Irvine, CA
Founded in 1965
The University of California, Irvine (UCI), also known as UC Irvine or Irvine, is a public research university located in Irvine, California. It is one of the ten campuses of the University of California system. In recent years, Irvine has been ranked as a hub for startups and one of the fastest-growing cities economically, contributing to Orange County's rise as one of the top ten cities for job opportunities. UC Irvine has often been referred to as a "commuter school," but in recent years, the university has added many more on-campus housing options to reverse this image. Although there is no requirement for freshmen to live on campus, 75% of students still reside in on-campus dormitories. UC Irvine also manages the UC Irvine Medical Center, a large teaching hospital, a botanical garden, and is part of the University of California's natural conservation system. The university offers nearly 80 undergraduate programs and 98 graduate programs, with its Paul Merage School of Business and Samueli School of Engineering being particularly well-known. The UC Irvine sports teams are known as the Anteaters and compete in NCAA Division I and are part of the Big West Conference and Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. UC Irvine has an excellent reputation in sports such as baseball, basketball, soccer, track and field, volleyball, and water polo. The mascot, Peter the Anteater, is a unique and beloved symbol of the university, and the Anteater statue on campus is a popular attraction. Notable alumni include Alice Sebold, author of "The Lovely Bones," actor Brian Thompson, Taiwanese singers Coco Lee, Tao Jieji, and Lin Xilei.