Our students tell us when they graduate, they’re ready. Not just ready to be done with school, but ready to start that career thing they’ve been studying and pursuing for years. They feel confident in their abilities. That’s enough to make this nearly 150-year-old institution a little teary-eyed. They’re confident, and we’re proud.
Our students work hard to learn, and we work hard to give them opportunities to do the work before they graduate. Their curriculum is built, so they do their dream jobs before they land their dream jobs, meaning when they graduate, there’s more on their resumes than a degree.
Learning by Doing
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40+
Exhibitions
Art and Design students showcase their work in more than 40 exhibitions in four gallery spaces across campus each year, often with participating shows in Cape Girardeau’s monthly First Friday with the Arts museum tour.
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100+
Productions & Performances
From music to dance to theatre, there’s almost always a performance occurring in one of our three professional theatres and performance halls. Students begin performing before ticket-buying audiences in their first semester.
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25+
Masterclasses
Our faculty are industry experts, but they also know a lot of industry experts. Our students benefit from that network with the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with working professionals year-round.
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1,700+
Livestreams & Editions
News is 24 hours these days and our student reporters and crews are hard-working journalists already producing constant digital content, print editions, and weekly livestreams and recorded TV productions.
Hands-on, Real-world Experiences by Academic Area
Catapult Interiors
The interior design business was developed by students in Southeast’s interior design program. Students working for Catapult Interiors provide commercial and residential interior design services to clients in the Cape Girardeau community.
Clients can select from three types of services — measuring the existing room and furnishings and developing a scaled floorplan; creating a rendered 3D view of the space; and selection of finishes and furniture appropriate for the space.
Through Catapult Interiors, students gain business planning and practical interior design experience that will prepare them for a career in interior design, while providing the community with high-quality interior design services at a discounted rate.
Catapult Creative House Multimedia Lab
The Multimedia Lab at Catapult Creative House provides students with access to the equipment and space needed to explore a myriad of media-based projects. The lab houses equipment ranging from a vinyl plotter and inkjet printers to a tabletop photography studio. With access to the Multimedia Lab, students across campus will be able to collaborate with students in the multimedia program to create: product photography and artwork; designing fliers, labels, and signage; social media and newsletter graphics; and t-shirt design.
International Travel
Faculty in the Department of Art & Design partner with faculty in the General Education Program and the International Business Program to provide students with the opportunity to participate in international travel programs for one-of-a-kind art experiences.
Internship Experience
Students in the interior design program are required to complete a 120-work hour internship. This internship program is a very valuable experience for the student and often leads to full-time employment opportunities.
Journalism Experience
Southeast’s Department of Mass Media interweaves the work with the curriculum. If you’re a multimedia journalism student, you’ll find yourself working on the award-winning Arrow newspaper (both print and digital editions) or on one of the many TV programs, livestreams, and documentaries produced by the TV/Film students.
Advertising & Market Research
Advertising students have their own agency, SECreative, where they have real clients locally for whom they develop multimedia ad campaigns. Riverfront PR and its public relations students also take on real businesses as clients for a variety of projects, including market research.
Film Festival
Film students participate in the Faultline Film Festival, an annual Midwest festival open to university and high school students.
Internships & Practicums
Whatever your area of interest in media, we have lab work, often for real clients, to complement your classes. Students who take advantage of internships can supplement with a course to get credit for the experience, plus, well experience for the experience. Students who pursue a practicum will complete professional-level work within the University community.
For musicians, there’s no option but to play. At Southeast, we want you to do just that. Our experiential learning opportunities allow you to perform before audiences in nearly 10 ensembles multiple times per year.
Festivals & Performance Days
In addition to the rigorous performance schedule. The Department of Music hosts nine annual festivals each year ranging from the Clark Terry/Phi Mu Alpha Jazz Festival to the Single Reed/Flute Day.
The department also hosts several guest recitals and the Sundays at Three series annually to bring professional musicians to campus for performance and masterclass opportunities.
Music Academy
The Music Academy at Southeast Missouri State gives students the opportunity to offer music instruction to students from the community ranging in ages from pre-K to adult. The Academy has a team of instructors comprised of student faculty, University faculty, and professional faculty.
Study Abroad
Study abroad opportunities give students experience performing in a variety of locations that recently have included a performance of the Symphony on the Great Wall of China or student operas in Paris.
If you love the theatre and performing, you know it’s hard work. Before the bright lights of the stage and audience applause, there are rehearsals; sets, costumes, and lighting plans to design and create; choreography to develop; and advertising to execute. At Southeast, that work is done for the most part by our students.
Main & Second Stage Productions
With six major, faculty-directed/choreographed productions, four second stage productions, numerous cabarets and showcases, student-directed one-acts and staged readings, and student choreographed dance concerts there’s a lot to be done so that the show can go on. Our courses offer the knowledge and allow you to perfect the technique because you’re doing the work for every production.
Other Opportunities
In addition to classes, experiential learning opportunities abound. In summer 2018, our students performed at the prestigious New York Musical Festival an original work written by one of our faculty members and a student that first debuted at the River Campus! And if all that weren’t enough, we still have many more opportunities to put whatever your talent to work, including:
- River Campus Summer Arts Festival
- Outside Professional Employment
- Competitive Internships
- University photoshoots and videos
- Faultline Film Festival
- Visiting Guest Artist Master Classes
- Professional Residencies
- Conventions and Festivals
- Annual New York City and Los Angeles Showcases for select graduating seniors
Where we do the work
You can certainly see we have no shortage of impressive facilities, but sometimes it’s what you get to do in those facilities that matters. We’ve designed areas for you to showcase your creativity and perfect your craft to get career ready
A Campus Dedicated to the Arts
The River Campus is a unique place. It was designed for an immersive arts and experience, and it succeeds. It’s filled with classrooms, galleries, studios, theatres, and halls where our students perform, design, create, sing, dance, and act. It’s where residents and tourists come to see the arts and entertainment in our community. It’s where you’ll do your first professional level work with the support and celebration of the faculty who collaborate with you.
Rust Center for Media
The Rust Center for Media is located in Cape Girardeau’s Media Row, giving students the opportunity to work alongside the city’s media professionals. The 13,000 square foot space provides flexible learning space, television production studios, our newsroom, and podcast studios.
That's what we do
Experiential Learning
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Learn more about the campaign for Magnolia’s Bridal Boutique created by students in the Department of Mass Media.
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Perform during recitals and festivals that bring large audiences and professional musicians to campus. -
Present your work to professionals in your industry.
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Gain knowledge from experts in your field by attending a master class.
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Learn the skills needed to perfect your technique.
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Create artwork to display in one of the many galleries at the River Campus and Catapult Creative House.
Take the Next Step
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701