1871
Shepherd College was chartered as a private college, September 2. The present McMurran Hall housed the first classes and administration.
1872
West Virginia State Legislature established Shepherd College as a state normal school, February 27. Joseph McMurran, who is considered the founder of Shepherd College, was the first chief administrative officer of the college.
1873
First college catalog was printed.
1882
D.D. Pendleton became the second chief administrative officer of the college.
1885
T.J. Woofter became the third chief administrator of the college.
1887
Asa B. Bush became the fourth chief administrator of the college.
1889
Reynolds Hall was constructed adjoining McMurran Hall.
1891
E.M. Vale became the fifth chief administrative officer of the college.
1892
A.C. Kimler became the sixth chief administrative officer of the college.
1896
The first edition of the student newspaper, The Picket, was published.
1901
E.F. Goodwin became the seventh chief administrative officer of the college.
1903
John G. Knutti was named the eighth chief administrative officer of Shepherd College.
1904
Knutti Hall was built.
1911
The Cohongoroota, the first college annual, was published.
1918
Thomas C. Miller became the ninth president of the college.
1920
Dr. W. H. S. White became the 10th president of the college.
1921
Entler Hotel was remodeled into a men’s dormitory (named Rumsey Hall).
1924
The W. H. S. White Gymnasium was erected.
1928
The Little House, a student project directed by Professor Florence Shaw, was built.
1930
Shepherd State Normal School was authorized as a four-year college with the authority to award degrees.
1931
Eighteen graduates received the first degrees granted by the college. The State Legislature changed the institution’s name to Shepherd State Teachers College.
1942
Snyder Hall was dedicated.
1943
Approval was given to return the institution’s name to Shepherd College and to broaden the curriculum.
1947
Dr. Oliver S. Ikenberry was became the 11th president of Shepherd College.
1948
A cafeteria was opened for service.
The Greater Shepherd College Program was begun with expansion of the campus and its facilities to the Potomac River.
Shepherd College radio programs were broadcast for the first time.
1949
Authority was granted to award the Bachelor of Science degree.
Reynolds Hall was renovated.
New programs in political science, speech, radio, music, business, drama, nursing, and library science were offered.
1950
North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools grants initial accreditation to the college.
1951
Shepherd College becomes a member of the American Association of Colleges.
1952
Health and Physical Education Building (main section of Sara Cree Hall) was dedicated.
1953
The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education re-accredited teacher education programs.
1954
Successful racial integration of the student body was accomplished.
The Home Management House was opened.
Initial accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) was earned.
1955
The West Virginia Athletic Conference Football Championship was won for the first time as the football team completed an undefeated season.
1959
Ram Stadium was dedicated.
1961
Ella May Turner Residence Hall was dedicated.
New Dining Hall was opened.
The swimming team won the West Virginia Athletic Conference Championship for the first time.
1962
A new student union, the College Center, was dedicated.
1964
The H. W. Potts property (125 acres) was acquired for campus expansion.
1965
New library (later named Scarborough Library) was dedicated.
The Shepherd College Foundation was incorporated to serve as a fiduciary agent for gifts to the college.
The college’s first data processing equipment was installed.
1966
Kenamond Hall and Gardiner Hall were dedicated as residence halls.
Medical technology degree was established in cooperation with the Veterans Administration Hospital.
1967
Renovation of Knutti Hall as an academic building was begun and erection of a new administration building was authorized.
1968
Dr. James A. Butcher was appointed 12th president.
The Administration Building (Ikenberry Hall) was dedicated.
The North Central Association renewed accreditation.
1969
The West Virginia Board of Regents was established as the governing agency for public higher education.
1970
Shaw Hall and Thacher Hall were dedicated as residence halls.
Baccalaureate majors in hotel, motel, and restaurant management, sociology, and social welfare were approved.
1971
The Centennial Year was observed with an expanded cultural events program.
1972
The North Central Association renewed accreditation.
The Department of Nursing Education was established, offering an Associate of Science in Nursing (A.S.N.) program.
The Shepherd Rams football team won the West Virginia Athletic Conference Championship for the first time since the 1955 team.
1973
A new addition to the College Center was opened.
Bachelor of Science degree programs were initiated in recreation and in park administration.
