Gonzaga University is situated on more than 150 acres along Washington's Spokane River, about half a mile from downtown Spokane. With about 5,000 undergraduates and a total enrollment of about 7,500, it lands on the smaller end of mid-sized schools. The average class is 22 students, and the school has a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
Gonzaga is a Jesuit Roman Catholic university and it is named after the 16th-century Jesuit Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. Professors emphasize personal relationships with students and are said to be so committed to student success that many take daily attendance and require class participation (students' grades often depend on it).
Roughly half the students come from Washington state, and about one-third are students of color. The school says that 99% of its students earn scholarships or grants.
Gonzaga students can take their pick of more than 150 student organizations, among them the ski and snowboard club, the iZAG internet radio station, and a Dungeons and Dragons club. The Bulldogs, Gonzaga's Division I basketball team, is a major draw for students and alumni alike — the school has competed in 28 March Madness tournaments, including advancing to the Final Four round twice.
