Pride Points

This is a place of opportunity, boldly empowering our students for success.

With 100 years of excellence already, Fresno State starts its second century on the cusp of new beginnings and opportunities. Today, Fresno State inspires our students to think on higher levels and pursue their dreams. Here are a few additional achievements we’re proud of …

Admissions

We believe that talent exists everywhere across our region and beyond. That’s why Fresno State admits, enrolls and graduates in larger numbers than ever before — and our hard-working students are from families of all income levels. Our student body includes nearly 65% who are first generation to college, which is virtually unparalleled among doctoral universities in the United States.

Financial Aid

Fresno State provides over $250 million in financial aid, about 80% of which is in the form of grants and scholarships. Loan indebtedness for our graduates is among the lowest in the nation. With the generous support of donors, Fresno State continues to be one of the best values in public higher education in the nation.

DISCOVERe

The DISCOVERe tablet initiative lowers the cost of student textbooks through digitally-enhanced courses. In one year, the program saved over 12,000 participating students in textbook costs.

Meeting Essential Needs

Fresno State has focused attention on the essential life necessities that are sometimes taken for granted. Our Student Cupboard — a free food and hygiene pantry for students — received 57,058 visits in one year. Comprehensive programs such as the Renaissance Scholars Program, the Clothing Closet and the Good Samaritan Fund address the basic needs of underserved students, so that they can focus on what’s centrally important: reaching their personal, academic and career goals.

Green V Society

Our student-athletes wear the “Green V” to show Fresno State’s pride in representing the hard-working leaders and innovators of the San Joaquin Valley. To support our Valley, student-athletes volunteered 4,000 community service hours at 460 organizations in one year.

Student-Athlete GPA

Student-athletes are setting records in the classroom. This past academic year, a record-breaking 84 student-athletes earned 2018-19 Mountain West Scholar-Athlete honors for GPAs of 3.5 or better.

Community Service

“Learning by serving” is at the core to who we are as a University. Community service, coordinated by the Jan and Bud Richter Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning, is a hallmark at Fresno State. Students, faculty and staff have provided more than 11 million hours of community service in 10 years, enriching our community with problem-solving and ideas, and touching thousands along the way. That is about $40 million of economic impact each year.

Preparing the Next Generation of School Teachers

Fresno State has roots dating back to 1911, when the doors of the Fresno State Normal School opened to 150 hopeful future teachers. Now, the student population is nearly 25,000 — and the University continues to honor its historical roots by preparing more K-12 school teachers than any other public university in California. Through the Kremen School of Education and Human Development’s dynamic partnership with the California Teaching Fellows Foundation, over 900 Fresno State students are employed as mentors each year in K-12 schools throughout the Valley. This program helps to inspire and prepare a new generation of passionate school teachers.

Community Mobile Health Unit

Designed to help alleviate a shortage of primary care providers in the area while providing hands-on training for nursing students, Fresno State’s Community Mobile Health Unit travels around Fresno and surrounding rural communities to provide free health screenings to community members. More than 4,800 individuals have benefitted from the services offered through the Community Health Mobile Unit — and nursing students are benefiting from the clinical experience.

A Nationally-Recognized Institution

Each year, academics at Fresno State steadily garners more attention with the release of national rankings. Recent reports from Washington Monthly Magazine, U.S. News and World Report and Money Magazine put our University in league with University of California campuses and Ivy League institutions. Fresno State was cited as an “instructive example” of schools that enroll many low-income students and help them graduate.

A Diverse and Inclusive University

Fresno State has been recognized as an engine of social mobility due to its success in educating diverse students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college. Money Magazine recently listed Fresno State among its Best Colleges for Your Money and Top 50 Best Public Colleges listings.