Shenandoah University
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Former names
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- Shenandoah Seminary (founding in 1875-1925) - Shenandoah College (1925-1991) - Shenandoah Conservatory (separate institution 1937-1974) |
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Motto | Curiosity Required |
Type | Private |
Established | 1875 |
Affiliation | United Methodist Church |
Endowment | US $54.9 million |
President | Tracy Fitzsimmons |
Undergraduates | 2,099 |
Location |
Winchester, Virginia 22601, United States 39°09′58″N 78°09′29″W / 39.166°N 78.158°WCoordinates: 39°09′58″N 78°09′29″W / 39.166°N 78.158°W |
Campus | Small City |
Colors | Red and Blue |
Nickname | The Hornets |
Website | su.edu |
Shenandoah University is a comprehensive private liberal arts university located in Winchester, Virginia in the United States. It has an enrollment of approximately 4,000 students across more than 90 programs in seven schools: College of Arts & Sciences, Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, Shenandoah Conservatory, Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, Eleanor Wade Custer School of Nursing, School of Health Professions (Athletic Training, Respiratory Care, Occupational Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies and Physical Therapy) and the School of Education & Human Development. Shenandoah University is one of five United Methodist Church-affiliated institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The U.S. News and World Report's Inaugural Best Colleges for Veterans listing places Shenandoah University at #6 among regional universities in the South.
Shenandoah University was featured as one of the 322 most environmentally responsible colleges in the U.S. and Canada, according to The Princeton Review. The university earned a green rating of 90, and it was profiled in the fourth annual edition of the free downloadable book, The Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges.
Shenandoah University’s endowment increased from $54.9 million in fiscal 2013 to $62.6 million in fiscal 2014. The endowment had a return rate of 17.5 percent in 2014, up from 8.2 percent in FY 2013 and 2.6 percent in FY 2012.
The university was founded as Shenandoah Seminary in 1875 in Dayton, Virginia, by Dr. Abraham Funkhouser and Professor Jay Fries. Shenandoah Seminary became a junior college in 1924, changing its name to Shenandoah College the following year. Shenandoah Conservatory became a separate corporation in 1937 and began granting four-year degrees. In 1960, Shenandoah College and the Shenandoah Conservatory moved to the current 126-acre Winchester campus and began offering four-year degrees in 1974 (at which time the college and conservatory corporations were merged). Shenandoah obtained university status on January 1, 1991, and today the student body represents 43 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The student body and faculty combined represent 73 countries. Ninety-one percent of full-time faculty have an earned doctorate (Ph.D. or similar) in their fields or a terminal degree.