San Jose State University, established in 1857, is the oldest public institution of higher education on the West Coast. It is located at the heart of Silicon Valley, California. In 1857, San Jose State began its tenure as Minns' Evening Normal School, in San Francisco, to train teachers. It became a state school, the California Normal School, in 1862. San Jose State University has matured into a metropolitan university offering an array of degree programs, and training teachers still remains an important program. San Jose State University has been designated as one of the 200 top research universities in the nation. Through its eight colleges, the university provides 69 bachelors degrees with 81 concentrations and 65 masters degrees with 29 concentrations. SJSU is home to one of the largest outdoor pools in the state, the Aquatic Center. Students attending the university can reside in the International House, a co-ed residence. The university library is first in the nation to be funded, managed and operated by a city and a major university. SJSU is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. In 1932, The San Jose State University Foundation was established and is now one of the oldest nonprofit corporations in the California State university system. It plays a vital role in supporting the university’s educational and research services.