California Lutheran University

The dream of establishing a Lutheran college in California dates back to the early 20th century when Norwegian Lutheran settlers first came to the Conejo Valley. Initial attempts included a 1928 proposal for "Los Angeles Lutheran University" on land donated in Del Rey Hills, but the 1929 stock market crash postponed those plans indefinitely. In 1951, the South Pacific District of the American Lutheran Church passed a resolution to study establishing a college. The California Lutheran Educational Foundation (CLEF) was established on June 4, 1957, to gather funds. On September 24, 1957, Dr. Orville Dahl was offered land by Norwegian farmer Lawrence Pederson, and his brother Richard Pederson donated 130 acres of ranch property for the campus. The college first opened in September 1961 as California Lutheran College with 330 students. It became fully accredited within its first year and achieved university status on January 1, 1986, becoming California Lutheran University. Notable visitors have included Presidents Ronald Reagan (1979), Gerald Ford (1981), George H.W. Bush (1990), and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (2018).