Southeast Missouri State University, Public university in Cape Girardeau, United States

Southeast Missouri State University is a public higher education institution in Cape Girardeau, located along the Mississippi River in southeastern Missouri. The main campus sits on a hillside overlooking the town and the river, while the River Campus occupies a separate site closer to the waterfront in the historic downtown area.

The school opened in 1873 as a teacher training college called Southeast Missouri State Normal School. A century later, in 1973, the institution gained full university status and expanded its academic programs beyond education.

The River Campus takes its name from its location near the Mississippi, where theater and dance students work in converted buildings from an earlier period. Visitors can watch rehearsals and performances in spaces that once served the local community differently.

The main campus sits on a hillside south of downtown and is accessible by car or on foot from the surrounding neighborhoods. Visitors can find parking areas throughout the grounds, and pathways connect buildings across different levels of the site.

The River Campus occupies the site of a former Catholic school that stood empty for decades before the university restored it. The renovated buildings now combine original stone walls with modern theater and studio spaces used daily by students.