UC San Diego's Revelle College: A Legacy of Excellence

Located in La Jolla, California, University of California San Diego's Revelle College is one of the oldest and most esteemed residential colleges on campus. With a rich history dating back to its founding in 1964, Revelle College has established itself as a hub for academic excellence and intellectual curiosity.

The college was named after Roger Revelle, an oceanographer and co-founder of UC San Diego, who played a pivotal role in shaping the university's early years. Initially, the college was housed at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) alongside other departments, including earth sciences, biology, physics, chemistry, engineering, and mathematics.

In 1958, the Institute of Technology and Engineering was established on a ridge northeast of SIO, marking the beginning of Revelle College's journey as an independent entity. The college's early history closely parallels that of UC San Diego itself, with the development of its first undergraduate college instrumental in founding the university.

Over the years, Revelle College has undergone significant renovations and expansions to accommodate growing student populations. In 2009-2015, most of the residential campus was renovated, followed by the opening of a new dining commons named '64 Degrees' in 2009. The college celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2014.

Revelle College is renowned for its rigorous general education requirements, which are designed to produce well-rounded graduates who are intellectually skilled and prepared for competition in a complex world. The college's core writing course, Humanities (HUM), is a challenging Western Civilization course that incorporates writing, history, and other social science requirements into a five-quarter sequence.

The college's emphasis on developing 'Renaissance scholars' is reflected in its requirements, which ensure that graduates have experience in humanities, calculus, physical science, biology, social science, fine art, and foreign language. This holistic approach to education has led to Revelle College's reputation as one of the most academically rigorous colleges at UC San Diego.

Today, Revelle College is home to around 622 students (16% of the UCSD campus population), who participate in a range of extracurricular activities, including festival events like Watermelon Drop Concert and Revellution. With its rich history and commitment to academic excellence, Revelle College remains an integral part of the UC San Diego community.

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