Southeast Missouri State University welcomed back their students on Thursday. Students were seen unpacking their belongings and moving into the new River Campus Center with a helping hand from a few volunteers.
The 90,000-square-foot facility comes with 180 beds, studio spaces and a 120-seat dining area that looks over the Mississippi River. The $23 million River Campus expansion serves three purposes: It eases the load on the university’s residence hall system, puts performing arts students closer to their classrooms and offers new academic space. Prior to the new building, students living in a dorm on the main campus would either have to drive or take a mile-and-a-half shuttle ride to get to their classes on the River Campus.
Codie Foltz from Festus moved into her new dorm at the River Campus Center. Foltz said the majority of her classes will be at the River Campus and it is a relief knowing she will be able to walk to her classes.
“The drive, it’s a relief that I don’t have to make the drive back-and-forth,” Foltz said. “But after being here for a while, I kind of wish I was over there because you get to meet more people and stuff because I only have two classes on the main campus so I won’t get to see everyone else that much.But overall it is a huge relief.
Foltz is enjoying her new dorm room and likes that the new building has studio spaces.
“It’s big and I love it. It’s very homey and accommodating, so that’s good,” Foltz said.
Jose Alpizar from Memphis said that he enjoys that his dorm room is new because he will not have to worry about bacteria because he will be the very first person to use his.
“It’s just comforting to know that I don’t have to worry about catching the shuttle to go back-and-forth. It’s just really relieving knowing that my classes are just a couple yards to walk away,” Alpizar said.
Brandon McCadney is a music minor who will have a few classes at the River Campus. He said it is nice to be the first to try out a new dorm room.
“This dorm is great. It’s amazing. I think it really has a great view, you’re right by the river, you’re kind of in the downtown setting,” McCadney said. “It’s a great location for the dorm.”
McCadney said he has stayed at other dorms and he believes the new River Campus Center is the best on campus.
Fall classes at Southeast will start on Monday.