Central State University, commonly referred to as CSU, is a historically black university (HBCU) located in Wilberforce, Ohio, United States. Central State University is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Established by the state legislature in 1887 as a two-year program for normal (teacher) and industrial training, it was originally located with Wilberforce University, a four-year institution devoted to classical academic education.