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West Virginia’s Shepherd University sits scenically above the Potomac River, just ninety minutes away from Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. This small liberal arts university is “big on community service and community in general,� including both within Shepherd and in the surrounding area. The school is “very much affordable, especially to in-state students,� but that doesn’t mean it compromises on opportunity: A plethora of programs and events are available to help attendees “accelerate in school,� including “guest speakers and presentations to provide insight to future pathways.� As one example of these “very helpful and abundant� amenities and services, if a class is not offered, a student can often pursue independent study and “work with an advisor at their own pace during the semester [to] pursue their research interests.�

Additionally, professors here are “very passionate about their fields,� “want to make a difference in your life,� and are “very open when it comes to meeting with students.� Students appreciate the inclusion of “discussion groups, collaborative projects, and department-wide trips … to enrich [the] learning experience.� Moreover, they love that the faculty strives to be “clear in what they need you to do and what you need to learn,� and that they’re “more than willing to share connections with the student body.� As one student puts it, “From research positions to shadowing experiences, you will be prepared for your next steps.�

Since Shepherd has a smaller student body (fewer than three thousand undergraduates attend), the school lends itself to a “more family-like atmosphere.� But that doesn’t mean it’s not “extremely diverse�—traditional, non-traditional, and international students all stroll the hallways and grounds. “I feel like we have a well-rounded lump of people who attend here,� says one student. And that well-roundedness comes across in the “kind and collaborative� attitude everyone seems to have on a campus where everyone “is encouraged by students, members, and staff to be who they truly are.�

“The campus is truly breathtaking� at Shepherd, offering “lots of hikes� and “beautiful parks and trails around the area.� Plus, nearby, historic Shepherdstown is the “perfect mix of small town and suburban life.� Students “really enjoy going into town and frequenting coffee shops and restaurants.� One student specifically notes, “I visit a bakery daily that was once used as a Civil War hospital, and it is only a three-minute walk from class.� The school is also “rich with opportunities because of the close proximity to major cities.�

Between classes, “people will go to the commuter lounge and relax� or study in the library. When classes are over, the school’s Program Board “sets up events constantly, such as Paint Night, Bingo, or different food-related events.� That constant sense of involvement is just one of the reasons that the university “has a sense of home to it.� That’s reinforced come game day, when “students rock … university gear with pride.