1974
The new White Hall, housing classes in business and social sciences, was begun and dedicated a year later.
Associate degree programs in marketing management and hotel, motel, and restaurant management were begun.
1975
Three new degree programs were added: Regents Bachelor of Arts, Associate of Arts in commercial art, and an Associate of Science in fire service and safety technology.
The first maintenance headquarters building was occupied.
1976
Three new associate degree programs were added: general studies, fashion merchandising, and electronics technology.
The first administrator was appointed to coordinate coursework in the South Branch Valley with an office in Petersburg.
The Department of Social Work received initial accreditation from the Council of Social Work Education.
1977
A new classroom building (later dedicated as Stutzman-Slonaker Hall) was opened for the biological sciences, mathematics, and home economics on the site of the old social science hall.
The Associate of Arts degree photography major was approved.
1978
The West Virginia Athletic Conference Men’s Tennis Championship was won for the first time.
1979
A baccalaureate degree in psychology was added to the curriculum.
The Evening Program was launched with coursework directed at the completion of associate degrees in general studies or general business and the bachelor’s degree in business administration.
1980
The interdisciplinary studies major was initiated.
Miller Hall was renovated and reestablished as a residence hall.
An expanded and coordinated program emphasizing career planning and placement was implemented.
1981
The Creative Arts Center was dedicated amid a year long celebration of the arts.
1982
An Associate of Science degree in engineering was approved.
The North Central Association granted its maximum period of reaccreditation to the college.
1983
The West Virginia Athletic Conference Baseball Championship was won for the first time.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree was approved as was the Bachelor of Arts degree in music.
The Department of Social Work received reaffirmation of accreditation from the Council of Social Work Education.
1984
The administrative offices of the South Branch Valley Center were relocated to the Old Grant County Courthouse where classroom facilities were also available.
The exterior restoration of McMurran and Reynolds Hall was completed.
First Alumni Scholarships for leadership were presented.
1985
The women’s tennis team won the West Virginia Athletic Conference Championship for the first time.
Computer mathematics was approved as an option within the Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics.
A Bachelor of Science degree in accounting was authorized.
Burkhart, Moler, and Yost Halls, new apartment style residences, were completed.
1986
Adaptive restoration/renovation of the interior of McMurran and Reynolds Halls was begun.
Baccalaureate programs in computer programming and information systems and communications were authorized.
1987
The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education awarded maximum period of reaccreditation to all teacher education programs.
Construction for a new Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Athletic Complex was initiated.
A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) program was initiated, offering both a generic program and a track for R.N. students Each program has been accredited by the National League for Nursing, and then by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, Inc., since its first graduating class.
An Academic Honors program was approved by the faculty.
The Governor’s Honors Academy was convened.
1988
The Creative Arts Center was named the Guy and Alice Frank Creative Arts Center; the nursing building was named Lurry Hall; and the administration building was named Ikenberry Hall.
1989
Michael P. Riccards became the 13th president.
The new Athletics/Physical Education Complex was completed.
Construction was begun on three new residence halls on the West Campus.
The mission of the Office of Personnel was changed to include employee assistance and the name of the office changed to Office of Human Resources.
1990
The Biology Department was designated a Program of Excellence by the State College System Board of Directors, the only biology program so recognized in the state.
The first honorary degrees granted by Shepherd were awarded at the 117th commencement to Senator John D. Rockefeller IV and Fred G. Butler, chair of the Board of Advisors.
The Department of Social Work received reaffirmation of accreditation from the Council of Social Work Education.
1991
The College reached out to take advantage of its proximity to the Washington, D.C., area for further enriching its curriculum. Through the Washington Gateway program, planned courses and educational experiences including internships, workshops, and field trips supplement campus-based opportunities.
The Contemporary American Theater Festival was begun. Conducted along Equity guidelines, this brought innovative productions to Shepherd and the region and provided professional training for theater students. The CATF became an independent corporation operating on the college campus.
An alumna, Rae Ellen Scanlon McKee, was designated National Teacher of the Year by the National Education Association. In November, another alumna, Beverly Ann Hoffmaster, was named West Virginia’s 1992 Teacher of the Year.
The Tabler Farm was purchased (158 acres) to provide room for future college expansion.
