Southeast Missouri State University Southeast Missouri State University , is a public , accredited university located in Cape Girardeau , Missouri , United States , near the banks of the Mississippi River . The institution , having started as a normal school , has a traditional strength in teacher education . The recent addition of the River Campus , housing the Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts , has increased the university ' s commitment to education in the arts . As a comprehensive institution , the institution offers over 200 areas of study , including undergraduate degrees as well as master ' s degrees and a cooperative Ed . D . program with the University of Missouri . Student body and diversity . In Fall 2012 , the University had a record enrollment of over 11 , 000 . 93 . 1 % of students attended full - time , while 6 . 9 % attended part - time . In Fall 2002 , 645 male students and 921 female students enrolled as first - time students ( freshmen , typically ) . Female students made up 58 . 8 % of the student body . Minority enrollment included African - American ( 6 % ) , Hispanic ( 1 % ) , and Asian ( 1 % ) . History . Southeast Missouri State University has had five names in its history , each time attempting to better reflect its mission and identity : Southeast Missouri State University was founded in 1873 when a group of prominent businessmen and politicians successfully lobbied the State of Missouri to designate Cape Girardeau as the home of the Third District Normal School . Originally known as Southeast Missouri State Normal School , the first classes were originally taught at the nearby Lorimier School until April 1875 when the first normal school building was completed . and pinnacled - - a sort of gigantic casters , with the cruets all complete . " The Original Normal School Building burned down on April 8 , 1902 , and was replaced in 1906 by Academic Hall , the school ' s domed landmark building . It was designed by Jerome Bibb Legg , who also designed the St . Louis Exposition and Music Hall , and includes light fixtures from the 1904 World ' s Fair . In the 1950s Southeast Missouri State College had an enrollment of approximately 1 , 600 students and steadily increased to more than 7 , 000 students in the 1970s due to low tuition costs , aggressive recruiting , and the construction of Interstate 55 between St . Louis and Cape Girardeau . The College also moved away from its focus on only training teachers and began to offer courses of study in business , nursing , and the liberal arts . Due to this expansion of curriculum and student body population , the college officially became Southeast Missouri State University in 1972 . The physical size of the campus also grew in this same period . In 1956 , the institution had ten buildings on campus . By 1975 , the number had increased to twenty - two buildings . In 1998 , the university acquired the former St . Vincent ' s Seminary on the Mississippi river . This property has been redeveloped as the Earl and Margie Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts , which opened in Fall 2007 . Missouri State Normal School — Third District President John Sephus McGhee established the University Schools on June 15 , 1896 . This allowed prospective teachers to gain real world teaching experience while earning their degrees . As the university expanded its curriculum and extra - curricular activities so did the University Schools . In 1903 , as recent construction allowed for more space for university classes , the training school was able to expand its class sizes as well . The University Schools consisted of an elementary , junior high , and high school . The University Schools closed at the end of the 1986 - 1987 school year , due to increasing costs . Campus . The Normal School Building was completed in 1875 , on the site of the current Academic Hall . Initially it was the only school building and housed classrooms , offices , and storage . Normal School Building was 3 stories tall , built of brick in the French Second Empire style , and was designed by Charles B . Clark of St . Louis . Just as construction was beginning on what would become Carnahan Hall in 1902 , the school building burned down , at which time Academic Hall was erected in its place . Carnahan Hall was initially built as the Science Building , and was later changed to become the Social Science Building . It is built in the Neoclassical Style and was completed in 1902 by Jerome B . Legg , who also designed Academic Hall . It is the oldest standing building on Campus and underwent a major Renovation between 1994 and 1998 . During the renovation the entire interior was removed from the masonry shell , and rebuilt with state - of - the - art technology without diminishing the historic fabric of the building ’ s exterior . Upon completion of the project , the building was rededicated Carnahan Hall in honor of Congressman and Ambassador Carnahan of Carter , MO . Today Carnahan Hall houses the College of Liberal Arts . The Foreign Language Building , also known as the Art Building , was built in 1902 by the same designer of Academic Hall and Carnahan Hall . Built as the companion to Carnahan Hall , it is