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Shenandoah University

EIN 54-0525605 · Winchester, VA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair55 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY EDUCATES AND INSPIRES INDIVIDUALS TO BE CRITICAL, REFLECTIVE THINKERS; LIFELONG LEARNERS, AND ETHICAL, COMPASSIONATE CITIZENS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING RESPONSIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS WITHIN A COMMUNITY, A NATION AND THE WORLD.

Income
$172.4 million
Spending
$149.3 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
-2.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 82%
Employees
3,013
Volunteers
300
Highest pay
$436,293, president and registered agent

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 31% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    28 of 32 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $94.2 million spent. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025, SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY SAW ENROLLMENT REMAIN STEADY, WITH 4,454 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN FALL 2024. SHENANDOAH CONTINUED TO EXPAND ITS LIST OF OVER 200 ACADEMIC OFFERINGS AT THE UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE LEVELS, ADDING MASTER OF SCIENCE IN APPLIED CYBER SECURITY, MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING, MASTER OF SCIENCE IN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY, DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP.
  2. $16.5 million spent. STUDENT SERVICES INCLUDES ADMISSIONS, REGISTRAR, STUDENT AFFAIRS, STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS, AND ATHLETIC PROGRAMS. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025, SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY HAD OVER 70 RECOGNIZED STUDENT CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS. SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY SPONSORED 22 INTERCOLLEGIATE TEAMS (11 FOR WOMEN AND 11 FOR MEN) WITH A TOTAL STUDENT-ATHLETE INVOLVEMENT OF MORE THAN 500. INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS ARE AN INTEGRAL ASPECT OF STUDENT LIFE ON THE SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, WITH THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS INVOLVED EITHER AS PARTICIPANTS OR SPECTATORS. SEVERAL SU SPORTS TEAMS EARNED NATIONAL RANKINGS AND CONTENDED FOR OLD DOMINION ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TITLES IN THEIR RESPECTIVE SPORTS, AND STUDENT-ATHLETES EXCELLED AT THE CONFERENCE, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVELS.SHENANDOAH'S HEALTH PROFESSIONS BUILDING, LOCATED OFF MAIN CAMPUS AT THE WINCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER CAMPUS, SERVES AS THE HOME OF THE SCHOOL OF PHARMACY, AND SU'S NATIONALLY RANKED PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AND PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAMS IN THE SCHOOL OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS. SU'S LOUDOUN LOCATION SERVES STUDENTS IN THE MBA, EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP, NURSING, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, PHYSICAL THERAPY, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES, AND SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY PROGRAMS.
  3. $10.2 million spent. AUXILIARY SERVICES INCLUDES THE UNIVERSITY'S RESIDENCE HALLS, BOOKSTORE, AND CHILD CARE FACILITIES. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025, SHENANDOAH SET A NEW ALL-TIME HIGH WITH OVER 1,230 STUDENTS RESIDING IN ITS 11 RESIDENCE HALLS.
  4. $10.4 million spent. SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY'S OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES NOT DETAILED IN PART III INCLUDE THE MAINTENANCE OF SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY'S CAMPUSES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since February 1939.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.