Making a Home

The Third District Normal School burned in 1902, giving way to the majestic Academic Hall, the region’s grand expression of educational ambition. Beneath the dome, decades of students have made these rolling hills their home, enjoying the eclectic mix of old and new structures and the natural beauty that tugs at their heartstrings.

Classic limestone structures anchor the main campus, while modern residence halls and an entrepreneurial Broadway corridor have been blended to reflect a new-age educational landscape. At the River Campus, the historic St. Vincent’s College and Seminary adjoins new arts facilities. Like the melodies wafting from the Academic Hall carillon, Southeast continues to ring true as a coming-of-age destination bringing meaning to the lives of thousands of students who’ve made this place their home.

Home Away From Home

No matter the decade, from 1873 to 2023, there is one college ritual that occurs year after year: move-in day. Where students meet their new friends and get familiar with their home away from home at Southeast.
  • young men from an earlier decade sitting around in a dorm room and talking
    A group of young men from a previous decade in Southeast's history gather in their residence hall room to chat.
  • a group of young men in present day sitting around an LED lit dorm room with laptops in their laps and talking
    Present day students make themselves comfortable with their laptops on their laps.
  • a move in line on Normal street around the 60s era of young women with their luggage
    Young women with their luggage line up for move-in day.
  • a young woman in modern day carrying luggage into her new dorm room
    A Southeast student gets her first look at her residence hall room for the year.
  • two young women in present day sitting in their dorm room with their laptops and studying
    Two Southeast roommates sit together in their room, talking and studying.
  • three young women around the 50s-60s climbing into a bunk bed in their dorm room
    Young women from an earlier decade gather in their residence hall room to talk and laugh.

“ My education at Southeast was so much more than what took place in the classroom. It was the student organizations. It was life in the residence halls. It was intramural sports. It was the friendships with people from all over the globe ”

Caleb Bennett, Graduted 2011

Southeast’s residence halls have been students’ home away from home since 1904. Since, then, on-campus living options have expanded.

  • 1904 Albert Hall (all-male residence hall)
    • site of current Dearmont Hall
  • 1905 Leming Hall (all-female residence hall)
    • site of current University Center
  • 1939 Cheney Hall (closed in 2015)
  • 1948 Myers Hall (all-male residence hall)
    • Today it is co-ed.
  • 1959 Dearmont Hall (First residents in Jan. 3, 1960. Closed in 2019.)
  • 1963 Group Housing
  • 1968 Towers Complex 
  • 2002 Vandiver Hall            
  • 2007 Henderson Hall acquired (Closed in 2018)
  • 2009 Merick Hall     
  • 2013 LaFerla Hall           
  • 2014 Dobbins River Campus Center Residence Hall
  • 2016 Greek Village
    • First two houses Sigma Phi Epsilon and Sigma Nu
  • 2017 Greek Village
    • Second two houses, Pi Kappa Alpha and Sigma Chi
  • Temporary Housing Sites
    • 1964 Marquette Hotel (College rented upper two floors for male students)
    • 1977 Old Saint Francis Hospital
    • 2012 Candlewood Suites

“ Life on campus is fantastic. Living in a community-style dorm room has shown me that the floor members care about each other and are willing to lend a helping hand whenever necessary. Being involved around campus has allowed me to meet people in programs outside of education. New friends are made through late night study sessions and group projects. I am grateful I have had the opportunity to experience these things on SEMO’s campus. ”

Hanna Aufdenberg, Graduated 2021

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