Higher Education

Virginia's Eastern Shore

Eastern Shore Community College

Eastern Shore Community College, located in Melfa, is a member of the Virginia Community College System and serves the residents of Accomack County and Northampton County as a two-year institution of higher learning.

ESCC is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate degrees. The college provides associate degree programs approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. The College is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges and the Southern Association of Junior Colleges.

ESCC offers degrees and certificates in a wide variety of programs and topics. There are four tracks through which a student may pursue studies;  Transfer Programs; Occupational/Technical Programs; Developmental Studies and Distance Education.

Old Dominion University

Graduate and undergraduate degrees and certificates and licensures can be obtained at the United States Navy Surface Combat Systems Center at Wallops Island via Old Dominion University’s distance learning program.

Hampton Roads

• Old Dominion University
• College of William & Mary
• Virginia Wesleyan College
• Christopher Newport University
• Norfolk State University
• Eastern Virginia Medical School
• Hampton University
• Regent University

Maryland's Eastern Shore

 University of Maryland Eastern Shore

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) is a land-grant, historically black college founded in 1886 as the Delaware Conference Academy.   Since its beginning, the institution has had several name changes and governing bodies.  It was Maryland State College from 1948 until 1970, when it became one of the five campuses that formed the University of Maryland.  In 1988, it became a member of the then eleven campus (now thirteen) University of Maryland System, now known as the University System of Maryland .   UMES is approved by the state of Maryland and fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. 

Wor-Wic Community College

Wor-Wic Community College, located in Salisbury, Md., serves the residents of Wicomico, Worcester and Somerset counties. Each year, about 10,000 local residents take credit and continuing education courses at the college. Wor-Wic provides more than 60 credit program options leading to an associate degree, certificate of proficiency or letter of recognition. Wor-Wic provides flexible scheduling options by offering hybrid and online, as well as day, evening and weekend classes.

A wide range of continuing education courses and workforce training solutions designed to help students prepare for a new career, upgrade existing skills, or meet licensure and certification requirements are also offered at Wor-Wic. Workforce training courses and seminars can be customized to meet specific company schedules, and are conducted both day and evening in college facilities or at company business sites.

Salisbury University

Salisbury University, located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, is a regionally accredited, four-year comprehensive university offering 54 distinct undergraduate and graduate degree programs. We are 30 miles from the beaches and 2.5 hours from Washington, DC and Baltimore.

K-12 Education

Accomack County (VA) Public Schools

The Accomack County Public School Division is committed to providing a positive and safe learning environment that nurtures the academic, social, emotional, and cultural development of each child to his or her fullest potential so that each student can become a productive member of society. The Accomack County School Division's mission statement is "Achieving Today Succeeding Tomorrow." The district continuously monitors and adjusts school improvement plans in order to achieve excellence in academic programs, as well as in programs for the arts, sports, and technical education. Accomack County, Virginia, has five elementary schools, two middle schools, four high schools and one technical center.

Worcester County (MD) Public Schools

Nearby Pocomoke, MD, is part of Worcester County Public Schools. Pocomoke has an elementary, middle and high school. The mission of Worcester County Public Schools is to empower all students to: grow physically, intellectually, emotionally, and socially with enthusiasm for life-long learning; achieve high academic and performance standards; and function as productive citizens. Overall, Worcester County has five elementary schools, one intermediate school, three middle schools, one special school, three high schools and one career and technology center.

Area Private Schools

Broadwater Academy, located in Exmore, VA, is a co-educational, college-preparatory day school, pre-kindergarten through 12^th grade, accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools. Broadwater is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools and the Council on Advancement and Support of Education. Governed by a self-perpetuating Board of Directors, Broadwater is a non-profit, tax-exempt institution with an unrestricted admissions policy.

Holly Grove Christian School, located in Westover, MD, offers a traditional program for students in pre-kindergarten through 12^th grade focused on the student’s spiritual, academic, social and physical development.

Worcester Preparatory School, located in historic Berlin, MD, is an academic college preparatory school accredited by the Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS), the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and is approved by the Maryland State Department of Education. The school is a charter member and has the distinction of being the first independent school in the State of Maryland to be accredited by the Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools.  Charters include the Cum Laude Society, National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, National French Honor Society, and Art National Honor Society. Students, Preschool through Grade 12, come to the school from a three-state, five-county region that includes communities in Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. The school is known for its high academic standards and its programs in the arts, technology, and athletics. Some of Worcester’s unique programs include its manners and social graces curriculum, volunteer organizations, international projects, and work with a variety of technologies. 

Other Programs

Marine Science Consortium

For more than 40 years the Marine Science Consortium Inc. (MSC) has provided training and educational opportunities in the marine and environmental sciences for pre-college, college and Elderhostel students at the Wallops Island Marine Station, situated within the Wallops Research Park.  The MSC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational institution comprised of 14 colleges and universities mostly based in Pennsylvania.  Recently the MSC has joined forces with NASA-Wallops to forge additional collaborative educational and research opportunities, broadening its base of scientific endeavors. Through its various member universities, the MSC can offer a broad range of business development expertise for new or established small, medium and large business wishing to locate with in park.

Virginia Space Flight Academy

Space Flight Adventure Camps are held at Wallops Flight Facility. Space Flight Adventure Camp is sponsored by the Eastern Shore Regional Partnership, the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority, NASA, the U.S. Navy Surface Combat Systems Center, NOAA, the Marine Science Consortium, Eastern Shore Community College, the Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce, and the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce.

Eastern Shore’s Own Art Center

Eastern Shore's Own (ESO) Arts Center is a non-profit arts organization and facility offering quality instruction in all areas of the arts for all ages and levels of ability. ESO serves residents of Accomack and Northampton Counties on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

Eastern Shore Robotics

Eastern Shore Robotics believes a hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program is essential for the future of our nation.  ESR uses 100% of its funds to support hands-on STEM education on the Eastern Shore of MD and VA.   The majority of its funds are granted directly to local robotics teams for participation in FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST Tech Challenge, or FIRST Lego League competitions. Learn more about FIRST - www.usfirst.org.