Who We Are
24 June 2024 2026-04-21 11:22Who We Are
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Faith. Knowledge. Service.
Who We Are
Shanahan University, Onitsha is a Catholic, faith-inspired institution of the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, devoted to academic excellence, character formation and the pursuit of truth for the good of society.
We nurture well-rounded individuals who are prepared to lead with integrity, serve with compassion and make meaningful contributions to a changing world.
The Heart of Shanahan
The University bears the name of Bishop Joseph Ignatius Shanahan, the missionary educator whose legacy continues to inspire its work. Education here begins with a simple conviction: knowledge is for use.
The University’s motto, applying knowledge for innovation and productivity, describes a place where learning is tested against real problems and turned toward the good of the community. That work is inseparable from formation: Shanahan exists to develop the whole human person, God-fearing, confident, and able to apply knowledge for creativity and development.
Students are taught to read their own environment closely, to discover the strength within it, and to carry what they learn into engagement with the wider world.
Our Mission
To use purposeful research to harness the potentials of the country for positive human and national development by producing efficient and productive persons who advance the cause of humanity, to the glory of God.
Our Focus
We seek to inspire and boost confidence in our students by promoting research in our local environment to discover the strength within, for global usage. Active collaboration with reputable global institutions in joint research and skills exchange prepares our students for global engagement, and we interface with specialists in different fields for cross-cultural mutual exchange.
Our Vision
To develop the whole human person who is God-fearing, confident, and able to apply knowledge for creativity and development.
Our Values
These commitments shape our identity and guide everything we do.
Faith
Rooted in the Catholic tradition and the pursuit of truth.
Excellence
High standards in teaching, learning, research and service.
Integrity
Honesty, transparency and accountability in all our dealings.
Service
Dedication to the common good and the development of our communities.
Innovation
Knowledge applied for creativity, innovation and productivity.
Faith and Learning
As an institution of the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, Shanahan University understands education as the formation of the whole person. Faith and reason are pursued together here, in a community where study, worship and service belong to one life.
That identity is lived rather than announced. It shapes how the University teaches and how its members treat one another.
His Eminence Francis Cardinal Arinze with Archbishop Valerian Okeke at the University’s permanent site.
Leadership
The University’s leadership carries responsibility for advancing its mission with vision and integrity. The Proprietor of Shanahan University is Most Rev. Dr. Valerian Maduka Okeke, Archbishop of Onitsha.
Rev Fr. Prof. Josephat Obi Oguejiofor
Vice Chancellor
Rev Fr. Dr. Emmanuel Emenu
Registrar
Building for the Future
The University’s permanent campus is rising along Shanahan University Avenue, Trans-Nkisi Layout, Onitsha. Its golden-roofed academic buildings are taking shape, and each stage of construction brings the University closer to the campus its mission deserves.
In August 2026, His Eminence Francis Cardinal Arinze toured the site with Archbishop Valerian Okeke, praying for the workers, the donors and the students who will one day study there.
A Community for Discovery and Transformation
Join a community where faith, learning and service come together to prepare students for lives of purpose.