Campus Life

Living on Campus

Some 2,450 students — which includes almost half of all undergraduates and a growing number of graduate students — lived on campus in Fall 2007. Among new housing-related additions are the San Buenaventura apartment building, and the already-popular Missions Cafe and Fitness Center, all of which opened in Fall 2007.

Six campus housing areas are designated for freshmen. Another five on-campus apartment complexes are available to accommodate sophomores, juniors, seniors, plus law and graduate students. Manchester Village accommodates some 275 upper class, graduate and law students, and houses the Wisdom for the Real World program, aimed at helping students make a smooth transition upon graduation.

Residential Learning Communities place students with similar interests — such as science or social change — together within the residence hall areas. The Residential Life program is supported by professional live-in administrators, staff, and graduate students, plus 65 student resident assistants. In addition, nine faculty members and 10 University Ministry staff live in the residence halls as members of USD’s living and learning communities.

Dining Services

Dining Services offers students, faculty, staff and guests high-quality, nutritious food in a variety of attractive, comfortable settings. The university’s dining team serves more than 8,000 meals daily. Academy-certified chefs and experienced culinary staff are passionate about the food and services they provide for the campus community each day.

Public Safety

USD’s public safety officers patrol the campus around the clock seven days a week. The department offers a series of crime-prevention programs and a dusk-to-dawn escort service for anyone walking to any location on campus or within a 1-mile radius.

Student Learning Initiatives

The Office of Student Learning Initiatives, on the first floor of the Hahn University Center, offers student support and referral services including:

Academic Assistance Support

The Office of Student Learning Initiatives’ professional staff and peer advisers conduct advising sessions to help interested students improve academic performance. All students are welcome to participate in this program; all first- and second-year students on academic probation are strongly advised to do so.

FRESH@USD Program and FYE Online Resources

The FRESH@USD program offers more than 40 fall semester workshop sessions designed specifically to assist freshmen with the transition to university life in and out of the classroom. FYE Online Resources is a Web-based program with a series of short articles written by USD’s own experts on a range of topics related to college success.

Student Learning and Development Transcript

Similar to an academic transcript, the Student Learning and Development Transcript is USD’s unique system to document activities outside of the classroom, including internships, athletics, student organizations, community service, part-time employment and leadership activities.

Student Organizations

More than 65 organizations, including fraternities and sororities, academic clubs, and intramural athletic groups, are open to students. For more information, contact the Associated Students office at (619) 260-4802 or go to www.sandiego.edu/associatedstudents.

Bridges Academy Lecture Series

The Bridges Academy Lecture Series offers quality educational and cultural enrichment to USD alumni and parents, and to the retired community of San Diego. These lectures are given by USD’s leading professors and help raise awareness of university events, research and accomplishments. A short reception follows each event.

Cultural Activities

Art Galleries and Exhibits

The Robert and Karen Hoehn Family Galleries in Founders Hall and the Fine Arts Galleries in the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice host frequent exhibits of a wide variety of artists and genres. The Sacred Heart Gallery hosts student and alumni exhibitions throughout each semester. Other campus galleries include Serra Hall’s David W. May American Indian Gallery.

Theater

USD’s Master of Fine Arts in Dramatic Arts, with The Old Globe Theatres in Balboa Park, offers a variety of performances throughout the year that are available to USD students. In addition, M.F.A. and undergraduate Theatre Arts students stage regular performances.

Festivals and Seminars

USD is host to a variety of events that offer students and faculty different perspectives on contemporary issues, including the annual Social Issues Conference and the Kyoto Laureate Symposium, which recognizes the international scholars who are recipients of the Kyoto Prizes, honors similar to the Nobel Prizes.

Speakers

USD’s cultural and intellectual diversity is reinforced by the wide range of speakers who come to campus. Recent speakers include Nobel Peace Prize winners Oscar Arias and Shirin Ebadi, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and actor Martin Sheen.

Music

The comprehensive music program offers studying as major or minor. Each semester the program presents performances by the USD Symphony, USD Chamber Music Ensembles, the USD Concert Choir and the Choral Scholars show choir, as well as by music faculty, students and visiting artists. The Chamber Music Festival each summer features coaches from the music faculty and the San Diego Symphony. For more information, go to www.sandiego.edu/music.