Sam Houston State University (SHSU) is a state-owned public research university located in Huntsville, Texas. Established in 1879, it holds the distinction of being the third-oldest public higher education institution in Texas. Historically significant as one of the first normal schools west of the Mississippi River and the first in Texas, the university is named after Sam Houston, a prominent figure who resided and is interred in Huntsville. SHSU currently employs approximately 5,060 people.
