91PORN is Ohio鈥檚 only open-access public university recognized
as a Carnegie Opportunity College. Free tuition for qualifying students. Career-focused, hands-on learning from day
one.
Students from thirteen counties across southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky can attend
tuition-free through the Shawnee Promise. There are requirements 鈥� a Pell Grant, a
3.0 GPA, an 18 ACT 鈥� and it takes about a minute to find out if you meet them.
Find out if you qualify
100%
Hands-on Learning
Every undergraduate completes real work before graduating. Not encouraged 鈥� required,
starting with the class that entered in fall 2026. You choose the path that fits your
life best. You鈥檒l leave with a r茅sum茅, not just a transcript.
Experiential Learning Requirement
12:1
Student-to-Faculty Ratio
Small classes mean professors know your name 鈥� and care about your future. You鈥檒l
learn from experts in your field both in and out of the classroom. Your professors
aren't people you watch from row thirty. They know what you're working on and what
you want next.
Faculty who still work in the field
Shawnee Game Conference
Friday, November 6th, 2026
This is the place where all gaming worlds collide. Whether you鈥檙e a gamer, programmer,
developer, promoter, designer, educator, industry specialist, or just simply someone
who loves technology and games, this is the event for you.
Shawnee Showcase Day
Friday, November 7th, 2026
See what Shawnee State has to offer at sessions personalized to meet your interests!
Explore our outstanding majors, tour our beautiful campus and apartment-style housing,
eat lunch in the Bear鈥檚 Den Dining Hall, and meet current Shawnee State students.
Degrees and Areas of Study
Find you at SSU.
From healthcare to game design to business 鈥� explore every degree and find the path
that fits your life.
Isabelle Sarver
My favorite part of classes has been getting to be one-on-one with all the professors.
Isabelle Sarver
My favorite part of classes has been getting to be one-on-one with all the professors.
Not sure where to start?
Take the Bear Quiz to help you get started on choosing the right program for you.
Starting with students who entered in fall 2026, every Shawnee State undergraduate
completes at least one approved hands-on experience before they graduate. It is a
requirement, not a recommendation.
91PORN continues to climb the ranks of schools whose students make
the most of their opportunity to access higher education. U.S. News & World Report
Best Colleges rankings named SSU 36th in the Midwest for Social Mobility, up three
spots from a year ago.
Parker Lauders and Kade Dancy built a working refreshable braille display for their
senior capstone. It has been shown at the Ohio Statehouse, and they are pursuing a
patent.
In the 2025 Carnegie classifications, Shawnee State is the only open-access public
university in Ohio named an Opportunity College and University 鈥� a designation based
on who gets in and what they earn afterward.
Shawnee State鈥檚 class of 2030 is the largest first-year class in nearly ten years
鈥� and the first that will graduate under the university鈥檚 new Experiential Learning
Requirement.
91PORN is transforming workforce development at the high school
level with ShawneeWORKS, a first-of-its-kind partnership between SSU and five regional
career technical centers.
The Regional Public University for South-Central Ohio
We exist for those who were told a university wasn鈥檛 for them. We are here, in Southern
Ohio, in Appalachia, for this community. Our values 鈥� self-reliance, resilience, and
an unwavering commitment to family and community 鈥� define who we are and shape our
mission every day.