Academics
Southeast Missouri State University offers 鈥渟mall class sizes,鈥 鈥減ersonal attention,鈥 and 鈥渁 wide range of majors.鈥 鈥淭he education program is awesome,鈥 and business and nursing programs also receive high praise. A new and 鈥渞eally, really nice鈥 River Campus for theater, music, and art boasts 鈥渁bsolutely breathtaking鈥 views of the mighty Mississippi. However, 鈥渢he best thing about SEMO is the fact that it is so cheap.鈥 A textbook rental program reduces costs even further and 鈥渟cholarships are quite generous.鈥 Professors are decidedly 鈥渉it and miss,鈥 though. There are 鈥渁mazing professors鈥 who are 鈥渧ery enthusiastic鈥 and 鈥渆ncourage you to come see them in their offices.鈥 鈥淲hat I really like about my professors is that they actually know who I am,鈥 says an education major. 鈥淭hey go out of their way to commend students who work hard and produce quality work.鈥 There are also some professors who 鈥渓ack the ability to get information across.鈥 鈥淚 have taken some courses and learned absolutely nothing,鈥 laments a marketing major. Some students call the administration 鈥減retty reliable鈥 and approachable. 鈥淭hey try to make everybody feel welcome,鈥 asserts a history major, 鈥渇rom the 18-year-old freshman to the 45-year-old nontraditional student.鈥 Detractors say that the administration is overly concerned with 鈥渂uilding the brand鈥 and 鈥渘eeds to rethink some of their priorities,鈥 Also, despite SEMO鈥檚 affordability, some students are 鈥渓ess than satisfied鈥 with the handling of financial aid paperwork.
Student Body
Ethnically, it鈥檚 mainly white students here along with a rapidly growing international student population. Southeast is home to 鈥渁 lot of St. Louis suburbanites鈥 who 鈥渨anted to go to Mizzou but either didn鈥檛 have the grades or the money to get in.鈥 Many students from Missouri鈥檚 Bootheel choose SEMO because it鈥檚 鈥渁ffordable and close to home.鈥 There are also commuters and nontraditional students from Cape Girardeau 鈥渨ho work outside of school.鈥 They 鈥渏ust go to class and that鈥檚 it.鈥 Students describe themselves as 鈥渇riendly and energetic.鈥 Many are 鈥渉ardworking鈥 and 鈥渄iligent鈥 while others are 鈥渁verage鈥 academically and 鈥渏ust go through the motions鈥 when it comes to coursework.
Campus Life
鈥淭here is an insane amount of clubs on campus,鈥 says a sophomore, 鈥渁nd it鈥檚 not too difficult to get involved in whatever it is that interests you.鈥 There鈥檚 鈥渁 big crowd鈥 of people involved in music and theater. Also, the Student Activities Council 鈥渨orks really hard to bring entertainment to campus.鈥 Athletic events are sparsely attended, though intramurals are popular and the recreation center is impressive. SEMO鈥檚 strong commuter aspect is the biggest social limitation. 鈥淲e are still a suitcase campus,鈥 counsels a senior. 鈥淎 lot of local students from small towns don鈥檛 stay to get involved.鈥 Students who stick around 鈥減arty a lot and are extremely social.鈥 They frequent the 鈥渕any bars鈥 and very tasty local eateries in the 鈥済reat small town鈥 of Cape Girardeau. 鈥淭here are some good parties,鈥 too, and 鈥淕reek life is a very big deal.鈥 Complaints here include the parking situation and a few 鈥渞eally run-down鈥 dorms. Also, be warned: this campus is 鈥渂eyond hilly.鈥 Climbs can be steep.
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