Introduction

What’s in a Name?

The University is named after the 16th-century Italian Jesuit saint Aloysius Gonzaga. A descendant of a noble Renaissance family and a page at the court of Francesco de Medici, Aloysius Gonzaga entered the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit order) in 1585. Later, while a seminarian in plague-stricken Rome, he attended to the sick and dying; as a result of his heroic service, he died of exhaustion on June 21, 1591, only 23 years old. He was declared the patron saint of youth in 1726.

Quality That Earns National Recognition

U.S. News and World Report’s most recent America’s Best Colleges ranked Gonzaga in the top 20% — 79th among National Universities. Fiske Guide to Colleges, Kiplinger's Best Colleges and The Princeton Review have also consistently praised the academic strength and quality of education provided at Gonzaga University.

Spokane and the Inland Northwest

Spokane, Washington and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, form a flourishing metropolitan area with a population of approximately 735,000. This area offers many opportunities for work, service and relaxation for Gonzaga students.

Gonzaga's campus overlooks the Spokane River, where the Washington Centennial Trail extends 39 miles between northwest Spokane and Coeur d’Alene. Students enjoy biking, rollerblading, running and walking along the trail. Downtown Spokane is just a few blocks from the campus, providing easy access to shopping, dining and entertainment. The nearby 12,000-seat Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, a multipurpose entertainment venue, hosts concerts, sporting events and special programs such as Gonzaga’s undergraduate commencement ceremonies.

Spokane boasts many parks, including the 100-acre Riverfront Park in the heart of the city. In addition, there are 21 public golf courses within an hour’s drive, ice- and roller-skating rinks, theaters and art galleries. A symphony orchestra, civic theater and professional athletic teams add to the cultural and entertainment opportunities of the urban core. 

Nearby recreational areas are easily accessible to students. Seventy-six lakes and five ski areas provide swimming, water skiing and winter sports activities. Spokane has consistently been lauded for its quality of life.

Students: The Center of the University

Total enrollment each semester at Gonzaga is more than 7,200 students of whom 70 percent are undergraduates and 30 percent are in graduate programs, including the School of Law and four doctoral programs. Our student body represents every state and over 43 countries.

Seventy-four percent undergraduates are ranked in the top quarter of their graduating class.

More than half of the undergraduate student body comes from homes at least 200 hundred miles from Spokane. The result is a diverse, welcoming campus community, where cultures and friendships are shared warmly.

The academic curriculum is supported by almost 800 faculty. The ratio of students to faculty is 11-to-1.

Finance: An Important Part of Your Education

As you begin your academic career, it is important to remember that although tuition at independent or private universities is typically higher than at public universities, the ultimate value of a degree from Gonzaga University is well recognized by members of business and industry.

Gonzaga is committed to assisting students in financing their college education. Over 97% of our students receive financial aid. The Financial Aid Office welcomes your inquiries and is prepared to provide assistance in the development of your financial aid award, assuring you the best package possible.

The Campus: Your Home Away from Home

Gonzaga’s campus has grown from one building that housed both students and Jesuit faculty in its early years to 104 buildings spread over 152 landscaped acres. The University site is along the north bank of the Spokane River and includes its own small lake and attractive, well-kept campus grounds. Some highlights of the campus include the following:

The Department of Housing and Residence Life provides living options for around 3,000 undergraduate students, including men’s, women’s or coeducational residence halls with capacities ranging from 40 to 620. Residence halls are staffed by Professional, Graduate and Assistant Residence Directors, Resident Assistants, Resident Ministers, and Social Justice Peer Educators who collectively provide a wide range of services as live in staff members.  Full-time unmarried first- and second-year students who are under age 21, not living at home, must live in on-campus residence facilities.  Upper-division students have access on a first come/first served basis to some apartment-style living units, and the University owns two apartment complexes and up to nine houses in the neighborhood depending upon the year. At this point in time the university does not provide married or family housing in any on- or off-campus property and is happy to assist students in locating such.

John J. Hemmingson Center is over 167,000 square feet of contemporary space that supports fun, healthy living and an engaged community.  It is a living and learning environment where students, faculty, staff, alumni and members of the larger community can interact with one another. 

Dining options include:

The COG, with two floors of diverse resident dining including six restaurant-style platforms; Starbucks; The Marketplace convenience store offering handcrafted-gourmet sandwiches; and the Bulldog, a full-service restaurant.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

A state-of-the-art rooftop hydroponic greenhouse grows organic produce that is served in resident dining.  Additionally, the Hemmingson Center offers U.S. Bank, Next Gen Tech Bar, a grand ballroom, auditorium, meeting room and spaces for events, a reflection room, outdoor fire pit, and many places for students to meet and study.

