Sam Houston State University, also known as Sam Houston, SHSU, or Sam, is a state-owned entity headquartered in the US. Founded in 1879, it operates with approximately 5,060 employees. Functioning as a public research university located in Huntsville, Texas, it holds the distinction of being the third-oldest public college or university in Texas, and was one of the first normal schools west of the Mississippi River and the first of its kind in Texas. The institution is named after Sam Houston, who resided in Huntsville and is buried there.
