Santa Clara University

06/04/2026

For Santa Clara University's 2026 valedictorian and management major Charles Silver ’26, finding community changed everything.

As a transfer student, Charles wasn't immediately sure where he fit in. Through experiences like Into the Wild, Santa Clara's outdoor adventure club, he found a welcoming community that transformed his college experience and shaped his approach to leadership.

That experience inspired a passion for community building that he hopes to carry into a career in real estate investment and entrepreneurship. After graduation, Charles plans to return to Rhode Island to work in property management before embarking on a year-long adventure in Australia.

Join us in congratulating Charles and the entire Class of 2026. 🎓❤️

The business management major felt embraced and cared for as a transfer student. He wants to pay that forward.

06/03/2026

What does it mean to build AI for a more equitable world?

Oana Ignat, assistant professor of computer science and engineering, is working with underrepresented communities to design fair and inclusive AI systems that help prevent bias from being amplified in society.

Through the AIM Research Lab, Ignat and her students create culturally grounded AI models and datasets that work more equitably across diverse populations, including differences in language, culture, age, gender, and income level.

Assistant professor of computer science and engineering Oana Ignat works with underrepresented communities to design fair and inclusive AI models that prevent amplifying bias in society.

06/03/2026

Can AI make healthcare more personalized and accessible?

Hamed Akbari, associate professor of bioengineering, believes it can. His research combines artificial intelligence, personalized medicine, and medical image processing to improve diagnosis and treatment plans for patients dealing with a variety of medical conditions.

Akbari envisions a future where AI helps make healthcare more efficient, accessible, and tailored to each patient’s needs.

Bioengineering professor Hamed Akbari believes AI has the potential to support a more efficient diagnosis and treatment process for both patients and doctors.

06/01/2026

Dylan Ryu '26 spent two years leading The Santa Clara newsroom. One of his last acts before graduating: advocating to restore an ADA-accessible automatic door opener for the office, after the original one had malfunctioned and been replaced by a standard door.

"Something as simple as intentionally holding a door open for someone — that small act can go a long way."

That same instinct carried across everything Dylan did as a Bronco. As co-founder of the Disabled Students Union, he helped give voice to a student population that represents nearly a quarter of campus. As editor-in-chief, he built a staff culture where his reporters could grow. This fall, he heads to Stanford's Graduate School of Education to keep doing exactly that: building environments where students are seen.

Congratulations, Dylan, and the entire Class of 2026!

For history and communications double major Dylan Ryu ’26, four years at Santa Clara meant finding his voice and helping others find theirs.

06/01/2026

Are we building a modern Tower of Babel, or rebuilding Jerusalem?

Following the release of Pope Leo XIV’s new encyclical on artificial intelligence and human dignity, Santa Clara University scholars came together within hours to tackle some of the biggest ethical questions surrounding AI.

The panel explored how artificial intelligence is reshaping jobs, democracy, power, and human dignity, while asking an urgent question posed by the Pope: Will AI deepen inequality and concentrate power, or can it help build a more humane and cooperative future?

Moderated by Matthew Gaudet of SCU’s School of Engineering and the Vatican’s AI Research Group, the conversation featured experts in ethics, theology, engineering, and technology from across the university.

The discussion featured insights from:
Brian Patrick Green, director of technology ethics, Markkula Center for Applied Ethics
Ann S***t, senior director of leadership ethics, Markkula Center for Applied Ethics
Julie Hanlon Rubio, Shea-Huesman Professor of Christian Social Ethics, Jesuit School of Theology
Ahmed Amer, associate professor of computer science and engineering; faculty scholar, Markkula Center for Applied Ethics
Nicholas Hayes-Mota, assistant professor of social and theological ethics

As fears about AI’s impact on jobs, democracy, and human dignity mount, Pope Leo XIV calls the world to choose a different path.

05/30/2026

Before we officially kick off commencement season here at Santa Clara, cheers to the incredible Class of 2026! 🥂 ✨

From their first days on campus to the annual Senior Toast in the Mission Gardens, the Bronco community is very proud of these soon-to-be graduates. Join us in celebrating their hard work and the community they've built.

Commencement festivities are June 12-13. Leave your congratulations for the grads in the comments. 🎓 ❤️

[Video description: Graduating seniors clinking glasses with the camera at the annual Senior Toast in the Mission Gardens.]

05/30/2026

What makes a Jesuit medical education different?

At the new Mark & Mary Stevens School of Medicine, a collaboration between Sutter Health and Santa Clara University, the answer starts with cura personalis, care for the whole person.

In this behind-the-scenes vignette, Jesuit leaders discuss how the university’s mission and values will shape compassionate physicians committed to human dignity, ethics, and community care.

Hear from Fr. Bill O’Neill, S.J., Fr. Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator, S.J., and Fr. Matthew Carnes, S.J. as they share the vision behind the Mark & Mary Stevens School of Medicine.

05/29/2026

“Understand your purpose and use it for the greater good.”

Last week, philosopher and activist Cornel West brought that message to more than 300 members of the Santa Clara University community during a compelling conversation on truth, democracy, and radical hope.

Hosted by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President, the event featured a 90-minute dialogue between West and religious studies professor Christopher Tirres that inspired students, faculty, and staff to reflect on courage, integrity, and authentic leadership.

Philosopher, activist, and author, Cornel West joined the provost’s Compelling Conversations series for a 90-minute talk on truth, radical hope, and the soul of democracy.

05/27/2026

Could AI help stop a crash before it even happens?

David Anastasiu, associate professor of computer science and engineering, is researching how artificial intelligence and video recognition technology can predict car accidents before they occur.

His work combines machine learning, data mining, and high-performance computing to create smarter systems designed to protect human lives. Anastasiu was also recently recognized with a CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation.

Associate professor David Anastasiu’s research explores ways for AI to predict car accidents before they happen using video recognition technology.

05/27/2026

What if life’s tangled threads reveal meaning when viewed from a different perspective?

In Santa Clara University’s “Search for What Matters” series, Fr. Bill O’Neill, S.J., shared reflections on suffering, hope, and the lessons he’s learned through decades of work with refugees in East Africa.

Read more: https://go.scu.edu/4ujLDsw

A theologian and refugee advocate explains how art helped him see color and hope amidst “the grey anonymity of suffering.”