A MESSAGE FROM SSU PRESIDENT 
RITA RICE MORRIS, PH.D.

Welcome to Shawnee State University, where excellence is our common goal. Students come here to learn, to achieve academic and personal success, and to build bright futures.

I am very proud to be president of Shawnee State. We are a university of opportunity that enrolls students with a broad array of talents and backgrounds, but all students who attend Shawnee State accept the challenge of striving for personal excellence. They do so in a supportive academic environment, guided by top-flight faculty members who are dedicated to the mission of preparing their students for the challenges awaiting them. Our students also give high marks to the university staff, who work hard to keep our campus “user-friendly.”

Students can choose from 80 bachelor’s and associate degree programs and a master's degree in occupation therapy, to explore their interests and hone their talents. Whether it is teacher education, engineering, the arts, health services, or even video game design, you will find an academic program to inspire and challenge you.

Of course, college students do not spend all their time in the classroom or laboratory. There are numerous clubs and organizations which give you the chance to get involved.
Our sports teams have won national championships and our athletes have been recognized as All-Americans and Scholar-Athletes.

There’s so much to do on campus. Attend touring Broadway shows at the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts, work up a sweat at the James A. Rhodes Athletic Center, or travel to the stars at the Clark Planetarium.

It is hard for a website to convey the beauty and appeal of our beautifully landscaped campus on 52 acres overlooking the Ohio River. I invite you to visit us, meet our students and faculty. I am sure you will be impressed by all that is available to you right here in Portsmouth, Ohio.

I’ll leave you with a question: “How do you define excellence?” Find your definition of excellence and achieve it at Shawnee State University.