Greetings Bronco Alumni, Donors, and Parents!

As always, the fall quarter has flown by here in the College of Arts and Sciences. It seems like only yesterday we were welcoming our students back to campus. Now, it is finals week and we are racing toward the end of the calendar year.

In many ways, this is a precarious time for higher education. New policies on the federal level have affected how we teach and support our students. Attacks on academic freedom have placed universities across the nation on shaky ground. Yet, despite these hardships, Santa Clara has remained steadfast in its commitment to its Jesuit, Catholic values and continues to offer an exceptional education built on the foundation of engaged learning, academic excellence, and service to others.

Perhaps more so than ever, our mission is resonating with prospective families. Our most recent pool of first-year applicants exceeded 20,000—the largest number in University history. In addition, a record-breaking 1,200 transfer students applied to attend.

The Class of 2029—our largest yet with 1,644 students—is now in the midst of wrapping up their first quarter at SCU. Representing 40 states and 32 countries or regions around the world, these students bring diverse talents and interests to our campus.

In our effort to continually serve the needs of our students, the College recently introduced two new minors. A minor in Chinese and Sinophone studies, which aims to provide students with a comprehensive and interdisciplinary understanding of the Sinophone world, is now available in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. Meanwhile, the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences has created a minor in geospatial analysis, which promotes the use of spatial data so students can build technical and analytical skills for addressing problems with particular attention to place.

In addition, this fall we kicked off a series of events commemorating the culmination of professional pianist and SCU professor Teresa McCullough’s time as our 2024-2026 Frank Sinatra Chair in the Performing Arts. Through performances and collaborations with award-winning alumni artists including Nicolás Lell Benavides ’10, Sam Pluta ’01, and Brian Thorsett ’00, Teresa is creating a celebration of new music on campus. If you are in the area, I highly recommend taking the time to attend one of these breathtaking events, which continue to unfold throughout the spring. For more information and a full list of performances, please visit scu.edu/sinatra.

As I reflect upon the last year, I remain ever-grateful for our Bronco community—for the students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and friends who lead with dignity and heart wherever they go.

May your holidays be filled with joy, marked with gratitude, and celebrated with love.

Sincerely,

Daniel Press
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Santa Clara University

A Living Church: Professor Elyse Raby’s Class Adapts to a Historic Papal Transition

After Pope Francis’ unexpected death in 2025, Professor Elyse Raby reshaped her course into a real-time study of a Church in transition, giving students a front-row seat to history and earning recognition for her timely, dynamic teaching.

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Jesuit Values in Action: The Unhoused Initiative and Public Health Students Partner for Change

SCU public health students partnered with the Unhoused Initiative to document the health effects of displacement, blending research, advocacy, and Jesuit values.

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LEAD Opens Doors to Professional Growth for First-gen Students

The program gave College of Arts and Sciences student Denae Rivera ’25 and five other LEAD Scholars the opportunity to attend a major design conference in Los Angeles.

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Biochemistry major Bella Matusich ’26 wins prestigious national research award.

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Kelly Perasso ’26 on "Learning Global Marketing Through Italian Food, Language, and Culture."

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Did you know?

Louis B. Mayer Theatre turned 50 this quarter.

Read more about its history

Our alumni are constantly on the move. Explore more alumni stories online through our Alumni Profiles page.

The College of Arts and Sciences gathered to celebrate the start of a new academic year and to honor nine members of the faculty and staff whose work exemplifies Santa Clara University’s commitment to teaching, research, service, and community.

• Marquette Jones Award: Emily Reese (Communication)
• Professor Joseph Bayma, S.J., Scholarship Award: David Gray (Religious Studies)
• Dr. John B. Grahmann Advising Award: Dan Turkeltaub (Classics)
• Francisco Jiménez Reaching Out Award: Laura Nichols (Sociology)
• Bernard Hubbard, S.J., Creative Collaboration Award: Michelle McCully (Biology)
• Dr. David E. Logothetti Teaching Award: Tamsen McGinley (Mathematics and Computer Science)
• Public Intellectual Award: Elyse Raby (Religious Studies)
• Nancy Keil Service Excellence Award: Cory Gong (Environmental Studies and Sciences, Public Health)
• Dean's Service Award: Andrew Hedges (Art and Art History)

Read more

Five questions with … English professor Danielle Fuentes Morgan

A window into how Danielle's scholarship on African American literature, comedy, and satire connects academic excellence with a commitment to the common good.

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A Santa Clara biology professor works to save local endangered species 

Justen Whittall explains the ethics and science behind rescuing a rare Bay Area succulent.

Read more

History professor shares her grandmother’s story as a Japanese war bride

The life of her grandmother Michiko helped inspire Sonia Gomez’s first book, Picture Bride, War Bride: The Role of Marriage in Shaping Japanese America.

Watch the video

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