火爆社区

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.

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.

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.