Administrative offices within the building include:

• University Ministry
• Diversity, Inclusion, and Cultural Engagement (DICE) including Unity Multicultural Education Center (UMEC) and Lincoln LGBTQ+ Resource Center
• Center for Community Engagement (CCE)
• Student Involvement and Leadership including Payne Center for Leadership Development (PCLD), Center for Student Involvement (140+clubs and student governments), Gonzaga Outdoors (including bike and ski repair shop), Gonzaga Student Body Association (GSBA), and Transfer, Veteran, and Returning Adult Services (TVRAS)
• Center for Global Engagement (CGE) including Study Abroad and International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)
• Auxiliary Enterprises
• ZAGCARD Services
• Gonzaga University Event Service Team (GUEST)

Gonzaga University Athletic Facilities

The Charlotte Y. Martin Centre is the home of Gonzaga volleyball. The gym, which is the birthplace of the Kennel, seats 2,000 fans. As a whole, the Martin Centre is 136,000 square feet and also houses the athletic department offices and Diedrick & Delong Sports Medicine Center. The athletic training facility is a wonder on its own, covering nearly 5,000 square feet and featuring two state-of-the-art rehabilitation whirlpools.

The Rudolf Fitness Center is a 38,000 square foot facility with cardiovascular and weight areas containing a full line of Olympic benches, dumbbells, Hammer Strength equipment, treadmills, elliptical machines, rowers, versaclimber, bikes, and steppers with 14 televisions. Also available are four racquetball courts, two aerobics rooms, a field house with three full basketball or volleyball courts, a (1/11 mile) rubberized running track, a six lane 25-yard swimming pool and a smoothie snack bar. The Rudolf Fitness Center also houses a majority of the physical education classes offered by the University and is open throughout the year for use by students, staff/faculty, and spouses.

The McCarthey Athletic Center is home to the Gonzaga men's and women's basketball teams as well as the Harry A. Green Indoor Rowing Facility. The facility, which features a 6,000-seat arena, is 144,000 square feet of screaming fans come basketball season and lives and breathes the legacy of past basketball greats, such as John Stockton.

Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field became the home of Gonzaga baseball in 2007. The completion of the facility brought GU baseball back to the campus for the first time since 2003. The complex is named after benefactor and former Board of Trustees Chairman Mike Patterson, while Pete Stanton and Washington Trust Bank of Spokane were also major contributors.

Luger Field is home to Gonzaga’s men’s and women’s soccer programs. Phase I of the new facility was finished in fall 2008. Phase II of the facility was completed in 2015 with the addition of state-of-the-art lighting which allows our soccer teams to play their home games under the lights. The new facility provides not only a playing field, but a practice field for both the men's and women's teams as well as a press box and ticket booth. Phases III and IV will include the installation of permanent seating and locker rooms for the home and visiting teams.

The Stevens Center, Gonzaga University’s indoor tennis and golf facility, opened in January 2014. This 72,000-square-foot facility includes six regulation tennis courts and a golf practice area for Gonzaga's varsity golf teams. Other prominent features include locker rooms, training rooms, team lounge, offices and balcony seating overlooking the tennis courts.

The Volkar Center for Athletic Achievement is a 51,240-square-foot facility built directly south of the Martin Centre, and helps student-athletes succeed in competition, in the classroom and in the community. The building houses the Rian G. Oliver Student Athlete Enrichment lab, The Karen Gaffney Champions room, The Steve Hertz Practice facility, Brown court, and the Hall of Honor presented by the Wolff Family, along with multiple meeting spaces. The building provides Gonzaga student-athletes with some of the finest facilities and support services in the nation.

Campus Buildings

The Gonzaga University campus includes 104 buildings, the newest of which is the John and Joan Bollier Family Center for Integrated Science and Engineering.  The Hemmingson University Center houses the Center for Global Engagement; the Mission & Ministry offices; the Center for Community Engagement; the Diversity, Inclusion, Community, and Equity (DICE) office; the Student Involvement and Leadership Center; student government offices; multiple meeting rooms and lounges; a US Bank branch; a ballroom; as well as multiple food venues.  Since 2000, 14 other buildings have been constructed, including the bookstore and parking facility; the Corkery and Kennedy Apartments; Coughlin, Dillon, Goller, and Twohy Residence Halls; the Law School; the McCarthey Athletic Center; the Paccar Center for Engineering; the Patterson Baseball Complex; and the Stevens Center for Tennis and Golf. The Rudolf Fitness Center was added to the Martin Centre sports building, and the Tilford Center for Nursing and Human Physiology, as well as Leadership Studies, was created from a purchased facility. The Magnuson Theater was renovated during this time frame.

The Foley Center library was opened in1992, providing sophisticated on-line computer access to libraries across the United States. It also contains one of the finest rare book rooms in the country.

In addition to the library, Foley is now the home for the Writing Center, the Center for Teaching and Advising, the Center for the Virtual Campus Digital Design and Production Center, the Center for Academic Advising and Assistance, including the Disability Access, and Academic Testing Center, and Information Technology Services (ITS). 

Other buildings as well as historic ones grace the Gonzaga campus. The Jundt Art Center and Museum was completed in 1995. The Jepson Center for the School of Business was remodeled and expanded in 2004.  The Rosauer School of Education building was completed in 1994. The historic Huetter Mansion was relocated to the University Campus and houses the Office of Campus Security and Public Safety, while the graceful 1902 Monaghan Mansion continues to house offices and practice rooms for the Music department. The Alumni Association along with the Division of University Advancement is now located in the Boone Avenue Retail Center (BARC).

The Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, opened in 2019. Additionally, the Volkar Center for Athletic Achievement as well as the new the Della Strada Jesuit residence have recently been completed. The former Jesuit House has been renovated into a new home for the Humanities and contains an office suite for the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as offices for the Honors Program, Women and Gender Studies, the Center for Public Humanities, and the Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry, as well as the Science in Action outreach program, English, and Religious Studies. 

St. Aloysius Church, the Student Chapel, and the spires of St. Al’s Church are landmarks of the Spokane area. The chapel, located in College Hall, offers students a place for solitude and reflection as well as daily Masses.

A Century of Educational Leadership

After 40 years of pioneer missionary efforts to bring Christian civilization and culture to the Pacific Northwest, the Rev. Joseph M. Cataldo, S.J., an Italian Jesuit missionary, initiated plans to build a mission school in Spokane Falls Territory. Out of the vision and courage of early Jesuits, Gonzaga College became a reality and admitted its first students in 1887, two years before Washington became a state.

The College became Gonzaga University with the opening of the School of Law in 1912. In 1916 the School of Philosophy of Letters for Jesuit Scholastics became part of the University. In 1921 the University opened the School of Business Administration and in 1928 the School of Education. The School of Engineering was established in 1934 and in 1975 the School of Continuing Education was recognized and named as the School of Professional Studies. The School of Professional Studies was renamed the School of Leadership Studies in 2018. Gonzaga is an independent, Roman Catholic and Jesuit university committed to ensuring our students an educational experience that encourages individual intellectual, moral, and spiritual development.

Accreditation: The Mark of Excellence

Gonzaga University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. Gonzaga University holds specialized accreditations for specific degree programs through:

• The Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association (ABA)
• The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) 
• The American Chemical Society (ACS)
• The Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA)
• The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA)
• The Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (EAC/ABET)
• The Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (CAC/ABET)
• The British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Technology (consent) and the Degree Quality Assessment Board (DQAB)
• The Alberta Ministry of Advanced Education (approved), and the Campus Alberta Quality Council (CAQC) 
• The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) 
• The Washington State Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) 
• National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) 

GU Coat of Arms: The Mark of Distinction

The Coat of Arms of Gonzaga University, assembled in 1914, is an adaptation of the coat of arms of the Loyola family: members of the Spanish nobility from whom the founder of the Society of Jesus descended. It combines symbols representing both the paternal and the maternal houses, Loyola and Onaz.

The Coat of Arms contains:

• Hatchment Number 1 (dexter chief): Two gray wolves leaning on a black pot and chain, all on a white field. It represents the House of Loyola, as the founder of the Jesuit Order was Inez Loyola. The pride of the House was that they fed the poor, kept the wolf from the door.

• Hatchment Number 2 (sinister base): The arms of the House of Gonzaga, a red cross sustaining an in-escutcheon, the lions of Florence and two black for the ecclesiastical dignity of their House. The four falcons in the corners of the escutcheon represented the hunting prowess of the family. Now the faculty of Gonzaga are first, Jesuits founded by Loyola; secondly, the patron of the University is St. Aloysius Gonzaga; thirdly, the House of Onez was associated with Loyola; and lastly, the University is situated in Spokane, represented by the river, the sunburst, and the Indian symbols.

• Hatchment Number 3 (sinister chief): The colors of Spain, seven red bars on a field of gold, given to the House of Onez by the King, because seven brothers of that House distinguished themselves in the service of Spain.

• Hatchment Number 4 (dexter base): Sun burst over the Spokane Falls, a pine tree to the right and an Indian tepee to the left. The Spokane Indians were so called because they were in their interpretation, children of the sun. The colors are natural, the tepee being a russet, or dun color.

• Eagle crest: American bald eagle of the Republic, protecting the Institution.
  
  
• IHS: The name of Jesus, His cross, and the three nails of His crucifixion. The nails and lettering are black, surrounded by a halo for gold.
  
  
• In-escutcheon: Blue and White, a royal blue field on which the letter G stands for Gonzaga, the University colors are Royal Blue and Immaculate White.
  
  
• AMDG scroll: Stands for “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam”, for God’s greater glory, the motto of the Society of Jesus as given to it by its founder, St. Ignatius Loyola.
  
  
• 1887: Gonzaga University was founded in 1887 and was only a college until 1912.
  
  
• Wreath: Bays on the right, representing classic renown, Oak on the left signifying civic pride, both in natural colors.

The Coat of Arms is a historical logo to be used solely by the Office of the President.

Our Commitment to Non-Discrimination

Gonzaga University subscribes to the principles and laws of the federal government and Washington State pertaining to civil rights and equal opportunity. The university does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other non-merit factor in employment, educational program, or activities that it operates. All university policies, practices, and procedures are consistent with Gonzaga’s Catholic, Jesuit identity and Mission Statement.

As a church-related institution, in conformity with federal and state law, Gonzaga reserves the right to take religious faith into consideration where it is deemed appropriate. As a federal contractor, Gonzaga University maintains an Affirmative Action Plan.