafaro, Cafaro Cellars, Napa Valley, California
  • Daniel Chacón, University professor, acclaimed essayist, playwright, and fiction writer
  • Malinda Chouinard, Owner of Patagonia, one of the world's most successful designers of outdoor clothing and gear
  • Roy Christopher, Emmy Award winning set designer
  • Jac Cole, Winemaker for the Charles Krug Winery
  • Noreen Corcoran, Actress
  • Jim Costa, U.S. Representative, Former California State Assembly Member
  • Joy Covey, Former Chief Strategy Officer, Amazon.com
  • Sid Craig, CEO, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of Jenny Craig, Inc.
  • Dr. Joseph Crowley, President Emeritus, University of Nevada
  • Larry S. Dickenson, Senior VP Sales, Boeing
  • Nat DiBuduo, President, Allied Grape Growers of California
  • William Everson, poet (did not graduate)
  • David Fillpot, President of Alaras Software, enterprise software development
  • Major General Jon Gallinetti, Commander Joint Warfighting Center, and Director, Joint Training, J-7, U.S. Joint Forces Command
  • Geoffrey Gamble, President, Montana State Univ.
  • Jim Ganduglia; Touring musician with Johnny Mathis
  • Kirk D. Grimes, Exec. of Energy & Chemicals, Fluor Corp
  • Kenny Guinn, Governor of Nevada
  • Robert Hanashiro, USA Today Photographer
  • Joe Heitz, Heitz Wine Cellars, established the viticulture program at California State University, Fresno.
  • Richard Douglas Husband, mission commander, shuttle Columbia STS107, 2003
  • Sam Iacobellis, CEO, Rockwell International (retired). Led development of B1 bomber
  • Bill Jones, former California Secretary of State
  • Cuneyt Koryurek, Turkish journalist, Author [1]
  • Emily Kuroda, Award-Winning Actress
  • Brad Lewis, producer of Ratatouille
  • John Lofgren, clothing store owner and jewelry designer. Has resided in Japan since 1998.
  • Janet Nichols Lynch, author
  • Adam Majid, Business Analyst, Affiliated Computer Services, San Francisco
  • Alex A. Martinez, Deputy CAO, San Diego County
  • Jose Benito Martinez Jr., Warner Bros. Technical Operations, Lead.
  • Mike Martz, former NFL head coach, St. Louis Rams, current offensive coordinator for San Francisco 49ers
  • Manny Mashouf, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, bebe stores
  • Eric McAfee, Co-founder of Cagan McAfee Capital Partners
  • Col. Steven Nagel, NASA Astronaut
  • Joe Odagiri, Japanese actor
  • Paul O'Neill, former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, CEO of Alcoa Corporation
  • Sam Peckinpah, Film director
  • Dr. Norval Pohl, Former President, University of North Texas
  • Charles Poochigian, California State Senator
  • Al Radka, Radio and Television Personality
  • Tammy Savage, Manager of Business Development, Microsoft
  • Gary Soto, acclaimed poet, essayist, and fiction writer
  • Roberta Spear, Award-Winning Poet
  • Sribala Subramanian, Times Magazine journalist
  • Sherley Anne Williams, Author, National Book Award Nominee, Emmy Award Winner

[edit] Notable athletes

Image:Splitsection.svg
 It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article entitled List of California State University, Fresno alumni. (Discuss)


[edit] Notable faculty and staff

  • Dr. James M. Cypher, Senior Economics Professor - Expert on economic development in Latin America.
  • Kenneth Fugelsang, Fresno State Winemaster - Leads world-renowned enology program.
  • Eric W. Hickey, Criminology Professor - Noted criminologist and author.
  • Dr. Lan Jin, Computer Science Professor - Expert in parallel design processors.
  • Dr. Keith Putirka, Geology Professor - Expert Volcanologist.
  • Bruce Thornton, Humanities and Classics - Notable author.
  • Dr. John Wakabayashi, Geology Professor - Expert in Sierra Nevada orogeny and the brewing sciences.

[edit] Notable former faculty and staff

[edit] External links

CSU

Bakersfield • Channel Islands • Chico • Dominguez Hills • East Bay • Fresno • Fullerton • Humboldt • Long Beach • Los Angeles • Maritime • Monterey Bay • Northridge • Pomona • Sacramento • San Bernardino • San Diego • San Francisco • San José • San Luis Obispo • San Marcos • Sonoma • Stanislaus

 Campuses

Antelope Valley • Concord • Imperial Valley • Irvine • Oakland • Palm Desert • San Francisco (downtown) • Stockton

 Satellites

Desert Studies Center • Moss Landing Marine Laboratories • Mount Laguna Observatory

 Research
The California State University        Vox Veritas Vita
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Western Athletic Conference (WAC)
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Sports teams based in The Central Valley
Baseball
Basketball
Football
Hockey
Soccer
Tennis
College athletics
(NCAA Div. I)
Main Article: Sports in California

[edit] References

Coordinates: 36°48′48″N 119°45′00″W / 36.81333, -119.75