President's Letter
September 23, 2026
Dear Bronco Community,
As Santa Clara University celebrates its 175th anniversary, we are reminded that our history has always
been one of innovation and hope. Founded in 1851 by Jesuits who believed that education could
transform lives, we continue to build on that legacy by preparing leaders to create a more hopeful
world. Inspired by the magis—the Jesuit call to seek what is greater—we are investing boldly for the
next generation through transformative opportunities for students, research that advances the common
good, and innovative new initiatives. As we honor our remarkable past, we invite you to help shape what
comes next by investing in the students and vision that will define Santa Clara's future.
Just as the Gold Rush drew dreamers and innovators to California, Silicon Valley has become the
frontier of extraordinary technological change. Guided by our Jesuit mission, we are adapting to
this rapidly changing world while remaining steadfast in our commitment to educate leaders of
competence, conscience, and compassion. We are preparing students to harness the promise of
emerging technologies like artificial intelligence while cultivating the critical thinking, ethical judgment,
and sense of purpose needed to lead with integrity in an increasingly complex world.
That spirit of innovation and purpose is evident across our campus. This year's launch of the
Cunningham Shoquist Center for Applied AI and Human Potential and the Mark & Mary Stevens School
of Medicine will create extraordinary opportunities for students and faculty to address society's greatest
challenges through interdisciplinary learning, research, and service. Likewise, the relocation of the
Jesuit School of Theology to our Santa Clara campus will deepen opportunities to engage with faith,
ethics, and global leadership while strengthening our role as a leading center of Jesuit scholarship.
Our continued investment in athletics is also elevating the student experience, fostering school pride,
and demonstrating what is possible when talented students are supported in pursuing excellence in
competition and the classroom.
Equally important, we remain committed to expanding access to a Santa Clara education. Through
scholarships, hands-on learning, undergraduate research, global engagement, and personalized
mentoring, we are ensuring that all talented students can thrive and graduate prepared to make a
meaningful difference in their communities and around the world.
As a junior studying Civil Engineering, Ella Loo-Lockhart ’28 is following in the footsteps of her mother,
a 1990 Santa Clara graduate. Raised in Honolulu by her single mother, Ella feared the cost of attending
Santa Clara would put her dream out of reach until donor generosity made it possible. Today, she is
thriving as a student leader, award-winning scholar, and active member of the University's engineering
community. Inspired by the opportunity she has received, Ella is embracing every experience at Santa
Clara while preparing to build a career that reflects the same spirit of generosity that helped shape
her own future.
These investments reflect our conviction that hope is not simply an aspiration—it is something we build
together. Every day, our students are inspired to create a more just, humane, and sustainable world,
graduating with the knowledge, values, and experiences to turn that vision into reality.
This year, your gift will make an immediate difference in the lives of our students. It will provide
scholarships, expand access to transformative learning experiences, fuel innovative teaching and
research, and ensure that talented Broncos have the resources to thrive today while preparing to
lead tomorrow.
Let me conclude with a simple invitation to invest in the future of our extraordinary community. Together,
we can ensure that every student has the opportunity to learn, discover, lead, and serve with purpose.
By honoring our past, your generosity also helps shape the next chapter of our story so that Santa Clara's
next 175 years will continue to be defined by innovation, hope, and lasting impact for generations of
Broncos to come.
With gratitude and warmest wishes,
Julie Sullivan
President
Santa Clara University