Holy Names University

Holy Names University (HNU) was founded by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary in 1868 on the shores of Lake Merritt. In 1957, the campus was moved from Lake Merritt to a wooded, sixty-acre site in the Oakland Hills. An academic community committed to the full development of each student, Holy Names offers a liberal education rooted in the Catholic tradition, empowering a diverse student body for leadership and service in a complex world.

The Holy Names campus provides a close-knit, supportive environment that allows for rigorous learning and personal development. Students experience close partnerships with distinguished faculty and learn to question, experiment, research and sharpen professional skills that they will use throughout their lives. Students also have many chances to have fun, volunteer, assume leadership roles, and express their creativity.