Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO), is a public, accredited university located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States, near the banks of the Mississippi River. The institution, having started as a normal school, has a traditional strength in teacher education. The recent addition of the River Campus, housing the Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts, has increased the university’s commitment to education in the arts. The institution offers over 200 areas of study, including undergraduate degrees as well as master’s degrees and a cooperative Ed.D. program with the University of Missouri.

In Fall 2012, the University had a record enrollment of over 11,000, making it the 8th largest university by enrollment in the state of Missouri and the 6th largest public university. In Fall 2013, a record class of over 1,700 freshman students entered the university: 93.1% of students were full-time, 6.9% were part-time. Female students make up between 57–60% of the student body. Minority enrollment included African-American (6%), Hispanic (1%), and Asian (1%).