River Campus

Yesterday the Earl and Margie Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts celebrated the start of its fifth season with an open house at the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus.

It's hard to believe the River Campus has already reached this special anniversary or what Cape Girardeau looked like without it. The facilities, from the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall to the Wendy Kurka Rust Flexible Theatre to the Robert F. and Gertrude L. Shuck Music Recital Hall, are all truly world-class.

The River Campus has also played host to a number of quality shows and exhibits. From touring performances to faculty and student recitals to student theater and art exhibits, the faculty, staff and students have done a tremendous job at producing high-caliber performances and stunning exhibits.

Over the past decade the university has seen a dramatic increase in the number of students choosing to pursue a fine arts major at Southeast. From 2007 to 2010, the latest year for which data is available, the total number of art, music and theater majors increased 19.1 percent. But when you compare the number of majors from 2001 to 2010, the results are even more staggering. The art program has seen a 64.6 percent increase in majors; music majors have increased 52.1 percent; and theater has seen an incredible 583.3 percent increase, going from 24 majors in 2001 to 164 in 2010.

The business community also benefits from the River Campus. Having a facility which offers quality cultural and entertainment options is a plus for individuals and companies contemplating a move to Cape Girardeau. And any given night that a production takes place, there are a number of individuals in town who patronize local establishments before or after an event.

With the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge in the background, the River Campus is a beautiful facility that many in our area benefit from. At the start of its fifth season, we congratulate each one who has helped make what was once a dream a major success.