identical to Carnahan Hall except for the pair of small towers that were added later for dramatic effect . The Art Building currently houses the Language and Anthropology Departments of the College of Liberal Arts . Albert and Lemming Halls were completed in 1904 and 1905 respectively , and were built to meet the growing demand for student housing close to campus . Albert Hall was an all - male dorm , and Lemming an all - female . At the time of completion these were the only dormitories on campus , and previously students had to rent housing or live with families in the town some distance from campus . No longer standing , these three story dorms were built of limestone in the neoclassical style , Albert Hall located where Dearmont Hall now stands , and Lemming on the site of the University Center . These halls were named for members of the University Board of Regents , who were instrumental in expanding the campus at the time . Serena Hall was built in 1905 and named for Joseph Serena , the eighth President of the University . Originally it was the School of Manual Training , and was the home of the Industrial Technology Department until the completion of Seabaugh Hall . Today it houses the Southeast Missouri Public Radio Studio , as well as numerous classrooms , workshops , and photography and drafting Studios . The East and West wings were built in 1962 and 1983 respectively , and were intentionally designed to contrast with the neoclassical style of the main building . Wildwood is the President ' s house , and was built in 1923 upon the foundations of a winery that was already standing on the site . It has served as the University Presidents house ever since , and has been updated , remodeled , and undergone major repairs several times over its lifetime Houck Field House was built in 1927 to house the Physical Education Department . The field house contained locker rooms , an indoor basketball and gymnastics stadium , as well as offices . The original Field House was destroyed in a fire in 1948 , and was subsequently rebuilt and expanded in 1951 as the main locker room , basketball stadium , and home of the SEMO Athletics Department . Houck Field House and Houck Stadium are named for Louis Houck , an important and longtime member of the Board of Regents and local railroad entrepreneur . Houck Stadium was built in 1930 , and is one of the oldest stadiums in Missouri . It ’ s been renovated and updated numerous times , and currently holds 10 , 000 spectators . It is built of native limestone quarried from the building site . It is the home venue for SEMO football and soccer . Academic Hall is the second oldest standing building on campus , and is the administrative center of the college . Built between 1903 and 1906 of locally quarried limestone , it was designed by Jerome B . Legg of St . Louis in the neoclassical style on a monumental scale , capped with a massive copper sheathed dome . Today it houses the administrative offices of the school such as the Registrar , Financial Services . Etc . Kent Library , built in 1939 as a WPA project , houses the school ’ s library , archives , rare book room , Center for William Faulkner Studies , Center for Scholarship in Teaching and Learning , and computer labs . The building originally was constructed in a limestone neoclassical style with wide art glass windows to fit in with the existing campus , however Kent Library underwent a major renovation between 1965 and 1968 that expanded the building considerably and wrapped the original structure in a modernist concrete screen . The library is named for Sadie Kent , a longtime librarian and faculty member at the school . The library houses an extensive collection of Faulkner materials in the Brodsky Collection , as well as the Center for Faulkner Studies . Cheney Hall was built in 1939 as a WPA project along with Kent Library . It is the oldest residence hall on campus , and was built in the neoclassical style to match the aesthetic of the rest of the campus . With the high demand for rooms in Cheney Hall , the rooms are reserved for returning students . The hall is named for the first President of the Normal School , Lucius H . Cheney . Rosemary Berkel Crisp Hall of Nursing was built between 1921 and 1923 as the Training School . Built in the neoclassical style it was designed by Study & Farrar of St . Louis . In 1998 the U - shaped north side of the building was enclosed to house Dempster Auditorium . The Training School underwent a major renovation in 1987 and was rededicated in 1988 in honor of philanthropist , women ’ s health activist , and long standing member of the Southeast Missouri State University foundation , Mrs . Rosemary Berkel Crisp . Crisp Hall currently houses the College of Health and Human Services and the Center for Health and Human Services that serves as a full - time student clinic on campus . Myers Hall is located between the University Center and Vandiver Hall , and is the only residence hall open all year . Completed in 1948 as an all - male dorm , it was remodeled in 1989 , and renovated again 2001 . Myers Hall is now a co - ed residence hall used by students staying for the summer term , as well as students who cannot return home during