Seattle University

Seattle University is a private Jesuit Catholic university located in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1891, it is situated on a 55-acre campus in the city’s First Hill neighborhood, near downtown Seattle. The university offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs through several colleges and schools, including business, law, nursing, education, science and engineering, and arts and sciences. Seattle University emphasizes Jesuit educational values, including academic rigor, ethical leadership, and service. Its urban setting attracts students interested in community engagement, professional preparation, and connections to the cultural, nonprofit, healthcare, and technology sectors of the Pacific Northwest.

Seattle University was founded in 1891 when Jesuit priest Adrian Sweere took charge of a small parish school near downtown Seattle. Originally known as the Immaculate Conception Parish School, it became Seattle College in 1898 and began granting bachelor’s degrees in the early twentieth century. In 1931, the institution separated its high school division, which became Seattle Preparatory School, and expanded its college programs on First Hill. Seattle College was renamed Seattle University in 1948, reflecting its broader academic mission. Over the decades, Seattle University added professional schools in business, law, nursing, education, and engineering, strengthening its role in Seattle, Washington. In the twenty-first century, campus development projects, major philanthropic gifts, and the 2025 integration of Cornish College of the Arts further expanded Seattle University’s academic structure and urban presence.