The university was founded in 1903 as a state technical high school, and over the years evolved into a full-service university offering BA, BS, and Masters degrees in several fields with over 18,000 students currently in attendance.
The school is officially part of the California State University System. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (aka Cal Poly, Pomona) was formed as a satellite campus around 1950 on 812 acres of land donated by W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The two campuses separated into independent entities in 1966.
The two universities cooperate every year on a Rose Parade float.