1855.
Santa Clara bears the distinction of awarding California's first bachelor's degree, bestowed upon Thomas I. Bergin in 1857, as well as its first graduate degree granted two years later.
The California Historical Society, the official state historical society of California, was founded in June 1871 on the campus of the College of Santa Clara by a group of prominent Californian politicians and professors, led by Californian Assemblyman John W. Dwinelle (an influential founder of the University of California).
=== Modern era ===
In 1912, the College of Santa Clara became the University of Santa Clara, with the addition of the School of Engineering and School of Law.
In 1923 the Leavey School of Business was founded.
Women were first admitted in 1961 to what had been an all-men's university, making Santa Clara University the first Catholic university in California to admit both men and women.
In 1985, in part to avoid confusion with the University of Southern California (USC), the University of Santa Clara, …
