Sonoma State University (SSU) is a liberal arts institution based in Rohnert Park, California. The university was founded in 1961, and was moved to its current 215 acre campus in 1966. SSU is known for its beautiful surroundings, based on the outskirts of California’s Napa Valley winemaking region.

There are six schools of study at Sonoma; arts & humanities, business & economics, education, international, science & technology, and social sciences. The Sonoma State American Language Institute (SSALI) at the School of International Education offers students the opportunity to improve their English in an accelerated programme on Sonoma campus, and the school also offers a master’s in Spanish language to students. There is also the possibility to take advantage of Sonoma’s location through the Wine Business Institute, where students can study and research this key state export.

There is a variety of excellent learning facilities on SSU campus. The Cerent Engineering Science Complex contains eight modern laboratories in complex fields such as Photonics and Microanalysis. Established in 1969, the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies offers an interdisciplinary approach to education, and provides the four year-long Blended Program, completion of which will not only grant the student a Bachelor of Arts degree but a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential also.

Athletics teams at SSU are known as the Seawolves, and compete in the NCAA Division II. There are five men’s sports programmes and nine women’s, including softball and water polo. The Wolves’ Den basketball and volleyball arena can seat up to 2,000 spectators.

Every year since 1984 SSU has held the gallery exhibition ‘Art From The Heart’, which features work from professional artists which is sold by silent auction in a fundraising event.

The university motto translates as ‘light of the mind, light of the world’.