We are Shenandoah

Some places radiate special qualities — Shenandoah is one. At Shenandoah lives are illuminated by a love of learning, collaboration, service and a deep, shared history. Its name and location evoke images of legends, natural beauty, exploration, and timelessness. Shenandoah University embraces and reflects its storied valley home, educating students as radiant and warm as mythical lights inspiring Shenandoah’s meaning: “the sons and daughters of the stars.”

This green, fertile, and enchanting land has attracted people for thousands of years, inspiring stories, songs, and lives marked by joy, scholarship, accomplishment, and delight. That legacy remains vibrant to this day, as the leader of the future call upon the rich echoes of the past for inspiration.

We are all part of this timeless story. We are Shenandoah.

Mission & Vision Statements

Shenandoah University educates and inspires individuals to be critical, reflective thinkers; lifelong learners; and ethical, compassionate citizens who are committed to making responsible contributions within a community, a nation and the world.

Shenandoah University will be nationally recognized for forward thinking programs that produce competitive and purposeful graduates.

Shenandoah's History

Dayton, Virginia was Shenandoah’s home for 85 years. In 1875, the university was founded there as Shenandoah High School. Over the next 85 years, the institution changed names six times but always kept “Shenandoah” as part of its name. In 1946, the school nearly closed due to financial concerns. Rather than closing the school, university president Dr. Forrest S. Racey oversaw the move to Winchester. The last classes in Dayton began in the fall of 1959 with an enrollment of 159 students. Shenandoah opened its doors in Winchester in September 1960.

In Winchester, the school began to thrive and, in 1991, became Shenandoah University. 

The Shenandoah of Today

The university now spans 5 locations: 

• Winchester Main Campus
• Scholar Plaza, Leesburg
• Health Professions Building, Winchester
• INOVA Center for Personalized Health, Fairfax
• Shenandoah River Campus at Cool Spring Battlefield

Shenandoah offers over 150 academic programs for undergraduate and graduate students across seven schools:

• College Of Arts & Sciences
• School Of Business
• School Of Nursing
• School Of Education & Leadership
• Shenandoah Conservatory
• School Of Pharmacy
• School Of Health Professions
• Division Of Applied Technology

Join a university community that brings high energy to learning and activities on and off campus. With 21 men’s and women’s athletics teams and more than 90 clubs and organizations, jump into life on a vibrant campus. Countless international programs expose our students, staff, and faculty to the world and teach them to become global citizens. 

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