Delaware State University: Fourth in the Series about HBCU Schools

Delaware State University (DSU), the second-largest university in the state of Delaware, is a historically black university. The school was established in 1891 and over the last 116 years, it has evolved into a fully accredited, comprehensive university with the 400-acre main campus located in Dover, Delaware and satellite sites in Wilmington and Georgetown, Delaware. It encompasses six colleges and a diverse population of undergraduate and advanced degree students. The graduating class of 2008 is the largest in the University's history, consisting of over 500 seniors and graduate students. It is two hours away from Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., and three hours away from New York City. DSU also has satellite sites in Wilmington and Georgetown. The main campus in Dover contains 30 buildings.

The university was established by the Delaware General Assembly on May 15, 1891 as "The State College for Colored Students" in response to the 1890 Amendments to the Morrill Act, which required that states either open their land-grant colleges to all races or else establish a separate land-grant educational facilities for blacks. The first class graduated in May 1898. In addition to four-year bachelors programs, the university offered a 3-year normal course leading to a teaching certificate. In 1893, the university added a Preparatory Department for students who were not qualified for college work upon admission. In 1916, this program was converted to a Model Grade School and in 1923, a Junior College Division was added. The High School Division was discontinued at the end of the 1951–52 school year.

In 1944, the university received provisional accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. In 1947, its name was changed to "Delaware State College." In November 1949, Middle States revoked its accreditation. However, full accreditation was restored in April 1957 and has been maintained since. On July 1, 1993, the college was renamed "Delaware State University."

The school has an enrollment of 3,722 students (340 are graduate students), who come from 28 states and 31 countries. The faculty consists of 168 members in 20 academic departments. The university consists of six colleges: College of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology; School of Business; College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Health and Public Policy; College of Education; and College of Agriculture and Related Sciences. The University offers PhD programs in Applied Mathematics/Mathematical Physics and Neuroscience, doctoral program in education and Master's programs in various fields of sciences, nursing, social work, education, MBA program, and natural resources. The university offers 66 undergraduate degrees, 20 graduate degrees, and two doctoral degrees. Degree options include the disciplines of mathematics, natural and social sciences, education, airway sciences, visual and performing arts, management, accounting and finance, agriculture, natural resources, nursing, social work and others.

The University has over 20 formal international partnerships with institutions in countries such as Egypt, Nigeria, Serbia, Mexico, China, Cuba and many others, which facilitate student exchanges and research and conference collaborations.

Delaware State University's athletic programs participate in NCAA's Division I (I-AA for football). The university's nickname is the Hornets. The university fields teams in football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, track and field, tennis, wrestling, volleyball, soccer, and bowling. The Delaware State men's basketball team won the 2005 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championship and earned a berth in the 2005 NCAA tournament. Playing as a 16-seed, the Hornets lost 57-46 in the opening round to 1-seed Duke. The Hornets made back to back NIT appearances in 2006 and 2007. The Delaware State women's basketball team won the 2006 MEAC championship and earned a berth in the 2006 NCAA tournament. The Delaware State Football team won the 2007 MEAC football championship with a win over Norfolk State into the playoffs.

The school received national headlines when two students were shot on the campus on the morning of September 21, 2007. The students were shot near Memorial Hall around 1 a.m. One student was hospitalized in stable condition, and another student, a 17 year-old freshman, was hospitalized with serious injuries and later died. The campus was "locked down" with students confined to their dormitories and traffic blocked at the campus gate, through September 23. Classes resumed on Monday, September 24. On that day, a freshman student was arrested for attempted murder in connection with the incident, and has been expelled from the University. The episode is significant because it marks the first test of a university in handling a campus shooting following the Virginia Tech shootings.

Some notable alumni include: Clyde Bishop, ambassador to the Marshall Islands; Wayne Gilchrest, U.S. Representative for Maryland; John Taylor, wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers 1987-1995;