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; 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 was established in 1986 and offers nationally-ranked and regionally recognized programs.

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.  The Morris 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 the Mid-South Conference of the NAIA. SSU’s men’s basketball team won the NAIA National Championship in 2021. The women’s basketball won the NAIA Division II National Championship in 1999 and has participated in more than 30 national championships.

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’s strategic plan seeks to achieve the following goals by the institution’s 40th anniversary (2026). By fulfilling our strategic plan, we will accomplish the following:

• 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, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7 - 500, Chicago, IL 60604-1411, telephone (312) 263-0456 or (800) 621-7440. Graduates of Shawnee State University are awarded doctorate, master, baccalaureate, and associate degrees and certificates.

Shawnee State is accredited on the Higher Learning Commission’s Standard Pathway to Accreditation. The University’s accreditation emphasizes quality and institutional improvement. To learn more about the Higher Learning Commission or Standard Pathway to Accreditation please visit the Commission at https://hlcommission.org/. You can learn more about Shawnee State’s accreditation status by viewing the University’s Statement of Accreditation Status on the Higher Learning Commission website.

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

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA  30326
404.975.5000
http://acenursing.org/

Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)

6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200
North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929
301.652.6611
http://www.acoteonline.org

American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE)

          1602 L St., NW, Suite 601
          Washington, DC  20036
          202.293.2450
          https://aacte.org/

American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)

211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
800.232.6108
https://coda.ada.org/en

Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE)

          2550 Corporate Exchange Dr., Suite 324
          Columbus, OH  43231
          614.895.4730
          https://www.amle.org/

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)

264 Precision Blvd
Telford, TN 37690
817.283.2835
http://www.coarc.com/

Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, American Physical Therapy Assocation (CAPTE)

3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100
Alexandria, VA 22305-3085
800.999.2782
www.capteonline.org

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)

9355 113th Street N, #7709
Seminole, FL  33763
727.210.2350
https://www.caahep.org

Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for Emergency Medical Service Professionals (CoAEMSP)

           8301 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 111-312

           Rowlett, TX  75088

           214.703.8445

           https://coaemsp.org

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)

          3100 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 600
          Arlington, VA  22201-5332
          888.232.7733
          https://exceptionalchildren.org/

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)

         1140 19th Street NW, Suite 400
         Washington, DC  20036

         202.223.0077
         www.caepnet.org

International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE) - Candidate for Accreditation

         11960 Quivira Road, Suite 300
         Overland Park, KS  66213
         913.631.3009
         https://iacbe.org/

Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)

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

National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)

5600 N. River Road, Suite 720
Rosemont, IL 60018-5119
773.714.8880
www.naacls.org

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

         1401 H Street NW, Suit 600 
         Washington, DC  20005
         202.232.8777
         https://www.naeyc.org/ 

National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB)

        1120 20th Street, NW, Suite 750
        Washington, DC  20036
        202.712.9040

        www.nabweb.org

National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)

        140 19th Street NW, Suite 400
        Washington, DC  20036
        202.223.0077

      https://www.chea.org/national-council-accreditation-teacher-education

National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)

       8555 16th St, Suite 500
       Silver Spring, MD  20910
       301.588.1800
       https://www.socialstudies.org/

National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)

       P.O. Box 416
       Annapolis Junction, MD  20701-0416
       877.369.6283
       www.ncte.org

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)

       1906 Association Drive
       Reston, VA  20191-1502
       800.235.7566
       www.nctm.org

National Science Teacher Association (NSTA)

      1840 Wilson Boulevard
      Arlington, VA  22201
      703.524.3646
      www.nsta.org

Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN)

17 South High Street, Suite 400
Columbus, OH 43215-3413
614.466.3947
https://nursing.ohio.gov/

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
614.466.9447
https://www.ems.ohio.gov

State of Ohio, Board of Executives of Long-Term Services and Supports (BELTSS)

           246 North High Street, 1st Floor
           Columbus, OH 43215-2406
           614.466.5414
           https://beltss.ohio.gov/licensing

State of Ohio, Department of Education (ODE)

           25 South Front Street
           Columbus, OH 43215-4183
           877.644.6338
           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
           http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Career-Tech

United States Department of Education (USDE)

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