holiday breaks , and is geared towards upper - classmen and foreign students . Memorial Hall was built in 1950 as a Student Union and Lounge . It was constructed of locally quarried limestone in the Prairie Style , and today houses the School of University Studies and Graduate Studies . It was the home of the School Museum until the Museum was moved to the new River Campus . Memorial Hall is named in recognition of the services given by citizens of Southeast Missouri in the Armed Forces of the United States . The Power Plant was built in 1951 . Originally intended to be behind the campus and surrounded by trees , the Power Plant has ended up at the heart of the University grounds as the campus has expanded . The plant supplies the school with electricity , hot water , radiant heat , and most of the chilled air for the air conditioned buildings . The concrete walls of the plant also contain several large billboards that are used by many school organizations to promote events . Brandt Hall of Music was built in 1956 . Originally intended as a science building , its purpose was switched to house the growing Music Department . It served this role until the recent addition of the River Campus that now houses all Performing Arts . Brandt now serves a number of roles , housing offices , classrooms , practice rooms , and is still the home of the SEMO Marching Band and the SEMO Music Academy . Brandt Hall is built into the side of a hill overlooking the Marching Band practice grounds and built in an airy , delicate modernist style with walls of windows . Dearmont Hall was built in 1958 to replace the aging Albert Hall that stood on the site . Originally an all - female residence hall , it now has both male and female housing by floors , as well as housing Campus Security . Dearmont Hall has its own private enclosed courtyard , and at one time had its own dining hall . The kitchen facilities are now used by the Hospitality Management program as a training lab . Magill Hall of Science was built in 1958 and houses the Natural Science Departments . It is named for Dr . Arthur Clay Magill , long - time professor of Chemistry and Chair of the Science Department . Parker Hall , or the Parker Athletic and Physical Education Complex , was built in 1960 and renovated in 1994 . Named for Dr . Walter Parker , the ninth President of SEMO , it houses the Department of Health , Human Performance , and Recreation . In the mid - 1960s an addition with an indoor pool was added , but it became too difficult to maintain and the pool was removed from the building in 2002 . B . F . Johnson Hall was built in 1962 and houses the Math Department , as well as some chemistry , physics , and agriculture classes . The Hall is named for B . F . Johnson , a former Chair of the Math Department . The Grauel Building was built in 1966 as the English , Speech , and Theater building . Named for H . O . Grauel , a longtime English professor responsible for SEMO ' s journalism program , it now houses the English and Communications Departments of the College of Liberal Arts . It also possesses the 500 - seat Rose Theater . Towers Residence Halls were built in the 1960s as the new main student housing . Consisting of a complex of 4 towers , they were remodeled and updated in the mid - 1990s . The Towers Complex also houses a dining hall that serves as the primary dining hall on campus . Mark F . Scully Building was completed in 1971and was originally known as the Education Psychology Building . It was renamed in honor of Mark F . Scully , the tenth President of the University who is responsible for much of the building and growth of the school in 1960s and ‘ 70s , and currently houses the College of Education , Psychology , and human Environmental Studies Departments . The University Center was completed in 1975 to meet the demands of the rapidly growing student population of SEMO . The University Center contains the Student Union , lounges , a dining hall , numerous offices , a 500 person ballroom , and the university bookstore . Originally it also held a Bowling alley , but that was removed to make space for the large bookstore . The dining hall has been renovated twice , and includes a retail food court , featuring a variety of foods , as well as a coffee house and cafe on the north side of the building . At over , the University Center is almost four times the size of the original Student Union in Memorial Hall . Rhodes Hall of Science was built in 1983 and houses the Chemistry , Biology , Physics , and Environmental Science Departments . It is named for Roger F . Rhodes , a Gideon farmer and businessman who donated a large sum of money for the construction of a new science building . Johnson Faculty Centre was built in 1987 as a Faculty Union , and houses the Faculty Senate Offices , as well as providing lodging for visiting guests , faculty , and dignitaries . The Faculty Center is named for B . F . Johnson , former chair of the Math Department for who B . F . Johnson Hall is also named . The Show Me Center was completed in 1987 , and is jointly owned by SEMO and the city of Cape Girardeau . The Show Me Center is the primary multi - purpose building on campus , seating up to 7000 people . It is used