SEMO to offer free shuttle service during commencement

Two construction projects near the Show Me Center will limit parking for Saturday's commencement at Southeast Missouri State University, school officials said.

To combat the problem, the university plans to provide free shuttle bus service from local hotels and outlying campus parking lots.

Ongoing construction on the aquatic center and a parking structure west of the Show Me Center will force some commencement goers to park farther away, school officials said.

Commencement guests will be directed to park in available spaces in the Show Me Center lots until they are full, said Beth Glaus, manager of parking and transit for Southeast.

Once the lots are full for the 2 p.m. commencement, guests will be instructed to park in lots at the Towers residence hall complex on North Sprigg Street, Dempster hall at the corner of Henderson and New Madrid streets, and on the east and west sides of Henderson Street between Cheney Drive and Dunklin Street, Glaus said.

Southeast shuttle buses also will pick up commencement guests about every 20 minutes from noon to 2:15 p.m. at the various hotels at the William Street and Interstate 55 intersection in Cape Girardeau. Shuttle buses also will pick up guests at West Park Mall.

Doors to the Show Me Center arena will open at 12:30 p.m., an hour and a half before the start of commencement, school officials said. Concession stands will be open for sandwich meals and snacks from noon until 1:30 p.m. Beverages will be available from noon until about 3:30 p.m., officials said.

At the conclusion of commencement, buses will return guests to their hotels, the mall and the various campus parking lots, school officials said.

Guests can tune to campus radio station KDMC, 103.7 FM, between noon and 2:30 p.m. for updated parking information, officials said.