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Shepherd University history
Shepherd University company history timeline
Shepherd University began when the county seat of Jefferson County, West Virginia, was moved from its temporary location in Shepherdstown back to Charles Town in July 1871.
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.
Established in 1871, Shepherd University is a public liberal arts college offering more than 100 programs of study to the residents of West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.
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.”
In 1961, the Shepherd University Foundation was born from a collaborative effort between a small group of Shepherd College faculty and alumni and President Oliver S. Ikenberry.
In March of 1965, an amended charter was adopted to allow for the current, more extensive operation.
In 1984, not quite 25 years after its inception, the Foundation awarded approximately $70,000 in student scholarship aid.
In 1996, the Foundation hired Monica Lingenfelter to serve as its executive vice president and run day-to-day operations.
In July of 2003, three years after James Davis `59 was elected the organization’s third president, assets reached $17.5 million, and $1.2 million was distributed in scholarship and program awards.
On April 7, 2004, Governor Bob Wise signed legislation allowing Shepherd College to change its name to Shepherd University.
In July of 2006, the Shepherd University Foundation, in conjunction with other support groups, began working toward the first-ever comprehensive campaign.
Upon its completion in June 2011, the Campaign raised more than $26 million dollars for Shepherd University – an impressive 126% of the target goal.
The Shepherd University Foundation celebrated its 50th anniversary in fall of 2011.
In 2012, Michael A. Smith ’89 was elected as the Foundation’s fifth president.
The Foundation also experienced its greatest structural change since its inception, merging in the fall of 2016 with the University Advancement office to create one large development team with Monica Lingenfelter at the helm.
A Dorset ram named J.C. (whose name is based on the middle initials of President Mary J.C. Hendrix ’74) was introduced to the campus in June 2017, continuing the Shepherd tradition of having a live ram mascot named in honor of the current president.
Potomac Place, a new 298 bed dormitory on the West Campus, opened in August 2017.
Under current president Christopher S. Colbert ’95, who was elected in fall of 2017, the Shepherd University Foundation remains committed to the same mission for which it was created- to advance Shepherd University.
Doctor Heidi Hanrahan, professor of English, was named the Faculty Merit Foundation of West Virginia 2018 Professor of the Year.
Doctor Jeff Groff, chair of the Department of Environmental and Physical Sciences, was named the Faculty Merit Foundation of West Virginia 2019 Professor of the Year.
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Shepherd University competitors
| Company name | Founded date | Revenue | Employee size | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marietta College | 1835 | $36.2M | 647 | - |
| University of Charleston | 1888 | $66.3M | 200 | 64 |
| Frostburg State University | 1898 | $7.4M | 50 | 23 |
| Murray State University | 1922 | $118.6M | 2,000 | 21 |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 1889 | $131.5M | 1,790 | 28 |
| Fairmont State University | 1867 | $43.2M | 50 | 27 |
| Appalachian State University | 1899 | $3.8M | 2 | 436 |
| Gardner-Webb University | 1905 | $61.1M | 993 | 166 |
| Radford University | 1910 | $123.6M | 5 | 399 |
| McDaniel College | 1867 | $74.3M | 895 | 33 |
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