Shaw University, founded in 1865, is the first historically Black university in the South. Shaw is a private, co-educational liberal arts institution affiliated with the Baptist Church.

 

The university is known for building leadership skills and has a history as an institution of firsts. Estey Hall was the first building on campus erected to house and educate African American women. Shaw’s former Leonard School of Medicine was the first four-year medical school to train black doctors and pharmacists in the South.

 

The university offers 30 undergraduate majors and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC) to award associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. In addition to its emphasis on teaching, Shaw stresses character development, which includes religious, cultural, social, and ethical values.

Shaw University is committed to providing educational opportunities to all segments of society without regard to race, creed, or ethnic origin. However, as the first historically African-American university in the South, it has maintained a special interest in the education of minorities from diverse backgrounds, with potential for academic success.