Prospective Southeast students learn about the school on Show Me Day

Students and parents 221 strong visited Southeast Missouri State University on Monday for Show Me Day.

The event gives prospective Redhawks and their families a chance to tour the campus, eat in the dining facilities, meet with students, view residence halls and talk to professors, according to the university's website.

Starting off at the Show Me Center, visitors got an introduction from admissions director Lenell Hahn, fellow admissions counselors and students working on staff. They watched a video about the opportunities Southeast offers and got answers to some questions. Southeast's cheerleaders also performed.

Attendees Monday could attend breakout sessions on financing education, residence life and several other subjects. Walking and shuttle tours of the 328-acre campus were available before students ate lunch. Visitors could then go to the River Campus to tour the Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts, or the Jane Stephens Honors Program open house.

Hahn said prospective students come from all over, but usually the mix is similar to the university's student population -- St. Louis, Southeast Missouri and some from Illinois. Others come from across the country, and international students in the U.S. for exchange programs also have visited.

Audience members Monday included juniors, seniors, transfer students and parents, among others.

Hahn said students typically go to Show Me Day with their families, although she has seen groups of high school students attend. "The majority are here with their parents, because a lot of times college is very much a family decision, so usually we do see families primarily," she said.

Hailee Smith, a junior from Okawville, Ill., said she plans to attend Kaskaskia College in Centralia, Ill., before transferring to Southeast or Arizona State University. She likes the size of Southeast, however, since her town has 1,400 people, and her high school 150 students.

"It's small, and that's comforting," Smith said of the university.

Megan Gilpin, a senior at Warsaw High School in Warsaw, Ill., said she wanted to learn more about Southeast's biology programs as she hopes to go into fisheries biology. Her father is a commercial fisherman and she comes to Cape Girardeau with him a lot.

"So far, I kind of like the set up of it," Gilpin said. "I like the fact that the classes are going to be kind of small."

Nick Brindley, a Notre Dame Regional High School senior who lives in Oran, Mo., has already been accepted to Southeast and was excited to see the academic parts of the school. Eventually, he hopes to be a psychologist or a park ranger.

"It was either SEMO or Mizzou [University of Missouri], and then I decided I wanted to come to SEMO for the track and field. I can hopefully get a scholarship through that," said Brindley, who is on the track team at Notre Dame.

Dr. Sharon Dees, an instructor for the Elementary, Early and Special Education Department, said she's participated in Show Me Day about 10 years.

"I think it's a good opportunity for us to meet our future students and advocate for our programs," Dees said. "I think one of the big things ... that we try to point out is what they'll be certified to teach because I don't think they always come with that understanding that there are different areas -- different grade levels -- you're certified to teach, depending on what your major is, so that's usually what we try to focus on."

Dees also advocates for the College of Education's technological advances and its Tomorrow's Teacher's Learning Community where a core of students take classes, socialize and take part in academic activities together.

A Show Me Day held Saturday attracted about 600 people, and Hahn said 350 were expected Monday, but schools that were planning to be out had makeup days, and winter weather was a factor. The next Show Me Day is set for March 29.

" ... We're very happy with the families that are here, because we are going to really just showcase our university to them today," Hahn said.

Dates for Show Me Days for the 2014-2015 school year will be set this month, she said.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

388-3639

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1333 N. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.