Gonzaga College started in 1881 with $936 in hard silver dollars. It bought Gonzaga’s founder, Father Joseph Cataldo, S.J., 320 acres of land and water, what people then referred to as “the old piece of gravel near the falls.” Six years later, the College officially opened the doors of its only building for “young Scholastics, whose ambition it is to become priests.” Exclusively for boys, the College was under the charge of the Jesuit priests. Enrollment for the 1887-88 academic year was 18 boys and young men.

Today, it is known as Gonzaga University, a private, four-year institution of higher education. More than 105 buildings dot the 131-acre campus overlooking the Spokane River. Students include both women and men, who can enroll in a multitude of undergraduate or graduate programs. Enrollment for the 2007-08 academic year was 6,923 students.

Gonzaga University belongs to a long and distinguished tradition of humanistic, Catholic, and Jesuit education. We, the trustees and regents, faculty, administration and staff of Gonzaga, are committed to preserving and developing that tradition and communicating it to our students and alumni.

A constant throughout the years is Gonzaga’s educational philosophy, based on the centuries-old Ignatian model of educating the whole person – mind, body and spirit. At Gonzaga, students discover how to integrate science and art, faith and reason, action and contemplation. "Cura personalis," or care for the individual, is our guiding theme.

Gonzaga University is located in Spokane, Washington, a metropolitan city of 400,000 people, which serves as the financial and cultural center of the inland northwest section of the United States. Not only is Spokane Gonzaga's home, it is a vital and dynamic part of the University's character. The city offers vast opportunities for students to pursue their interests, whether they be in internships with local businesses or in any of the multitude of outdoor activities characteristic of the magnificent Pacific Northwest. Gonzaga's grass-covered 108-acre campus has 87 buildings scattered on the north bank of the beautiful Spokane River.

Within a couple miles of the University many activities can be found for a break from studies. Just above the Spokane Falls, 100-acre Riverfront Park, and the 39-mile Centennial Trail that runs through it, are open year-round for exercise, a day in the sun, ice-skating, a show at the IMAX theater, and the center for many seasonal festivals such as the Lilac Festival started in 1938, the 12K Bloomsday Run through town, and Hoopfest. Enjoyment of the fine arts can be found in the form of a ballet from Ballet Spokane at the Opera House, a theater performance by the Interplayer's Ensemble or a magical musical performance by the Spokane Symphony, a jazz concert at the Met Theater, or a play at the Spokane Civic Theater. Downtown also offers one of the three major malls: RiverPark Square. Northtown Mall and the Spokane Valley Mall are not far away. All three offer either an AMC Theater or Regal Cinemas to catch the latest movies. Nearby, beautiful Manito Park is available for sun-bathing or sledding, as is Riverside State Park.