| Established: | September 1871, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia |
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| Chartered: | February 27, 1872, by the Legislature of West Virginia |
| Type: | Public coeducational |
| President: | Suzanne Shipley, PhD |
| City: | Shepherdstown |
| State: | W. Va. |
| Country: | USA |
| Undergrad: | 4,200 Grad: 200 |
| Campus: | 323 acres (1.31 km2) |
| Mascot: | Rams |
| Colors: | Blue and Gold |
| Website: | http://www.shepherd.edu |
Shepherd University, formerly Shepherd College, is a state-funded university in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, United States. The University currently serves more than 4,200 students.
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The University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. Individual programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, the National Association of Schools of Music, the West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Registered Nurses, the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, and the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education.
Shepherd University began when the county seat of Jefferson County, West Virginia, was moved from Shepherdstown to Charles Town in July 1871. The people of Shepherdstown and vicinity decided to use the vacated courthouse for educational purposes. An article of incorporation for a school to be known as Shepherd University, designed to instruct students “in languages, arts and sciences,” was drawn up and signed by C.W. Andrews, A.R. Boteler, C.T. Butler, G.M. Beltzhoover, David Billmyer, Samuel Knott, and Henry Shepherd. This body of incorporators gave itself power to elect instructors, pay salaries, and prescribe courses of study. Professor Joseph McMurran was appointed first principal of the institution, which opened with 42 students in September 1871, under the authority of the Board of Trustees.
On February 27, 1872, the Legislature of West Virginia passed the following act: “That a branch of the State Normal School be and the same is hereby established at the building known as Shepherd College, in Shepherdstown, in the county of Jefferson.”
Shepherd became a four-year college for the training of teachers on July 1, 1930, at which time the institution began granting the bachelor of arts degree. Shepherd was authorized to implement liberal arts programs in 1943, and in 1950 the bachelor of science degree was added. Also in 1950 Shepherd was accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and in 1951 it became a member of the Association of American Colleges.
In the past two decades, Shepherd has added 11 new buildings, including the $9 million Robert C. Byrd Science and Technology Center; the $18 million addition to the Scarborough Library, which also houses the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative Studies; and the $10 million nursing classroom building. The $21.6 million Wellness Center opened on June 11, 2009 and includes a 25-yard, eight-lane pool; two basketball courts, and six basketball hoops; two racquetball courts, indoor elevated 1/10 mile jogging track; two multi-purpose rooms with mirrored wall for group exercise classes; 7,500+ square foot weight and fitness area as well as a dining venue operated by Shepherd's Dining Services.
On April 7, 2004, Governor Bob Wise signed legislation allowing Shepherd College to change its name to Shepherd University.
Dr. Suzanne Shipley was named the fifteenth president of Shepherd University on February 19, 2007, and began serving on June 29, 2007.
Shepherd University was named the top-ranked West Virginia public baccalaureate institution for the second year, earning the 39th spot among Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the South in the 2010 edition of America's Best Colleges, published by U.S. News Media Group. However, it fell to 82 in the 2012 edition.
Shepherd's peer assessment score increased this year to 3.11, up from 3.0 in 2008 and 2.9 in 2007. This assessment, which accounts for 25 percent of the U.S. News ranking score, consists of the opinions of presidents, provosts, and deans of admissions about peer schools' academic programs.
The Princeton Review ranks the university among the "Best Southeastern Colleges."[1]
Shepherd University is situated in the Shenandoah Valley, on the banks of the Potomac River, in historic Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
Guest lecturers and performers, field trips, internships, and career opportunities are advantages directly related to the location. Shepherd University is also the home of the Appalachian Heritage Writer-in-Residence Program, Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF), George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War, and the Performing Arts Series at Shepherd (PASS).
