Santa Clara Was Here First, Deal With It

By Jonathan Tomczak

Our proximity to Stanford University makes comparisons impossible to avoid. But that doesn't mean we have to let Stanford define us.

I worry we try too hard to be Stanford's little brother. From the school colors to the palm trees, the campus seems to want to remind everyone that Stanford has left its mark. But, we were here first even our mascot is better. Yet, it's Stanford that's become the cool kid. It's Stanford the neighborhood talks about leaving us standing off to the side like a six-year-old that wants to start shaving early, shouting, "Look at me, look at me!"

What we need to realize is that this kind of comparison is entirely unnecessary. Santa Clara doesn't need to be like Stanford. In fact, Santa Clara shouldn't even want to be like Stanford. There's no upside to having that belief. Either we fail, and are compared unfavorably to Stanford, or we succeed and become a carbon-copy Cardinal. If Santa Clara wants the esteem and prominence of Stanford, there's only one way to do it: the hard, honest way of establishing our own identity.

However, a sibling rivalry can have an upside. Two close universities will undoubtedly strive to improve their academic programs in order to compete with each other. Sports teams and academic clubs may work harder to be better prepared for the next match. There's an important difference, though, between competition and mimicry. Competition calls for finding an idea better than the one before it. Mimicry will only end in status quo. Santa Clara needs to be very careful of falling into the mimic trap. Innovation is always better than imitation.

If Santa Clara wishes to compete with Stanford, it must focus on what's important: the quality of the academics. Everything else is, by comparison, trivial.

The fact of the matter is this: we are not, nor will ever be, Stanford. And there's nothing wrong with that. Every younger brother or sister has to have that moment when they realize that they are not the same as their sibling. It's a moment where the strengths they share are a foundation for the differences that make them extraordinary. Santa Clara has plenty of positive traits: our Jesuit heritage, our strong alumni network and our sense of community. In short, Santa Clara is all about its people. Stanford's size makes it impossible to know many people on a personal level. The bonds of Broncos, in contrast, last forever.