Southeast Missouri State University believes students should feel supported, confident, and ready to succeed, from their first campus visit until graduation. A new team at the center of this effort is creating a seamless personalized student journey designed to help every student find the successful future they dream of.
“Our goal is to create an experience where students feel known, guided, and empowered at every stage,” says Dr. Stephen Schultheis, who recently joined SEMO as vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Success. “This is about more than an invitation to visit. We’re building a system of support that grounds students throughout their time at SEMO.”
Connection from First Visit to First Day
SEMO is aligning its teams and services to make the transition to college smoother and more meaningful. The Offices of Admissions and New Student Programs were recently united under one leader, Katie Krodinger.
This approach allows families to receive consistent communication, clearer guidance, and a warmer welcome while students benefit from early engagement that builds confidence and belonging.
“Katie has a remarkable ability to connect with students and families,” says Schultheis. “Her leadership will ensure students will not only choose SEMO but feel confident and excited about starting their journey here.”
Beyond recruitment and orientation, SEMO is strengthening coordination among academic records, military and veteran support, access programs, early college initiatives, and more to remove barriers, improve processes, and ensure students have access to the right resources at the right time. Lenell Hahn will oversee these offices.
“Lenell brings extensive experience in strengthening systems and improving processes that will support student retention and completion,” says Schultheis.
A Community Where Students Find Their Fearless
These enhancements come as SEMO prepares to welcome prospective students and families to campus on March 21 and April 10 for Show Me Day, premiere visit days that allow students to explore academic programs, meet faculty and current students, and discover what it means to be part of the SEMO community.
“These experiences are so important,” says Krodinger. “From the moment students step on campus, they can feel the difference at SEMO. They see faculty who care, staff who are ready to help, and a community that believes wholeheartedly in their potential.”
In addition, March 1 marks an important date for future Redhawks, with key admissions and scholarship opportunities designed to make a high-quality education more accessible and affordable. Students can complete one brief form with no fee to determine admission as well as scholarships available at semo.edu/apply.
Schultheis says the enrollment efforts reflect the deeper mission of being a university where students are challenged, supported, and inspired to discover who they are and who they can become. Through hands-on learning, strong mentorship, leadership opportunities and a deeply connected culture, SEMO invests in a student experience that empowers them to find their fearless.
“Our goal isn’t just enrollment growth,” said Schultheis. “It’s student growth. When students choose SEMO, they’re choosing a community that believes in them and an education that prepares them not only for their first job but for a lifetime of success.”
Prospective students and families can learn more about upcoming visit opportunities, admissions deadlines and scholarship opportunities at semo.edu/admissions.