Shepherd University is a state-supported institution within the West Virginia system of higher education. From its beginnings over 130 years ago, the University has evolved into a comprehensive center of higher learning, serving a number of related, yet distinct roles:*The University offers baccalaureate degrees in a wide range of fields, encompassing the liberal arts, business administration, teacher education, the social and natural sciences, and other career-oriented areas.*The University provides credit courses for individuals that may not be seeking a specific degree, but who seek to broaden and update their knowledge in either familiar or new fields of intellectual endeavor.*For the northern Shenandoah Valley region as a whole, the University is a center for noncredit continuing education, public service, and convenient citizen access to extensive programs in art, music, theater, athletics, and other areas of public interest. Shepherd University has a responsibility to extend its resources beyond the campus, bringing higher education closer to those who seek it.