California State University , Fullerton California State University , Fullerton ( CSUF , CSU Fullerton , or Cal State Fullerton ) is a public comprehensive university located in Fullerton , CA . With a total enrollment of 37 , 677 , it is the largest in the CSU , the largest comprehensive university in the State of California , and is the second largest university overall ( just behind UCLA ) . At 5 , 349 students , the university also enrolls the largest graduate student class in the CSU and one of the largest in all of the state . The university offers over 240 degrees including 120 different Bachelor ' s degrees , 118 types of Master ' s degrees , 3 Doctoral degrees including a Doctor of Nursing and two Doctor of Education , and 19 teaching credentials . CSUF is designated both as a Hispanic - serving institution and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution ( AANAPISIs ) . The university is nationally accredited in art , athletic training , business , chemistry , communications , communicative disorders , computer science , dance , engineering , music , nursing , public administration , public health , social work , teacher education and theater . The University contributes , on average , over $ 1 billion to the California and local economy , sustaining nearly 9 , 000 jobs statewide . CSUF ' s athletic teams compete in Division I of the NCAA and are collectively known as the Cal State Fullerton Titans . They are members of the Big West Conference . History . Founding . In 1957 , Cal State Fullerton became the twelfth state college in California to be authorized by the state legislature as a degree - granting institution . The following year , a site was designated for the campus to be established in northeast Fullerton . The property was purchased in 1959 . This is the same year that Dr . William B . Langsdorf was appointed as founding president of the school . The University was originally named Orange County State College . Classes began with 452 students in September 1959 . The name of the school was changed to Orange State College in July 1962 . In 1964 , the name of the school was changed for a second time to California State College at Fullerton . In June 1972 , the final name change occurred and the school became California State University , Fullerton . 2000s : Modern growth . The University grew rapidly in the 2000 decade . The Performing Arts Center was built in January 2006 , and in the summer of 2008 the newly constructed Steven G . Mihaylo Hall and the new Student Recreation Center opened . In fall 2008 , the Performing Arts Center was renamed the Joseph A . W . Clayes III Performing Arts Center , in honor of a $ 5 - million pledge made to the University by the trustees of the Joseph A . W . Clayes III Charitable Trust . Since 1963 , the curriculum has expanded to include many graduate programs , including multiple doctorate degrees , as well as numerous credential and certificate programs . Mascot . The choice of the elephant as the University ’ s mascot , dubbed Tuffy the Titan , dates to the early 1960s when the campus hosted " The First Intercollegiate Elephant Race in Human History . " The May 11 event attracted 10 , 000 spectators , 15 pachyderm entrants , a telegram from Richard M . Nixon , and worldwide news coverage . Campus . Cal State Fullerton was built on the site of former citrus groves in northeast Fullerton . It is bordered on the east by the 57 Freeway , on the west by State College Boulevard , on the north by Yorba Linda Boulevard , and on the south by Nutwood Avenue . Although established in the late 1950s , much of the initial construction on campus took place in the late 1960s , under the supervision of noted artist and architect Howard van Heuklyn , who gave the campus a striking , futuristic architecture ( buildings like the Pollak Library south , Titan Shops , Humanities , McCarthy Hall ) . This was in response to the numerous Googie buildings in the Fullerton community . The library houses the Philip K . Dick Science Fiction Collection . The campus is also home to the renowned Fullerton Arboretum , located in the northeast section of the campus . It has gained nationwide fame in recent years for the Arboretum ' s highly successful efforts in breeding the Titan Arum plant , which the school sponsors in honor of its sports team , the Titans . In 2006 , the Arboretum successfully bred four blooming specimens . The campus has undergone many additions . Since 1993 , the campus has added the College Park Building , Steven G . Mihaylo Hall , University Hall , the Titan Student Union , the Student Recreation Center , the Nutwood Parking Structure , the State College Parking Structure , Dan Black Hall , Joseph A . W . Clayes III Performing Arts Center West , Phase II Housing , the Grand Central Art Center , and Pollak Library North . In order generate power for the University and become more sustainable , the campus installed solar panels on top of a number of buildings . The panels generate up to 7 - 8 percent of the electrical power used daily on campus and are located on top of the Eastside Parking Structure , Clayes Performing Arts Center and the Kinesiology and Health Science Building . Satellite campus . The University operates a satellite campus located in Irvine , California approximately 20 miles south of the original Fullerton location , the Grand Central Art Center in downtown Orange County ( Santa Ana ) , and a Garden Grove Center . Planned expansion . CSUF has announced plans in September 2010 to expand into the area south of Nutwood Avenue , to construct a project called CollegeTown , which would integrate the surrounding residential areas and retail spaces into the campus . Academics . CSU Fullerton is the only campus in California that offers the Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in school nursing . Cal State Fullerton ' s academic departments and programs are organized into eight colleges : Admissions and enrollment . As of the Fall 2013 semester , CSUF is the third most applied to CSU out of all 23 campuses receiving nearly 65 , 000 applications including over 40 , 000 for incoming freshman and nearly 23 , 000 transfer applications , the second highest in the CSU . Athletics . Cal State Fullerton participates in the NCAA Division I Big West Conference . They have 13 national championships in eight different sports . ( 1970 , Women ' s Basketball ( CIAW ) ; 1971 , 1972 , 1974 Men ' s Gymnastics ; 1971 Cross country team ; 1973 Women ' s Fencing ; 1989 , Men ' s Bowling ; 1979 , Women ' s Gymnastics ; 1979 , 1984 , 1995 , 2004 Baseball ; 1986 ; Softball ) . Their baseball team is a perennial national powerhouse with four national titles . The CSUF Dance Team holds the most national titles at the school currently , with 11 national titles from UDA Division 1 Jazz ; 2000 , 2001 , 2002 , 2003 , 2004 , 2006 , 2007 , 2008 , 2010 , 2011 , 2012 ; as well as one national title from UDA in Division 1 Hip Hop . The Dance Team also holds multiple titles from United Spirit Leaders . Student Recreation Center . In the spring semester of 2008 , the Student Recreation Center opened . It is a $ 40 . 6 - million , two - story , facility created for recreational purposes . It consists of a gym , a rock - climbing wall , a multimedia cardio room , indoor track and outdoor pools . Student life . In 1960 , CSUF became Orange County ' s first college to have a Greek system . Since then , the school has seen many different fraternities and sororities established on campus . In August 2011 , the university added a $ 143 - million housing complex , which included five new residence halls , a convenience store and a 565 - seat dining hall called the Gastronome . The Daily Titan , the official newspaper of the university , started in 1960 . Alumni . Cal State Fullerton alumni include an astronaut who has made two trips to space ; politicians and Academy Award - winning directors , actors , producers and cinematographers ; award - winning journalists , authors and screenwriters ; nationally recognized teachers ; presidents and CEOs of leading corporations ; international opera stars , musicians and Broadway stars ; and professional athletes , Olympians , doctors , scientists , researchers and social activists . Titan alumni number more than 210 , 000 . An active Alumni Association keeps them connected through numerous networking and social events , and also sponsors nationwide chapters .