Jessup University: “Transforming Tomorrow Today”

Jessup University (officially William Jessup University) is a private Christian university affiliated with the Assemblies of God. Jessup is known for its strong emphasis on faith integration, student support, and campus engagement. The university’s mission is to educate transformational leaders for the glory of God, and its motto is “Transforming Tomorrow Today.”

Founded in 1939 as San Jose Bible College in San Jose, California, the college officially moved to a suburban 126‑acre campus in the Sacramento metropolitan city of Rocklin in June 2004. At this time the college was renamed William Jessup University after its original founder. The current location was formerly a Herman Miller Furniture Factory, and many of the buildings were designed by famous postmodern architect Frank Gehry.

A branch campus has been retained in San Jose, which primarily serves non-traditional and graduate students. An additional site in Portland, Oregon, was established on November 7, 2023, when Multnomah University merged with Jessup University.

Academics

Jessup enrolls approximately 1,700 full-time students and emphasizes small class sizes with a student-faculty ratio of 14:1.
Faculty and programs are divided into six schools based on various fields:
- School of Business (Business)
- School of Education (Education)
- School of Humanities and the Arts (Humanities & Social Sciences)
- School of Natural and Applied Sciences (Science & Technology)
- School of Psychology (Psychology)
- School of Theology and Leadership (Theology & Ministry)
Jessup offers 25 undergraduate majors, 10 graduate programs, 5 degree completion programs, and 9 fully online programs.
The university integrates faith with learning and promotes spiritual formation among its students.

Athletics

Competes in NCAA Division II – PacWest Conference.
Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, track & field.
Women’s sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, stunt, tennis, volleyball, track & field.
Teams are known as the Warriors.

Campus Life

Emphasizes a close-knit, faith-centered community where “everyone is known by name.”
Students often describe the environment as supportive and relational.
Campus includes modern facilities, residence halls, and active student life programs.
As a Christian institution, the university’s handbook states “Students who engage in unmarried heterosexual cohabitation or any homosexual/bisexual activity will be subject to judicial action.”

Homeschool Applicants

“Homeschool students are a vital part of our campus community and bring unique and valuable experiences. We even offer a scholarship for incoming first-time freshman who have completed all four years of their high school education through an approved homeschool network.”

It is advised to have transcripts produced by official third party homeschool organizations/networks to minimize scrutiny as to the validity of the grading. If a transcript is not available, scores from the GED exam or the California Proficiency Exam are required and must be submitted by stated application deadlines.