What Shaw University is like

What it's like

Shaw University is a historically Black university in downtown Raleigh with deep roots in civil rights and educational access. Founded in 1865, it emphasizes a career-focused education in a supportive family environment. The campus offers diverse student organizations and activities alongside academics, with a commitment to fostering community engagement and belonging.

Academic feel

Shaw prioritizes personalized academic support, with professors and advisors providing encouragement to students whether they're excelling or struggling. The university's research profile spans multiple disciplines including medicine, law, political science, psychology, philosophy, and biology. The institution has a notable legacy in professional education—it once operated the first four-year medical school in the South training African-American doctors and the first law school for African-Americans in the country, though these schools have since closed.

Social life

Student life centers on involvement through clubs, cultural organizations, and community service. Housing ranges from traditional residence halls with communal atmospheres to apartment-style living offering greater independence. The campus hosts social and cultural events designed to build community, with dining services offering flexible meal plans and accommodations for diverse dietary needs.

What you should consider

Students seeking hands-on support and mentorship benefit from Shaw's commitment to individual academic guidance. Those interested in civic engagement will find a tradition of activism—SNCC, the landmark civil rights organization, was founded at Shaw in 1960. Students wanting to be part of a historically significant HBCU with strong community ties and diverse extracurricular engagement can thrive here.

Strengths

• Oldest HBCU to begin offering courses in the Southern United States, founded in 1865[1]
• Birthplace of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which emerged from a student meeting organized by Ella Baker in April 1960 and became a major force in the civil rights movement[2]
• Led a significant research study investigating racial discrimination in World War II Medal of Honor awards, resulting in seven African-American soldiers being posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 1997[2]
• Once operated the first four-year medical school in the South to train African-American doctors and established the first law school for African-Americans in the country[2]
• Campus features historic architectural significance with buildings designed by renowned Raleigh architect George S. H. Appleget in Second Empire and Italianate styles, plus Romanesque Revival and Brutalist structures[2]

Traditions

• Co-founding member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Conference, the oldest African American athletic association in the U.S., with championships in football, basketball, tennis, and volleyball[2]