Not only do participants gain hands-on experience, but they also grow personally as they encounter diverse people, cultures, and values. As a whole, student life activities promote self-exploration and often lead to the discovery of new talents. Leadership skills are cultivated through student government and student life positions and special workshops that tackle pressing issues such as conflict and time management. Nearly two-thirds of all students live in either one of the five residence halls. The college competes at the NCAA Division III level.
Intramural sports are also available.
Menlo College is located on the San Francisco peninsula in the town of Atherton, a well-appointed residential community near the cities of Menlo Park and Palo Alto. The area ranks among the most attractive and dynamic in the world, with numerous cultural resources and a temperate climate. Thirty miles to the north lies San Francisco. Stanford University, Santa Clara University, and the University of California, Berkeley are among the important educational centers within an hour's drive of Menlo. To the south is Silicon Valley, where high-tech innovation is transforming the ways in which we live and work.