The university was founded in 1851 on the site of Mission Santa Clara de Asis, the eighth of 21
missions established by Junipero Serra in the 1700s. The oldest institution of higher learning in California, the school was originally named Santa Clara
College. The college became a university in 1912 with the addition of the schools of engineering and
law. The Leavey School of Business was added in 1925 and became one of the first business
schools in the United States to receive national accreditation.Initially an all-male school, women were admitted 1961. This step made Santa Clara
University the first Catholic university in California to admit both men and women.
The school colors are red and white and the team mascot is the bronco.