Shenandoah University

Marching Band's first steps ⭐❤💙

Paul Anka took the stage at Shenandoah for Paul Anka: A Man and His Music, bringing more than six decades of music, stories and timeless hits to life.

It was a special weekend celebrating a true music legend. Thank you to everyone who joined us, and to Cecil Pruitt, Jr. for sponsoring this memorable performance!

Welcome to our early arrivals! ❤ Campus is alive and we're SO excited for more students to join us next week ⭐

A decade ago, Tyrone A. Parker II ’17 set out to remove the financial barriers that once stood in his way as a student. Today, his vision has grown into a powerful force for educational access: the TAP Foundation, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in July 2026.

Founded with a mission to support students, especially those from single‑parent households, the TAP Foundation has spent the past decade opening doors to higher education through scholarships, community engagement, and an annual benefit concert. What began as one alumnus’s dream has become a life‑changing resource for young scholars across the region.

Read more: https://www.su.edu/blog/2026/08/11/tyrone-parker-17-celebrates-10-years-of-impact-through-the-tap-foundation/

Wonderful story about a Shenandoah University Adjunct Associate Art Professor!

Sitting in his office, Paul Zdepski often gazed out the window at a dead tree outside his home in Toms Brook, imagining what it could become. He's transformed the tree into a local landmark. See story in link. ⬇

scrolling through pictures from last year's welcome week... can't wait to see you soon 🥹💙

Faculty Spotlight | Medication AND Meaningful Conversation

We’re proud to recognize Dr. Paula Allocca, Director of Shenandoah University’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Graduate Program, for her participation in a recent episode of Peplau’s Ghost, a podcast dedicated to Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs).

In this episode, Dr. Allocca joins four PMHNP program directors and a biostatistician from across the United States for an important conversation about the role of psychotherapy in psychiatric-mental health practice.

💊 Medication matters—but so does meaningful conversation.

The discussion explores the need for PMHNPs to incorporate both medication management and therapeutic communication into patient care, recognizing the powerful role psychotherapy can play in helping individuals work through a wide range of emotional and mental health challenges.

We are proud to see Dr. Allocca representing the Shenandoah University School of Nursing and sharing her expertise and passion for preparing future PMHNPs to provide thoughtful, comprehensive, and patient-centered mental health care.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peplaus-ghost/id1765001553?i=1000780886054

Students in Shenandoah University’s athletic training program continued to prove they’re among the country’s brightest during recent trips to regional and national athletic training symposiums!

Shenandoah’s Aesia Garban ’27, Trilby Kite ’27 and Kristen Meinberg ’26 defended the Hornets’ Student Quiz Bowl title at the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers’ Association’s annual meeting on May 1, marking the third year in a row that Shenandoah has won the competition and earned the right to represent District 3 on the national stage.

Read the full story: https://www.su.edu/blog/2026/08/07/shenandoah-athletic-training-students-place-third-in-national-competition/

Gretchen Olazabal Shimabukuro ’26, a Shenandoah University physician assistant studies student, is the 2026 Virginia Academy of Physician Assistants’ PA Student of the Year.

According to VAPA, this award, presented at the VAPA Conference in July, recognizes “a PA student in good standing at an accredited PA program who demonstrates exceptional leadership, academic or clinical achievement, and a commitment to serving patients and the community.”

Congratulations, Gretchen!

Read more: https://www.su.edu/blog/2026/08/03/su-student-honored-as-vapa-student-of-the-year/