Shenandoah University considers a devotion to the greater good at the very heart of its mission statement, which states the university educates and inspires individuals to be “ethical, compassionate citizens who are committed to making responsible contributions within a community, a nation and the world.”

A part of the Winchester community

The university has been an integral part of the Winchester community since 1960, when it (as Shenandoah College & Conservatory) moved north to Winchester at the behest of Winchester-Frederick County civic leaders.

In the 61 years since, Shenandoah has grown to better serve the Northern Shenandoah Valley and Northern Virginia. It became a university in the early 1990s, and added locations in Loudoun and Fairfax counties (Scholar Plaza and the Inova Center for Personalized Health, respectively).

It has anticipated and met the region’s needs by educating large numbers of community’s health care providers such as pharmacists, physician assistants and nurses, as well as educators and business professionals, and providing easy access to incredible performances through the university’s conservatory. Additionally, it is a major regional employer.

2020 at Shenandoah

In 2020, a year in which many colleges and universities had to stay exclusively online, Shenandoah reworked its course delivery methods to offer classes that could be taken in-person and online simultaneously. It also saw its largest-ever incoming first-year class and surpassed its total enrollment record, with a student body exceeding 4,000 for the first time.

COVID-19 Testing

Shenandoah established a novel coronavirus surveillance testing effort, which uses a pooled saliva test developed and administered by the university’s Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy. 

And, Shenandoah pharmacy school faculty are now also conducting tests on positive samples, from both the university community and the larger community, to identify the presence of any variant forms of the novel coronavirus.

Vaccinating the Community 

Shenandoah’s newest major building, the 77,000-square-foot James R. Wilkins Jr. Athletics & Events Center (WAEC), currently serves as the Winchester/Frederick County mass-vaccination site for inoculations to prevent COVID-19. Shenandoah has partnered with Valley Health and the Lord Fairfax Health District to offer these vaccinations.

Those who have received vaccinations at the center have given the joint effort high marks, inspiring people to post about their positive experiences on social media and in local news outlets, calling it, in one instance, “better than perfect.” Shenandoah’s president, Tracy Fitzsimmons, Ph.D., regularly greets those being vaccinated to make sure they feel fully welcome and cared for at the WAEC, which was constructed with the intent of it being used by the community in the event of an emergency.

Virtual Performances 

Shenandoah is home to the world-class Shenandoah Conservatory, which, during the pandemic, has continued to delight audiences in the community and around the world with a new streaming platform, CP4U (Conservatory Performs for You), featuring music, theatre and dance performance by its award-winning faculty and students and internationally acclaimed guest artists.

Explore the River Campus

And, members of the community are always welcome at the Shenandoah University River Campus at Cool Spring Battlefield in Clarke County, which is open from dawn to dusk daily. The 195-acre site of a Civil War battle, is a living laboratory for Shenandoah students studying a wide variety of subjects. The River Campus boasts trails, a secret waterfall, rich history, and a heron rookery, all along the Shenandoah River.

Discover more about Shenandoah’s recent efforts in the communities it serves

Any help you can provide to maintain Shenandoah’s central role in the communities it serves is always appreciated. The support of the communities we love means everything to us.