A plan for the formal assessment of students’ development of writing and critical thinking skills was initiated. An assessment group of faculty, students, staff, and administrators guide, monitor, and evaluate these assessments from year to year.
1992
The Physical Education and Athletics complex was dedicated as the James A. and Evelyn Butcher Center.
Three Westwoods Residence Halls were dedicated as Martin Hall, Boteler Hall, and Lurry Hall.
The North Central Association reaffirmed accreditation.
1993
A $4 million grant for a science building was allocated to Shepherd College through the efforts of Senator Robert C. Byrd.
The Center for the Study of the Civil War was established.
The Department of Music receives initial accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
1994
Construction of the Science and Technology Annex to Snyder Hall began.
1995
Construction of Phase One of the Science and Technology Center was completed. Construction of Phase Two began.
College named as a beneficiary in the estate of the late Ralph Burkhart, who bequeathed almost $6 million to the Shepherd College Foundation.
The Computer and Information Sciences Department is founded with a comprehensive major in computer and information sciences.
1996
David L. Dunlop became the 14th president.
The Conrad Shindler House was donated to Shepherd College Foundation by actress Mary Tyler Moore, in honor of her father, to house the Civil War Center. It became the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War.
1997
The Department of Social Work received reaffirmation of accreditation from the Council of Social Work Education.
1998
Construction of Phase Two of the Robert C. Byrd Science and Technology Center was completed.
The position of director of assessment and student learning was established and a campuswide, coordinated program of assessment was begun.
1999
The Shepherd College Institute for Environmental Studies was approved by the Board of Directors.
2000
The Emergency Medical Services degree program was approved in the Community and Technical College by the Board of Directors.
The statewide governance structures of higher education were realigned, with the creation of the Higher Education Policy Commission.
Shepherd was authorized by the Policy Commission and the Interim Governing Board to relocate the headquarters of the Community and Technical College to downtown Martinsburg.
The renovated Ram Stadium was opened for the fall football season.
2001
The Shepherd College Board of Governors was established.
The Community and Technical College of Shepherd offered its first classes in its permanent, Martinsburg site.
2002
An extensive addition to the Ruth Scarborough Library was completed, including the establishment of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative Studies.
The college began its first cooperative graduate program, a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) with Marshall University.
The North Central Association reaffirmed accreditation. NCATE reaffirmed accreditation for the Teacher Education program with no areas for improvement.
2003
The college began its first free-standing graduate program, a Master of Arts in curriculum and instruction
2004
Shepherd College became Shepherd University. The Community and Technical College became an independent higher education institution.
The Department of Social Work received reaffirmation of accreditation from the Council of Social Work Education.
2005
Birch and Maple Halls, apartment residences, were completed.
The university added master’s programs in business administration (M.B.A.), music (M.M.M.E.), college student development and administration (M.A.), and teaching (M.A.T.).
2006
NASM reaffirms accreditation undergraduate programs and granted initial accreditation to the Master of Music in Music Education program. The International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education granted reaccreditation to the business program.
2007
Erma Ora Byrd Hall, housing the nursing education program, was completed.
Dr. Suzanne Shipley became the 15th president.
2008
Center for Contemporary Arts Phase I was completed.
2009
Wellness Center was dedicated.
2011
NCATE reaffirmed accreditation for the Teacher Education program with no areas for improvement. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education grated initial accreditation to the Nursing Education Program with no areas for improvement.
2013
Center for Contemporary Arts II opened.
Rt. 480 pedestrian underpass was completed.
Martinsburg Center opened.
2014
Erin Sponaugle ’03 was named 2014 West Virginia Teacher of the Year
2015
The football team participated in Shepherd’s very first national championship game. The Rams lost to Northwest Missouri State 34-7 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Shepherd accepts 5-Star Challenge adopting a set of standards to help veterans achieve an education.
Shepherd’s Center for Contemporary Arts II is the first building on campus to become LEED certified.
First doctoral program, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.), welcomed 15 students to its first class.
The Department of Contemporary Art and Theater was approved for membership in the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.
2016
Dr. Mary J.C. Hendrix ’74 became the 16th president and the first Shepherd graduate to lead the institution.
