USD Tour Notes

Saint Tekamica and Sarah Hall

  • Home to the study abroad office, a significant draw for prospective students.

  • Accessible for all students, regardless of major.

Study Abroad Office

  • Counselors provide personalized experiences, including those from countries with study abroad programs.

  • Assistance with planning, class selection, and logistics.

  • Example: The speaker is going to Australia for a semester, which was facilitated by the study abroad office without extending their four-year program.

  • Engineering majors can also study abroad with proactive planning.

Program Types

  • Semester Programs: Four to five months long.

  • Intercession Programs: Offered during summer and January for three weeks.

Intercession Benefits

  • Reduced stress of living in a new country.

  • Three-week course that does not go on the transcript, easing into travel during college.

Costs

  • Semester programs maintain USD tuition rates.

  • Housing costs may vary, potentially offering discounts (e.g., Australia).

Second Year Experience

  • A special program for sophomores with three-week options in Auckland, New Zealand, or Florence, Italy.

  • Students take the same course to bond with other sophomores.

  • A professor travels with the students for familiarity and guidance.

Advising and Counseling

  • Accessible advising and counseling for study abroad.

  • Proactive planning is essential for students.

Outdoor Adventures

  • Acts as a rental service (like REI) for sports equipment (surfboards, paddleboards, wetsuits).

  • Provides information on camping trips, hikes, and local activities.

  • Offers weekend trips for students with planned itineraries and equipment.

Student Support Services (SSS)

  • Specifically for first-generation students.

  • Each student gets a counselor for registration and college guidance.

  • Pre-orientation retreat allows early move-in and reduces stress.

Pre-Orientation Retreats

  • Outdoor Adventures retreat to the Mountains Of Julian (camping, hiking).

Banking

  • On-campus bank accessible for students, particularly for credit card applications.

Greek Life

  • Different at USD; recruitment occurs in the spring.

Sorority Recruitment

  • Females move in a week early before winter break.

Fraternity Recruitment

  • Takes place during weekends of the semester to avoid missing classes.

Greek Housing

  • USD does not have affiliated Greek housing to foster an academic environment.

  • Students may choose to live together off-campus without official affiliation.

  • Spring recruitment allows students to acclimate and make friends before joining Greek life.

Frank's Lounge

  • Entertainment center with TVs, foosball, ping pong, and a snack bar.

Torrero Store

  • Campus store for merchandise.

Two Mercado

  • Grocery store on campus for quick snacks.

Dining Hall

  • On-campus dining location.

Housing

  • Match students with roommates that have similarities to them.

  • Example: STEM major paired with marketing major for diverse dynamics.

Valley A

  • Suite-style housing; considered favorable by the speaker.

  • Suites with multiple roommates sharing a common space.

Pacific Ridge

  • Apartment complex across the street with a USD lease for affordable pricing.

  • Off-campus living with convenient access to classes.

Car Policy

  • Sophomores and above can have cars; freshmen are case-by-case.

Intramural Sports

  • Play against other USD students.

Club Sports

  • More structured with weekly practices; play against other schools (SDSU, Point Loma).

  • Transportation provided for off-campus practices.

NCAA Division One Athletics

  • Free for students to attend.

Freshman Dormitories

  • Hotel-style rooms with private bathrooms.

  • Gender-specific per room with mixed-gender neighbors.

  • Centrally located with classrooms on lower floors.

Coffee Shop

  • Convenient for mobile orders; located near the Student Health Center.

Student Health Center

  • Offers urgent care on campus.

  • Provides resources both on and off campus.

  • Timely Care app connects students with nurses and hospitals after hours.

Mail Center

  • Students receive a PO box upon committing to USD.

  • Email notifications for letters and packages.

  • Student job opportunities available.

Student Employment

  • Website lists available on-campus jobs.

  • Federal work-study provides specific job opportunities.

Immaculata

  • Monument owned by the San Diego Diocese; open to the community.

  • Masses held on Sundays with coffee and donuts afterwards.

Theology Requirement

  • Underclassmen and upperclassmen must take a theology course.

  • Options include "Jesus in Hollywood," Hinduism, Judaism, and world religion.

  • World religion includes field trips to different places of worship.

  • Can take theology classes abroad.

University Ministry

  • Home base for faith-related activities.

  • Hosts events and a pre-orientation retreat (glamping in the Mountains Of Julian).

  • Men's and women's groups meet weekly for community building.

Founders Hall and Maher Hall

  • Founders is all girls, Maher is all boys on the top floor.

  • Community club bathrooms.

  • Doubles, triples, and quads available.

  • Only dorms with communal kitchens cleaned twice daily.

  • Living room with TV and couches.

Language Requirement

  • Three-semester language requirement with a placement test.

  • AP credit can waive the requirement.

  • ASL is planned to be added as part of the language department.

Living Learning Communities (LLCs)

  • Students pick courses associated with specific dormitories.

  • Rank five courses from any LLC; high likelihood of getting first or second choice.

  • The professor is the adviser until the student declares a major.

  • Scholastic assistant (upperclassman) provides additional support.

  • Students in LLC courses live in the same residential area.

LLC Placement and Courses

  • Ranking system to choose courses and associated dorms; choice is a big factor.

  • Advisers assist with course registration, reducing stress.

Founders Chapel

  • Church on campus for USD students and faculty only.

Business School

  • Free Enterprise Zone for business proposals and team collaboration.

Free Enterprise Zone Specifics

  • Students form groups to address real-world problems with business proposals.

  • Multidisciplinary teams enhance the collaborative process.

  • Pitches to a panel of judges.

  • Awards stipends to try and implement those changes on USD's campus.

Olivas

  • Mediterranean-style food and wagyu burgers.

  • Courtyard for studying and eating.

Koku Library

  • Smaller library; part of the San Diego Circuit for resource sharing.

  • Access to resources from SDSU, Point Loma, UCSD, and the San Diego Public Library.

  • Bottom floor for collaborative work; top floor for quiet study.

  • Soundproof rooms available for reservation.

Transportation

  • Good and safe through the school.

  • Public Transportation, ZipCar, Ride Sharing apps: Uber, Lyft

  • Tram that goes to and from USD to Old Town.

Campus Recreation Courses

  • Surf Recreation class; get .5 credit on your transcript.

  • Scuba Campus Creation class; Start in the pool and learn the basics.

Transportation Reimbursements

  • Reimburse you for ride share code for the Airport runs.