Dominican University Of California

Dominican University Of California International Student Insurance

Dominican University of California, located in San Rafael, California, was established in 1890. In that year, the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael filed paperwork with the state of California to open a school. It opened in 1915 as Dominican College of San Rafael, an all-female two-year junior college, and became a four-year school in 1917. It was the first Catholic college in California to award a bachelor of arts degree to women. It continued to expand both its campus and its degree offerings during the following decades. The school became co-educational in 1971. It adopted its current name in 2001, reflecting its status as a full-fledged university. Today, Dominican University of California enrolls more than 1,700 students and counting each year. Its colors are black, gold, and white, and its athletic nickname is the penguins.

The university offers more than 45 bachelor’s degrees, about ten master’s degrees, as well as teaching credential programs, adult degree completion programs, and professional and continuing education programs. The school’s focus is on interdisciplinary studies and independent research; most of its departments require undergraduates to complete a year-long senior thesis in an area of study that interests them. As a smaller, religious community, the school’s core values are study, reflection, community, and service.

On Campus

Points of interest on campus include the Ansel Adams Collection, a collection of about 100 photographs commissioned by the school before he was famous; the Della Robia Collection, a series of enameled terra-cotta sculptures in various academic and residential buildings around campus made by the Della Robia family; and the annual Shakespeare Festival put on each fall by the Marin Shakespeare Company.

Notable Alumni

Notable Dominican University of California alumni include journalist Melba Beals; Internet personality Hannah Stocking; marathon runner Marion Irvine, known as “The Flying Nun”; and graphic designer Urso Chappell.