Kresge was the sixth college established at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Founded in 1971, it was designed with the concept of participatory democracy as a means of encouraging a strong sense of community. The vision was for the college to be a place where students enjoyed a sense of community, independence and self- expression.

Today, Kresge College continues to encourage participatory democracy and strong community, independence and self-expression.
•  Faculty and Staff actively engage students to grow developmentally, intellectually and socially.
•  Kresge students, including entering freshman, are housed in apartments with full kitchens, bathrooms and living rooms, providing the opportunity to develop independent and community living skills.
•  Students have the opportunity to gain valuable experience in responsibility and accountability by joining the Kresge Parliament, an organization that allocates student funds, the Kresge Multicultural Education Committee (KMEC), or one of three student run cooperatives.