Fresno Pacific University (FPU) is a private Christian university in Fresno, California, United States. The first master's degree program was introduced in 1975.

The university was granted an exception to Title IX in 2015 which allows it to legally discriminate against LGBT students. Same-sex sexual activity by students (as well as any heterosexual sexual activity outside of marriage) is a violation of university residential policies. In 2015 then-president Richard Kriegbaum stated that gay marriage was "anti-Christian."

Chief executives

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  • 1944–1946 Sam W. Goossen – Acting President/Dean
  • 1946–1947 George B. Huebert – Administrator
  • 1947–1953 George W. Peters – President/Dean
  • 1953–1954 Rueben M. Baerg – Acting President
  • 1954–1955 Rueben M. Baerg – Acting President, one-half year; Administrative Committee last half of year, Dr. George W. Peters, Chmn.
  • 1955–1960 B.J. Braun – President
  • 1960–1961 Arthur J. Wiebe – Director of Pacific Bible Institute; Mr. Joel A. Wiebe – Interim Director
  • 1961–1975 Arthur J. Wiebe – President
  • 1975–1976 Edmund Janzen, Chairman, Presidential Council
  • 1976–1982 Edmund Janzen – President
  • 1982–1983 Silas Bartsch – Interim President; Edmund Janzen on leave
  • 1983–1985 Edmund Janzen – President
  • 1985–1997 Richard Kriegbaum – President
  • 1997–2000 Allen Carden – President
  • 2000–2002 Harold Haak – President
  • 2002–2012 D. Merrill Ewert – President
  • 2012–2014 Pete Menjares – President
  • 2014–2017 Richard Kriegbaum — President
  • 2017–2022 Joseph Jones — President
  • 2022−present André Stephens – President

Academics

Fresno Pacific offers bachelor's degrees in more than 40 fields with over 100 areas of study. It also offers advanced degrees or credentials in the fields of Education, Business, Leadership & Organizational Studies, Social Work, Kinesiology, Nursing, Divinity, Ministry, and Marriage & Family Therapy. The university is organized into two schools: The School of Arts & Sciences, and the School of Graduate & Professional Studies. Fresno Pacific is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

Graduation guarantee

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In February 2009 Fresno Pacific University began offering a "Four Year Graduation Guarantee." FPU already has the highest four-year graduation rate in the Central Valley, with 60 percent of traditional undergraduate students already graduating in four years, compared to 12–15 percent in the CSU system.

Campuses

Fresno Pacific University's main 50-acre campus is located in the south east area of Fresno, hub of the Central Valley region of California and the fifth largest city in the state.

The university also maintains four regional campuses in Central California:

  • Merced Regional Campus
  • North Fresno Regional Campus
  • Visalia Regional Campus
  • Bakersfield Regional Campus

Buildings

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thumb|AIMS Hall, Mathematics and Science

{|class="wikitable"

|-

!Completed !! Name !! Information

|-

| 1958 || Sattler Hall || Named for early Anabaptist leader Michael Sattler in 1973.

|-

| rowspan=4| 1961 || Krause Hall || Named for Arthur and Lydia Krause in 1990. Further units added to in 1962.

|-

| Nachtigall Hall || Named for Ben W. and Anna Marie Nachtigall in 1989. Further units added in 1962.

|-

| Schlichting Hall || Named for Marvin and Loree Schlichting in 1994. Further units added in 1962.

|-

| Warkentine Hall || Named for Al and Dotty Warkentine in 1989. Further units added in 1962.

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| 1962 || Hiebert Library || Named for Cornelius and Elizabeth Hiebert, the primary contributors.

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| 1964 || Alumni Hall || Building costs were mostly covered by alumni (renovated 2005).

|-

| 1966 || Marpeck Center || Named for early Anabaptist leader Pilgram Marpeck in 1973.

|-

| rowspan=2| 1968 || Kriegbaum Hall || Part of Witmarsum Quad, renamed for former college president Richard Kriegbaum.

|-

| Witmarsum Quad || Named for the village of Witmarsum, birthplace of Menno Simons, in 1973.

|-

| 1971 || Strasbourg Hall || Named for the city of Strasbourg, where early Anabaptists often sought refuge, in 1973.

|-

| 1981 || Special Events Center ||

|-

| 1986 || Bartsch Hall || Named for Silas Bartsch and his wife Nadine Bartsch. while its men's and women's water polo teams compete in the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA). The Sunbirds previously competed in the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1986–87 to 2011–12.

Fresno Pacific competes in 17 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field and water polo; while women's sports include basketball, cheerleading, cross country, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field, volleyball and water polo.

Mascot

The athletics mascot is Sunny the Sunbird.

Traditions

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  • The Wittenberg Door, a board located in the atrium of Steinert Campus Center, near the entrance to the dining room, is a place for the exchange of ideas. People are free to post expressions of their views, but are asked to write pieces in a charitable spirit and to include the writer's name. It was built in approximately 1983 and the original version was located in Alumni Hall when it still served as the campus cafeteria. A new board was built in 2004 and the old one was dismantled. The Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary has a board with the same name and purpose outside the B.C. Lounge.
  • The Mennonite Central Committee holds its annual West Coast Relief Sale and Auction on the campus during the first weekend in April. Ethnic foods, used books, antiques, plants, world crafts and quilts are all sold on campus in various booths and auction events.
  • University Family Thanksgiving Meal
  • Winter Formal

Notable alumni

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  • Ron Adams, three-time NBA champion assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors
  • Pablo Campos, professional soccer player and MLS champion with Real Salt Lake
  • Malcolm Griffin, professional basketball player
  • Rhoda Janzen, author
  • Dan Quisenberry, former Major League Baseball all-star pitcher for the Kansas City Royals
  • Chris Schwinden, former Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Mets
  • Joshua Urbiztondo professional basketball player (PBA)
  • Joey Wells, head women's basketball coach at Indiana State University

References

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Further reading

  • Athletics website