University of San Diego

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Hallmarks and Quirks

Engineering. My engineering school is kind of a big deal. It's ranked in the top twenty undergraduate engineering programs in the country.
Social justice. Um, hello? I have an Institute of Peace and Justice. I also have a minor in peace and justice studies.
Baseball. Collegiate Baseball ranked my baseball team's 2014 recruiting class number four nationally. You get the peanuts, I'll get the cracker jacks.
Studying abroad. I've got summer programs, intercession programs, and semester programs. No matter the season, month, or semester, going abroad is always an option. Oh, I'm also casually ranked as the second-best study abroad university in the country.

Sunscreen. The average temperature in San Diego is about seventy degrees. They don't call it Sunny San Diego for nothing...
Surfboard. Nearly everyone tries surfing at least once during their undergraduate time here. Grab a board and shred like Kelly Slater.
Torero Blue t-shirt. On Wednesdays, we wear Torero Blue. Sorry, Regina.
A car. There are a million and five things to do in San Diego. Find a car and check it out.
A sense of adventure. I'm an outdoorsy campus in an outdoorsy city. Get ready to do some exploring.

I received a Gold Standard for commitment to sustainability. If it's endangered or polluted, I want to help.
According to the Princeton Review, I'm ranked second for Greatest Opportunities for Women in the School of Business Administration.
Everyone says I'm gorgeous. Everyone.

Down at Mission Beach at a bonfire. There's never a bad time to hit the beach. Bring on the sand and s'mores. Just not together.
San Diego is always having concerts. I love going downtown to check out the music scene. Beanies and hipster glasses: optional.
Mexican taco shops. They're everywhere. The freshman fifteen is alive and well. Tacos El Gordo? Yes, please.
Parties run rampant down at the beach. Jamaica Street always has a bi-yearly blowout party and champagne brunch is insane.

Better Buzz Coffee. The best drink ever is an americano with vanilla powder. It's life-changing.
Mission Beach. The boardwalk is a blast to run, bike, or walk on. Also, watching the tourists wander aimlessly around is hilarious.
Sab-e-lee. Hands down, best Thai food in the whole world. Bar none. Panang curry and drunken noodles are actually the best hangover cures ever. It's a scientific fact.
Beachcomber. My twenty-one-and-up students are most likely at the Comber for one-dollar drinks on Wednesday nights. I'll have another tequila shot with a side of regret, please.
Rose's Donuts. Right down the street from campus and open 24/7. Their donuts and breakfast bagels are cheap and wonderful...especially at 2:00AM.

San Diego is a big city, but the population is spread out. A car to get around or a friend with a car is a must. Public transit is great, but not super accessible.
Because USD is pretty outdoorsy, there aren't many students on campus during the weekends unless it's finals. At that time, the entire student body is in the library. Otherwise, my students are out exploring San Diego on the weekends.
Food on campus is bomb dot com. From salads to barbecue to sushi to sandwiches and stir-frys. The list goes on and on.

Jim Parsons, a.k.a. Sheldon Cooper. Bazinga.
Lorenzo Fertitta, chairman and CEO of Zuffa LLC who also owns Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Extreme Cagefighting. He really took that Torero thing to heart.
Lowell McAdam, president and CEO of Verizon Communications
Monie Captan, currently Executive Chairman, Comium Liberia
Alison Cox, silver medalist of Women's Rowing in the 2004 Olympics