for athletic events , conventions , concerts , commencement ceremonies , etc . Robert A . Dempster Hall was built in 1996 and houses the Donald L . Harrison College of Business . Dempster Hall is a state - of - the - art building featuring satellite technology for distance learning as well as microcomputer labs and numerous classrooms and lecture halls all equipped with cutting edge technology . It also houses the 400 - seat John and Betty Glenn Auditorium named for two SEMO Alumni and longtime friends of the University . The hall is named for Robert A . Dempster , a prominent Sikeston MO lawyer and longtime benefactor of SEMO . Seabaugh Polytechnic Building was built in 2001 and houses the school of Polytechnic Sciences and houses high tech labs and state - of - the - art classrooms for instruction in technical study . Designed by William B . Ittner Inc . of St . Louis , the building was named for Otto and Delia Seabaugh , Alumni whose generous donation made construction of the Polytechnic Building possible . Willard Duncan Vandiver Hall is a state - of - the - art dormitory building that was constructed in 2002 to keep up with the growing student population at SEMO . It is named for Willard Duncan Vandiver , the fifth President of SEMO , what was at that time the Third District Normal School . Mr . Vandiver is generally credited with coming up with the “ Show Me State ” slogan . Henderson Hall was acquired in 2007 and after an extensive renovation was opened as a new residence hall with apartment style rooms . Reserved for sophomore , junior , and senior students , Henderson is located just across the street from the University Center . Merick Hall was built in 2009 as the newest and most modern residence hall . It has a dining facility in it . It stands beside Houck stadium and just behind the main entrance to stadium producing an imposing and impressive first impression of the campus . River Campus . The River Campus is home to the Earl and Margie Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts . The facilities incorporate two buildings : the Seminary Building and the Cultural Arts Center . These buildings contain the Donald C . Bedell Performance Hall , the Rosemary Berkel and Harry L . Crisp II Museum , the John and Betty Glenn Convocation Center , the Wendy Kurka Rust Flexible Theatre , the Robert F . and Gertrude L . Shuck Music Recital Hall , and the River Campus Art Gallery . It is home to the departments of Art , Music , Theater and Dance . The River Campus hosts many performance series : the Touring Series , the Theater and Dance Series , the Symphony Series , the Southeast Ensemble Series , the Jazz Series , the Faculty Recital Series and Sundays at Three chamber music Series . The Rosemary Berkel and Harry L . Crisp II Museum and Art Gallery features rotating touring exhibitions . Regional Campuses . Southeast and Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff , MO agreed in 2004 to share higher education facilities at three locations in southeast Missouri : Sikeston , Kennett , and Malden . In spring 2005 , Southeast eliminated Three Rivers courses from those centers , citing failure of the community college to pay approximately $ 10 , 000 in facilities - use fees . Southeast took over all course offerings at the centers , which have subsequently been named regional campuses of Southeast Missouri State University . Three Rivers Community College filed a lawsuit in March , 2005 against Southeast . The lawsuit was subsequently dropped , and Southeast and Three Rivers recently announced plans to develop a joint bachelor ’ s degree program in social work . Southeast now operates four regional campuses , at Kennett , Malden , Sikeston , and Perryville . Athletics . Southeast Missouri State has been a member of NCAA Division I ( Division I FCS for football ) since moving up from Division II in 1991 . As a result of the promotion in classifications , Southeast Missouri State left the Division II athletic conference Mid - America Intercollegiate Athletic Association ( MIAA ) ( which they ' ve been a charter member back in 1912 ) and joined the Division I Ohio Valley Conference ( OVC ) . List of Fraternities and Sororities . Among the fraternities and sororities affiliated with the school are : Capaha Arrow . The " Capaha Arrow " is the University ' s student newspaper . Established in 1911 , it is currently one of the oldest college newspapers still in publication . Notably , the second editor of the " Capaha Arrow " was Rush Limbaugh , Sr . who became a nationally recognized Missouri attorney and practiced law in Cape Girardeau until just before his passing at the age of 104 in 1996 . Rush Limbaugh , Sr . is the grandfather of the media personality Rush Limbaugh . After the university changed its mascot from Indians / Otahkians to Redhawks , the newspaper dropped " Capaha " and is now known as simply " The Arrow . " It is still run by students in the Department of Mass Media and publishes a weekly newspaper distributed throughout campus . Microfilm and print copies of the Capaha Arrow dating back to the first issue are available at Kent Library and Special Collections and Archives , and some stories are also put on " The Arrow " website .