Southeastern University was founded in the Nation's capital in 1879 by the Young Men's Christian Association of the District of Columbia. The first classes-offered to the great influx of newcomers to Washington-included French, mathematics, general education, religion and business. In 1907, the Washington School of Accountancy was added to the University, creating a specialty which continues to this day. Incorporation by the city government as the Southeastern University of the Young Men's Christian Association of the District of Columbia followed in 1923.
On August 19, 1937, an act of Congress declared the name of the institution to be "Southeastern University" and provided a federal charter, twice amended by the Congress, first in 1966 and again a decade later. The main campus has moved over the years. Since 1972 Southeastern has been located at 6th and I Streets in the Southwest quadrant of Washington, DC on a site formerly occupied by the Hawthorne School.
In 1996, the University Board of Trustees selected as the ninth president, the Honorable Charlene Drew Jarvis, at the time a member of the Council of the District of Columbia since 1979. She served as a chair of the City Council's powerful Committee on Economic Development and numerous other official ad community committee organizations. A prominent community leader, Dr Jarvis is a trained scientist with a doctorate in neuropsychology and a scientific researcher. She is also a daughter of the late Dr. Charles R. Drew, the famous blood bank pioneer.
Since 1997, Southeastern University has been a member of the Consortium of Universities of the Metropolitan Washington Area, entitling students to take courses at other Consortium institutions and participate in Consortium scholarships and grant competitions.
Over the past 128 years, many programs have been added, including liberal arts, business, public administration, health services, and a wide variety of computer/technical programs, among others. Today, Southeastern offers associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees, as well as numerous professional certificates. Some of the recent innovations include: e-learning; the Center for Entrepreneurship/Continuing Education, which offers programs in entrepreneurship and property management; and the Center for Allied Health Education at Greater Southeast Community Hospital.
As President Jarvis often remarks in her speeches throughout the country, the guiding purpose of the University's founders was to afford students a practical education. Southeastern's alumni extend their influence intensely in the Greater Washington metropolitan region, which increasingly looks to the University for the best in higher education leadership and intellectual standards.
Today, Southeastern builds the strengths of the community it serves through workforce development initiatives while providing access to educational opportunities. Dedicated to empowering its graduates with exit competencies that provide a competitive edge in the market place, the University embraces its mission to have a direct impact on the economic development of the region. In its second century, Southeastern University continues its tradition of educating business, technology and government leaders for the nation's capital, surrounding communities, and beyond.
Southeastern University is accredited by the Middle States Association Commission on Higher Education. The University participates in U-Can, a directory service of the National Association of Colleges and Universities.
Traditions
Southeastern University's traditional school colors are burgundy or red and gold. A frequently seen regional bird, the hawk, was designated as the mascot, representing values of strength, action, and truth. The University's seal depicts the lamp of learning and the Latin word veritas, often referenced in lux et veritas floreant (let light and truth flourish).
