Show Me Day offers sampling of Southeast

Maureen Johnson is uncertain about the future, but on Saturday Southeast Missouri State University did its best to help her and a few hundred other high school students make up their minds.

"I'm excited about college, but I don't know what I want to do," said Johnson of Florissant, Mo. "I don't know where to start."

"Start in Cape Girardeau" was the message Southeast tried to convey Saturday during Show Me Day, which allows secondary school students and their families to tour the campus, eat in campus dining facilities, meet with students, see the residence halls and talk to professors.

Dr. Debbie Below, Southeast director of admission and enrollment management, said 275 families registered to attend Show Me Day on Saturday. The university plans four such days for potential students each year, and about 40 to 50 families generally show up as walk-ins.

"Many kids attending today are looking at three to five prospective schools," Below said.

On Saturday, Show Me Day kicked off at the Show Me Center with a morning orientation and a student life fair allowing the opportunity to learn about organizations, clubs and activities. An academic fair followed at the Student Recreation Center, where various academic departments were represented by advisers and professors ready for informal talks.

The latter part of the day was set at Towers residence halls and was divided into three parts: residence life, transfer talk and financing for education.

"I pooped out on the walking tour," said Maryanne Newman of St. Louis. Following the academic fair, student ambassadors provided campus tours, which Emily Hafner, Newman's daughter, joined. Newman's daughter, a high school junior, wants to major in public relations.

"I feel our time here today was managed real well," Newman said. "I was impressed with the presentations and the buildings. The student ambassadors were really friendly."

'You feel not so alone'

Leslie Pourney, who is finishing up her freshman year at Southeast, guided curious students around the campus as an ambassador. Last year, someone led her on the tour, which she said was helpful.

"Seeing other prospective students going through the same thing makes you feel not so alone in this venture," Pourney said.

Bradley Arnold of Ste. Genevieve, Mo., started college at Westminster in Fulton, Mo., but he came to Southeast on Saturday because he plans to transfer. His parents, Paul and Linda, are glad.

"It'll be good to have Bradley around to help out on the farm," Paul Arnold said. "Being 40 minutes away is a lot different than an hour and a half."

Meg Farber wants to be close to home too. The Charleston, Mo., resident attended Show Me Day with her parents.

"I do not want to be involved in campus life," Farber said. "I don't want the commitment it takes. I want to be able to come home on weekends."

Johnson, the Florissant student, may be uncertain about what to study and where to study, but she does know she wants to get away from home. Her mother wants her to leave too, but perhaps no farther than Cape Girardeau.

"She needs to be out and away," said Pam Lessner, Johnson's mother. "There's value to be gained with living away from home and being independent. The distance factor and size of the school are both agreeable to me."

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133