Fresno Pacific University is a private, non-profit institution of the liberal arts and sciences in central California. Its 42-acre campus is located in Fresno in the heart of San Joaquin Valley. Managed by the Mennonite Brethren Church, Fresno Pacific is the only accredited institution of Christian higher education between Los Angeles and Sacramento. Students coming from a variety of cultures, ethnicities, and religious denominations provide a wide range of experiences to the FPU life. The university was founded in 1944, as the Pacific Bible Institute with seven staff members and 28 students in a single building. In 1965, Pacific Bible Institute became a senior college and Bachelor of Arts degrees were first awarded. The first accredited graduate program began in 1975. In January 1997, Fresno Pacific College became Fresno Pacific University. At present, Fresno Pacific University has more than 200 faculty and staff serving more than 2,000 students in 16 major buildings. The college owned-and-operated housing is available for all students. There is a bookshop, a Special Events Center/gymnasium, and an all-weather track. The Hiebert Library, the central resource for the support of teaching and research at the university, houses roughly 150,000 bound volumes in various subjects, an extensive collection of 4,650 musical recordings (both phonograph and compact disc), and 1,500 video cassettes. Fresno Pacific University has a total enrollment, including undergraduate, graduate, and first professional students, of about 2,250. The 27 undergraduate programs include chemistry, church music, environmental science, and pre-law. The curriculum also covers business, science and health, psychology, social work, teaching, communications, and religious studies. More than 97 percent of students acquire financial assistance in the form of loans, grants, scholarships, and on-campus employment opportunities. The college’s Work Study program offers jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. Athletic scholarships are given in basketball, track/cross country, and other sports.