The Higher Learning Commission reaffirmed accreditation with Shepherd meeting all five accreditation criteria.
Groundbreaking on Potomac Place, a new residence hall on West Campus financed by the Shepherd University Foundation.
Sonya Evanisko, professor of art and coordinator of the painting program, was named the 2015 West Virginia Professor of the Year by the Faculty Merit Foundation on March 30, 2016.
The Shepherd chapter of Phi Beta Delta honor society for international scholars was launched, becoming the first chapter in West Virginia and one of 180 chapters around the world.
2017
Potomac Place residence hall opens.
TRIO Student Support Services received a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to operate an Upward Bound program over the next five years in Berkeley County’s four high schools.
A new College of Business was launched.
The Board of Governors approved academic structure change from a school to college structure, to include a College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Arts and Humanities, College of Education and Professional Studies, College of Business, and College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
Shepherd’s nursing baccalaureate program was reaccredited for 10 years by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) program was fully accredited by CCNE for five years.
The Department of Music was reaccredited by the National Association of Schools of Music for 10 more years.
The Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry with a concentration in biochemistry was accredited by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, making Shepherd the first institution in West Virginia to achieve this accreditation.
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.
2018
The Department of Education received Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) national accreditation without conditions.
First nine students received their Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) degree during a graduate ceremony in the Frank Center Theater.
Shepherd’s Veterans to Agriculture/Sustainable Agriculture program launched.
2019
$1 million gift established the Bonnie and Bill Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications at Shepherd University.
New field turf was installed at Ram Stadium in May, replacing the well-worn, 10-year-old field turf in preparation for Shepherd’s entry into the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) in fall 2019.
Shepherd joined the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) beginning with the 2019-2020 academic year, fielding 13 of PSAC’s 23 sports.
Dr. Heidi Hanrahan, professor of English, was named the Faculty Merit Foundation of West Virginia 2018 Professor of the Year.
2020
In March students were sent home, classes moved online, and employees began working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting in fall, classes were offered in-person, online, or hybrid to accommodate student needs and many activities were conducted online.
The Social Work Program accreditation was reaffirmed for eight years by the Council on Social Work Education, the sole accrediting agency for social work education in the United States.
The Shepherd University Foundation received a $130,000 grant from the Foundation for Pho-tobiomodulation Research to help the School of Nursing develop the Shepherd University PBM Center of Excellence.
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) approved a request by Shepherd to offer distance education courses and programs.
Dr. 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.
2021
COVID-19 vaccine clinics for faculty, staff, and students ran each Friday during spring semester.
National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) approved two new programs within Shepherd University’s School of Music—a Master of Art in Teaching music specialization and Bachelor of Music in piano performance.
New undergraduate interdisciplinary degree in Appalachian studies, with both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degree tracks are offered.
New nutrition degree, a Bachelor of Science nutrition comprehensive is offered.
Plans were made to fully open in fall 2021, offering more face-to-face classes, normal residence hall capacity, and expanded in-person activities, including sporting events.
Shepherd University, Bravo Flight Training, and the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport announced a partnership to bring aviation training and education to the Eastern Panhandle.
Shepherd celebrated its 150th anniversary during the 2021-2022 academic year with the theme “Honor the Past, Transform the Future.”
The Rams Football team advanced to the NCAA Division II semifinal playoffs.
Rams Quarterback Tyson Bagent was named the 2021 Harlon Hill Trophy winner, the first Shepherd player to earn this award.
2022
B.S. in health promotion and exercise science received national accreditation
The Institutional Actions Council of the Higher Learning Commission continued the accreditation of Shepherd University.
The Center of Excellence for Photobiomodulation at Shepherd University officially opened.
Shepherd University, Bravo Flight Training, and the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport dedicated the aviation program as the Hunter Carlos Willis Aviation Program.
The Shepherd University Foundation celebrated its 60th anniversary.
A mosaic was hung in the Butcher Center honoring 50 years of women’s intercollegiate basketball at Shepherd. The 50th anniversary Women’s Team made it to the semifinal NCAA II Atlantic Regional Tournament.
The Bachelor of Science nutrition comprehensive was granted Candidacy for Accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics board.
The School of Nursing earned re-accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education for 10 years.