Sacramento State has officially arrived in the central city, further cementing its position as a vital partner in California’s capital.

The University – along with more than 250 students, faculty, staff, elected officials, and other friends – celebrated the grand opening of Sacramento State Downtown, 304 S St., the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 28. The ceremony, replete with speeches, balloons, and the Sac State pep band and cheer squad, took place on S Street, which was closed to traffic for the occasion.

“Today is a historic day for Sacramento State,” said President Robert S. Nelsen, who last week during his Fall 2018 address announced Sac State’s new role as “the Anchor University” for the Sacramento region.

President Robert S. Nelsen is presented with a flag that has flown over the U.S. Capitol by Glenda Corcoran, district director for Congresswoman Doris Matsui and a Sac State alumna, during the Aug. 28 grand opening for Sacramento State Downtown. (Sacramento State/Jessica Vernone) | President Robert S. Nelsen is presented with a flag that has flown over the U.S. Capitol by Glenda Corcoran, district director for Congresswoman Doris Matsui and a Sac State alumna, during the Aug. 28 grand opening for Sacramento State Downtown. (Sacramento State/Jessica Vernone) | More photos

“As the Anchor University, we are committed to community and place, and Sacramento State will become a truly engaged university. Sac State Downtown will be at the heart of everything we do,” Nelsen said.

Sacramento State Downtown, just blocks from the state Capitol and Sacramento City Hall, already is bustling with academic activity. Among the facility’s initial offerings:

Classes for the Public Policy and Administration master’s program.

Degree-completion and certificate programs for mid-career professionals and working-age adults, through the College of Continuing Education.

A doctorate in Educational Leadership research-methods class.

Dietetic internship classes offered by the Department of Family & Consumer Sciences.

Consulting services for public agencies and nonprofit organizations, provided by the Institute for Social Research.

On the horizon for Sac State Downtown are programs in innovation, entrepreneurship and consulting in the arts and humanities (College of Arts and Letters), a bachelor’s degree program in hospitality and tourism management (College of Health and Human Services), and programs in geographic information systems, urban visualization, and big-data analytics (College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.)

“I say, in a year, when we’ve demonstrated the incredible success and the number of people who have benefited because of Sac State Downtown’s presence, let’s have another ribbon-cutting,” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg.

Steinberg also spoke of Sacramento State’s role, joining the city and county of Sacramento and private industry, in fulfilling the dream of creating a modern, cosmopolitan economy and making sure that growth focuses on citizens who previously were left out and left behind.

Also joining Steinberg and Nelsen at the podium were Sac State Provost Ching-Hua Wang and California State University (CSU) Trustee Jack McGrory, along with Barry Broome, president and CEO of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council (GSAC), and Stacey Shelnut-Hendrick, director of education at the Crocker Art Museum. – Dixie Reid

In the Media:

"Sac State Downtown, a multipurpose hub for education, research, officially opens," The Sacramento Bee

Sac State satellite campus opening in downtown," CBS13

"Nuevo campus para Sac State," Telemundo Sacramento