About the University

Shawnee State University is a student-focused public university offering small class sizes, personal attention, more than 70 majors, and faculty members who are experts in their fields.  We pride ourselves on being a place where professors know their students by name, and where our students can make a name for themselves.

Our graduates go on to make a name for themselves in the fields of education; medicine; fine, digital and performing arts; English and humanities; mathematical sciences; natural sciences; social sciences; business administration; industrial and engineering technologies; health services; and in many areas not yet imagined.

Located on the beautiful banks of the Ohio River in historic Portsmouth, Ohio, Shawnee State University is one of the fastest growing public universities.  Our enrollment has grown by more than 24 percent in the past three years with more than 4,700 students now attending SSU.  More than 1,000 of these students are living on campus in residential housing.

In addition to being the fastest growing university, we are also the youngest, established in 1986.  Shawnee State offers outstanding academic value in the state of Ohio, and beyond, with one of the lowest tuition rates in the state and excellent academic opportunity.

Our campus features modern educational facilities, including the Clark Memorial Library; the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts, featuring one of the finest theaters in the country; the James A. Rhodes Athletic Center, which serves as home to the SSU Bears; and the Clark Planetarium - the first planetarium in the United States equipped with the digital MediaGlobe system.  Our recently expanded University Center provides a central location for most student services and is the first joint construction project of the University and its students.

SSU’s Dr. Miller and Genevieve Toombs Children’s Learning Center provides an outstanding educational preparation for area preschool children and serves as a lab school for teacher education students at the University.

The SSU-SOMC Simulation Lab offers nursing students the opportunity to develop real-world critical thinking and life-saving skills in a virtual environment with the use of high-tech mannequins that breathe, have  heartbeats and vital signs and show symptoms.

Shawnee State has a rich tradition of success in athletics, competing in Division I in the Mid South Conference of the NAIA.  SSU’s women’s basketball team won the NAIA Division II National Championship in 1999 and has participated in more than 30 national championships.

Engaged in relationships with universities in Germany, China, Morocco, Spain, Chile, and Vietnam, SSU attracts a growing number of international students and provides opportunities for all students to travel and study abroad through its Center for International Programs and Activities (CIPA).

We prepare today’s students to succeed in tomorrow’s world.

Student-Focused Service

• We place students at the center of everything we do and every decision we make.

Community Engagement

• We value the diverse perspectives of the people within our community — on and off campus — and our role in enriching the lives of those who work, live and discover here.

Authentic Dialogue

• We respect open, honest and sincere two-way communication.

Thoughtful Risk-Taking

• We value innovation and encourage those around us to dream big and explore new posssibilities.

Continuous Improvement

• We look for opportunities to make what we do well today even better tomorrow.

GOALS:

Shawnee State endeavors to:

• serve the region by offering programs that students need to thrive in a dynamic world
• strive to grow our enrollment and build a diverse and sustainable student body
• prioritize student success in our decision-making
• enhance the quality of life of our community and region through positive partnerships
• provide student-centered and customer-focused processes in our administrative operations
• use evidence, data, and best practices when making decisions
• be a diverse community that is equitable and inclusive

The detailed Strategic Plan can be viewed on the SSU website.

Shawnee State University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, 30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504, telephone (312) 263-0456 or (800) 621-7440. Graduates of the University are awarded master, baccalaureate, and associate degrees and certificates.

Shawnee State has been accepted to membership in the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) of the Higher Learning Commission. This method of accreditation emphasizes institutional improvement through continuous implementation of action projects, institutional self-assessments, and reporting through a systems portfolio that documents improvement. To learn more about the Higher Learning Commission or AQIP please visit the commision at https://hlcommission.org/

In addition, the institution or specific programs are accredited or approved by the following agencies:

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing

3343 Peachtree Road, NE, Suite 850
Atlanta, GA  30326
404.975.5000
http://acenursing.org/

Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education

4720 Montgomery Lane
P.O. Box 31220
Bethesda, MD 20824-1220
301.652.2682
www.aota.org

American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation

211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
312.440.2500
www.ada.org

Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)

1248 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX 76021-4244
817.283.2835
http://www.coarc.com/

Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, American Physical Therapy Association

1111 North Fairfax Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.706.3245
www.capteonline.org

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs

25400 US Highway 19 North
Suite 158
Clearwater, FL  33763
727.210.2350
mail@caahep.org

Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE)

2201 Double Creek Drive, Suite 5006
Round Rock, TX 78664
512.733.9700
www.caate.net

Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology

20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 2850
Chicago, IL 60606-3182
312.704.5300
https://www.jrcert.org/

National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences

8410 West Bryn Avenue, Suite 670
Chicago, IL 60631-3415
773.714.8880
www.naacls.org

 Ohio Board of Nursing

17 South High Street, Suite 400
Columbus, OH 43215-3413
614.466.3947
www.state.oh.us/nur/

Ohio Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Medical Services (EMT-B and Paramedic Training Programs)

1970 West Broad Street
P.O. Box 182073
Columbus, OH 43218
614.466.3250
www.state.oh.us/odps

State of Ohio, Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators

246 North High Street
Columbus, OH 43216
614.466.5714

State of Ohio, Department of Education

65 South Front Street
Columbus, OH 43216-4183
614.466.4838
http://education.ohio.gov/

State of Ohio, Department of Education, Division of Vocational Education

25 South Front Street
Columbus, OH 43215-4183
877.644.6338
www.ode.state.oh.us

United States Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-0498
800.USA.LEARN (800.872.5327)
https://www.ed.gov/