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University Marketing and Communications

University Values

Growing the Valley of opportunity.

For Fresno State, the communications requirements of a brand go beyond normal consumer products and services, in part because additional scrutiny comes with the public academic charter and because the impact of a regional university touches so many different audiences directly and indirectly.

But some of the same due diligence applies, as the audiences of a successful brand will want answers to the following questions:

  1. What’s in it for me? (value)
  2. Why should I care? (need)
  3. Reasons to believe? (proof points)

With Fresno State’s brand promise and primary brand values in mind, here’s a start to making the brand speak in bite-size pieces:

We commit to cultivating the exploration of ideas and of creative expression through nurturing curiosity and open-mindedness.

At Fresno State, we:

  • Challenge and empower our campus community to explore their personal and professional passions and potential
  • Foster the exploration of innovative research and pedagogy to address current and emerging local, national and global issues
  • Support the exploration of diverse, collaborative and interdisciplinary perspectives to enduring questions and problems
  • Prepare our students to explore the world, and experience other cultures and ways of thinking 

Over 24,000 students annually are prepared to experience other cultures and ways of thinking and are empowered to explore the diverse, collaborative and interdisciplinary perspectives to enduring questions and problems. 

Here are just a few:

  • High-quality academic programs in 72 undergraduate, 49 postbaccalaureate and three doctoral degree options prepare students to tackle real-world needs and transform communities in the region and across the world.
  • Twenty-six nationally accredited departmental programs rank among the highest number within the CSU system, with accreditations by the California Board of Education and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
  • The Fresno State School of Nursing is the largest bachelor in nursing program in the Central Valley, graduating 150 students each year, 100% of whom find employment or job placements before graduating.
  • One-of-a-kind criminology preparation course prepares graduates for rewarding law enforcement careers: No other university in the California State University system offers a program like Criminology 108, and it is believed to be the only program of its kind in the nation.
  • The Lyles College of Engineering is the Valley’s oldest publicly-supported engineering college, with nearly 10,000 alumni. Our geomatics program is the only four-year, stand-alone, nationally-accredited program in California. 

We commit to being grounded in excellence in research, teaching and professional development to reach our fullest potential.

At Fresno State, we:

  • Recognize and reward the accomplishments of students, faculty and staff
  • Provide transformative educational experiences in an environment where we all continuously learn from each other
  • Nurture creative, engaged and diverse thinkers to discover the best solutions to complex problems    
  • Engage students, faculty and staff with enriching personal and professional development programs and training to enhance personal growth, vocational satisfaction and job retention 

Fresno State is the region’s flagship university. With our local focus and global impact, we attract students from across the Valley, state, nation and world, and our deep-rooted commitment to excellence translates to success for more than just our students. The leaders made here are making waves beyond our campus by finding creative solutions to complex problems, fueling innovation in their industries, and serving their communities with pride.  

Here are just a few:

  • On the strength of significant growth in research activities in recent years, Fresno State is one of only 14 California Universities to receive “Doctoral University — High Research Activity,” or R2 status, according to the most recent Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
  • The Jordan Research Agricultural Center is the first ever multi-discipline research laboratory and space in the California State University system with capabilities in the areas of agriculture, engineering and the sciences.
  • Fresno State enhances the student experience with high-impact practices that grow a better-equipped graduate. Students farm, produce and bottle wine, trade stocks, innovate and launch businesses, treat children with autism, counsel low-income families and study abroad.

 

At Fresno State, we:

  • Embrace and celebrate all races, colors, religions, histories, cultures, genders, gender identities and expressions, sexual orientations, national origins, genetics, abilities, ages, and military status
  • Ensure an environment that is welcoming and safe where identities and beliefs can be developed and shared
  • Strive towards an equitable and accessible education for our entire community
  • Teach our campus community to value the differences they see between themselves and others, and how these differences are sources of strength
  • Foster a culture where everyone feels comfortable expressing their views and beliefs and learns to listen and appreciate the views and beliefs of others

Fresno State provides a powerful learning ground built out of the opportunities created by the diversity of its region and campus community. With a focus on equity, inclusion and belonging, we are committed to embracing, celebrating and meeting the needs of our diverse campus community while fostering a culture of respect, understanding and appreciation for difference. By putting equity and inclusion in action, students, faculty and staff will develop a deeper understanding of each other and the need to create welcoming and safe spaces for all.

The Valley and its people — any community today — will be most successful when solutions come with inclusiveness and openness is championed.

Here are just a few:

  • Fresno State is a recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution and Asian Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution.
  • Over 80% of Fresno State students receive assistance through grants and scholarships.
  • Approximately 66% of Fresno State students are the first generation in their families to earn a college degree, changing the future trajectory of their families.
  • As a national leader in social mobility, Fresno State is committed to uplifting the quality of life for students and their families.
  • Fresno State appointed its inaugural university diversity officer to lead the Division of Equity and Engagement.
  • For more than 50 years, Fresno State has offered enriching ethnic studies programs including Chicano and Latin American studies, Asian American studies, Africana studies, American Indian studies, Jewish studies and more.
  • The Dream Centers address the unique needs and challenges of undocumented students who want a college education.
  • The Renaissance Scholars Program nurtures students who come through the foster care system or experience homelessness.
  • The Cross Cultural and Gender Center works to better understand and serve everyone across individual and social/group lines.

We commit to strengthening our community through education, research and service.

At Fresno State, we:

  • Embody a campus community that reflects and implements the four Principles of Community: respect, kindness, collaboration and accountability
  • Value integrity and transparency to enhance shared governance
  • Elevate a conscientious culture of environmental sustainability on campus and in the community
  • Develop community partnerships to expand opportunities for students, faculty and staff to grow by serving and addressing regional issues in ways that could influence the world  
  • Encourage a culture of giving back to the campus and the region
    Inspire our students to be global leaders and to spread the knowledge, values and respect they have learned

The university is graduating students who are successful in more than letters, but also in how to apply learning in what regional, national and global environments need; this is the test of truly applicable student success.

Fresno State is Central California’s largest and most advanced resource for developing the region’s workforce and spurring entrepreneurialism, innovation and lifelong success that impact industries worldwide.

Here are just a few:

  • 80% of Fresno State students are from the Valley and stay after graduation to become the next generation of leaders.
  • Fresno State’s impact in the community extends from problem-solving to volunteerism — recognized nationally for its community service topping more than 1 million hours annually.
  • Through our School of Nursing and Central Valley Health Policy Institute, faculty and students are conducting research to understand and address the special health challenges of Central California.
  • Fresno State has about 2,500 employees and nearly 25,000 students. In the 2018-19 academic year, Fresno State-related activity supported 11,142 jobs, $438.9 million in labor income and $1.3 billion in industry activity, and contributed $81.2 million in state and local tax revenue, according to the report, “The Impact of the California State University.”
  • The Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) is a product of the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Social Science, and the Jordan College of Agricultural Science and Technology, designed to support multidisciplinary scholarship related to the Portuguese-American experience in Central California.
  • Fresno State established the Peace Garden in 1990 and has since expanded it to include statues honoring César Chávez (1996), the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1998) and Jane Addams (2006). A statue honoring Nelson Mandela is in the works.