Celebrating Its 75th Anniversary
The University of San Diego (USD), a liberal arts institution of higher education grounded in the Catholic Intellectual tradition, will showcase a deeper understanding of its impact and influence – past, present and future – throughout 2024, the 75th anniversary of its 1949 founding.
Strong collaboration between co-founders, inaugural San Diego Catholic Bishop Charles F. Buddy, and Mother Rosalie Hill, RSCJ, brought the vision of Catholic higher education to San Diego. The initial connection was in 1937 when Buddy visited the Mother Hill and RSCJ-founded San Francisco College for Women. It was not until 1942 when having a San Diego College for Women was discussed.
Steady leadership, via Buddy’s local connections and influence and Hill’s organized, meticulous ways and experience in San Francisco, brought their vision to life.
In 1945, Bishop Buddy and the Diocese purchased the land and offered a generous portion to Mother Hill and the RSCJ. Construction on the initial campus began in late 1949 and Hill incorporated a 16th century Spanish Renaissance architecture theme that still exists today.
College for Women’s first classes were February 12, 1952 with 50 students. College for Men and School of Law opened in 1954. Eventually, a desire to streamline services to create financial stability and the students’ preference for a co-educational college led to a merger the State of California approved in 1972. Inaugural USD President Author E. Hughes provided key leadership for it.
The merger brought forth its official name, University of San Diego, and for many years it has been recognized as one of the country’s most beautiful campuses. Top students here continue to light the way forward.
“There are three things significant in education: beauty, goodness and truth,” Mother Hill once said. “But the only one that attracts people on sight is beauty. If beauty attracts people, they will come and find the truth and have goodness communicated to them by the kind of people here.”
www.sandiego.edu