The Ruth Scarborough Library collection contains varied materials, numbering 511,518 items. Printed and microtext materials compose the majority of the collection, including 164,206 printed books and bound periodicals as well as 200,474 in microfiche and microfilm. Other items in the collection include phonograph records, cassette tapes, DVDs, CDs, and video cassettes. The library currently subscribes to 521 periodicals and newspapers in paper, and it provides access to more than 12,000 periodicals in full-text. In addition, the library provides access to electronic databases and online indexing and abstracting services.
Since 1971, the library has been a selective repository for federal government publications and regularly receives West Virginia state government publications. The library houses a special collection of printed materials relating to state and regional history. The library’s computerized catalog provides Web access to materials in the Scarborough collection, and the library maintains a Web site.
The Scarborough Library, originally built in 1965, was renovated in 2002–03. The library is a place of study and research for individual and groups. The 46,000-square-foot (4,300 m2) expansion, dedicated in 2002, includes multimedia classrooms, additional reading areas and seating, and the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative Studies whose purpose is to promote an understanding of the United States Congress and the legislative process.
The Contemporary American Theater Festival is an annual festival of new plays by American playwrights, most often premieres or second or third productions. CATF focuses on plays that deal with contemporary issues that boldly challenge and entertain audiences.[2]
Since 1991, CATF has produced 68 new plays, including 23 world premieres. Adventurous audiences from 32 states and the District of Columbia and Canada have attended the Theater Festival’s productions. The plays are professionally produced using Actors' Equity Association's LORT D contract; CATF operates under agreements from AEA, United Scenic Artists, and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.
Reviews and articles have appeared in a variety of media venues including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Baltimore Sun, and the Chicago Tribune.
The George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War is home to Shepherd University's Civil War & 19th Century America concentrated track of studies. Currently the program requires students to complete a program of specialized courses in addition to the courses already required of all history majors. Courses concentrate on various elements of 19th century history such as The American Civil War, 1850–1865; the Reconstruction Era; African American History; Soldiers and Society, 1861–65; and the Old South. Students also conduct primary research within the topic area and must intern at one of various historic sites in the region, such as Harpers Ferry National Historic Site.[3]
The ongoing research mission at The George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War involves the compilation of figures from the soldiers' compiled military service records which will lead to a more definitive number of veterans from the battle born state of West Virginia. Within the next five years, data gleaned from the service records of soldiers serving in all of West Virginia's Union regiments and (Western) Virginia Confederate regiments will be compiled in the center's electronic database. Once completed a simple query will be able to provide a very accurate total for both sides including data heretofore unavailable to historians.
Currently the center is headed by Civil War historian Dr. Mark A. Snell, a retired Army officer and former assistant professor of history at West Point.
Shepherd offers 12 NCAA Division II sports including football, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, softball, women's volleyball, men's soccer, women's soccer, men's tennis, women's tennis, women's lacrosse, and golf. The Ram marching band, cheerleading squad, and dance team promote spirit at university home games.
In 1998 the Shepherd Rams made their first appearance in the NCAA playoffs and beat Indiana University PA 9–7 in the first round before losing to Slippery Rock in the second round of the playoffs. In addition, Shepherd made it to the playoffs in 1999 losing to Millersville in the first round of the playoffs.
Shepherd's football team won the 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 WVIAC Conference Championship. They made a national playoff appearance in 2005 (lost to CW Post in the second round) in their first ever home playoff game and reached the third round of playoffs in 2006 (lost to Bloomsburg) while being ranked fifth in the nation. They also reached the quarterfinals in 2007, losing to California. Senior Dan Peters (safety) was named a first-team All-American and senior Ricky Schmitt (kicker) was a second-team All-American in 2006. Schmitt signed with the San Diego Chargers on January 20, 2011. Home games are played in Ram Stadium.
The 2010 Rams, again, won the WVIAC crown. The Rams earned a bid the NCAA D-II playoffs. They beat Shaw University in the first round, Kutztown University in the second, and Mercyhurst in the third. Shepherd became the first WVIAC team to advance to the national semi-finals. They lost a close game to Delta State University in a nationally televised contest. The team finished in the top 10 in several polls.
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