Harris-Stowe State University was founded in 1857 as the first public teacher education institution west of the Mississippi River. In the university’s early years, it taught both white and black high school graduates to become teachers. The school, as named today, is the merge between Harris Teachers College and Stowe Teachers College.
The school today has expanded beyond just a teacher’s college and is now a public institution awarding a variety of degrees. The institution can be found in St. Louis, Missouri on a 31-acre campus in an urban setting. In the 2011 edition of Best Colleges, it was listed as one of the best regional colleges in the Midwest and was also listed as one of the remaining historically black colleges or universities. Part of the school’s baseball field was once used as the Negro National League Stars’ Park.
Harris-Stowe State University
Academics
Based on its tuition rates, Harris-Stowe is found to be one of the most affordable baccalaureate degree-awarding schools in the St. Louis area. The university is composed of three different schools and colleges: the Anheuser-Busch School of Business, the College of Arts & Sciences and the College of Education.
HSSU offers 14 different Bachelor of Science degree programs including Accounting, Biology, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Health Care Management, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Information Sciences & Computer Technology, Mathematics, Middle School Education, Professional Interdisciplinary Studies, Secondary Education, and Urban Education. Out of the 14-degree programs offered the most popular majors are Business Administration and Management, Elementary Education and Teaching, Accounting and Criminal Justice/Safety Studies.
Class sizes are generally small and there are no classes offered containing 50 students or more. For the most part class sizes consist of fewer than 20 students, however there are a small percentage of classes which contain 20-49 students.
Most Popular Fields of Study
The top 5 fields of study completed at Harris-Stowe State University.
Students interested in attending HSSU must complete an application for admission, send official college/university transcripts (when applicable), send official high school transcripts or GED scores, send ACT or SAT scores, and pay a small nonrefundable application fee. Applications can be submitted online or printed and mailed to the Office of Admissions.
Transfer students must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 for admission to the Teacher Education programs and a minimum GPA of 2.0 for all nonteaching programs. Transcripts will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis for all transfer students that have not completed an Associate of Arts degree or 42 semester hours of general education.
International students whose native language is not English must take the TOEFL and send their scores to the university. These students must also provide evidence that they will be financially secure while in the US.
Financial Aid
Most students at HSSU receive some type of financial aid assistance. Federal loans and grants are available for students enrolled at HSSU. State assistance available for Missouri residents include the Access Missouri Financial Assistance Program, Four New Missouri Student Assistance Programs, Bridge Scholarship Program, Advantage Missouri Program, MOSTARS Higher Education Savings Program, and Missouri College Guarantee Program.
There are also external scholarships available and these include The Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation Inc. Scholarships and Fellowships, ProNet International Gifts & Scholarships Inc., and Thurgood Marshall College Fund Science, Technology, Engineering or Math Emergency Scholarship Program. There are also various scholarships offered by HSSU and information regarding these scholarships can be found on the school’s official website.
Student Financial Aid Details
How many students use Financial Aid, and how much do they use?
Harris-Stowe State University 4941st for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best Missouri scholarships and financial aid
HSSU is in large part a commuter-school and most students live off campus. Almost all students have a car on school premises, regardless of where they are living.
Housing:
Students who are interested in living on campus must fill out an application and pay a housing deposit to the Department of Residential Life. Freshmen are guaranteed housing if they pay the housing deposit by a certain date and therefore students are encouraged to apply and pay the deposit as early as possible. There are both single-bed suites and double-bed suites available for freshman. The on-campus housing available for upperclassman is the Gillespie Residence Hall. All rooms come fully-equipped with telephone service, cable TV, and high speed Internet access. Even if a student is of legal age, alcohol is not permitted in student housing. No student over the age of 25 is eligible to live in on-campus regardless of their student status.
Library:
The library is a member of the Bridges Cluster within the MOBIUS library association, along with eight other members, allowing the library catalog to be linked with the catalogs’ of all of the Bridges Cluster members and to the full MOBIUS complement of member catalogs. This allows the catalog to contain information from more than 50 academic and public libraries across the state of Missouri.
Jazz and HSSU:
Donald Wolff and his wife donated their jazz collection to HSSU in April of 2002. From this contribution, the Don & Heide Wolff Jazz Institute was created allowing students as well as the community to learn more about jazz music and its various artists.
Greek Life:
Most of the Greek organizations offered at the school are historically Black Greek organizations, which were started to help bring African-Americans together and provide unity to college campuses in the early 1900s. In order to be a member of a Black Greek letter organization students must be enrolled full-time, have a minimum GPA of 2.5, meet the required community service hours, obtain formal letters of recommendation, meet the guidelines of the chapter and/or membership intake committee, attend an informal meeting and their sponsored events, and participate in an interview by the organization.
The Greek organizations offered at HSSU include:
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc.
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.
Omega Alpha Psi Fraternity & Ministry
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc.
Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity Inc.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.
Student Enrollment Demographics
How many students are enrolled at Harris-Stowe State University?
The athletic program at HSSU is a member of the NAIA and the American Midwest Conference (AMC). The school’s mascot is the Hornets and their colors are brown and gold. Soccer and basketball teams are available for both men and women. Men are also able to compete on a baseball team and women can also compete in volleyball and softball.
Alumni
Julius Hunter, former anchorman for KMOV Channel 4
Charles Shaw, federal judge
Bobby C. Wilks, first African-American to reach the rank of Coast Guard Captain and the first African-American Coast Guard aviator.
Bibliography
Harris-Stowe State University. 2011. HSSU. 29 May 2011 <http://www.hssu.edu/>.
Harris-Stowe State University Department of Athletics. 2011. HSSU. May 29 2011 <http://www.hornetsathletics.com/index.php>.
“Harris-Stowe State University.” US News & World Report. 2011. US News. 29 May 2011 <http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/harris-stowe-state-2466>.
Demographics – Main Campus and Surrounding Areas
Reported area around or near Saint Louis, MO 63103-2136
Feel free to add comments or additional information regarding Harris-Stowe State University, or discuss this school in the University Discussion Forum
about 4 years agoLaretha Colenburg lcolenburg ((at)) yahoo dot com
I really enjoy reading the above info about your college. I play basketball, volleyball,run track, and softball.Softball is my favorite sport, I would like to attend your school in the spring of 2008. I graduate from School May 14, 2008.
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lcolenburg ((at)) yahoo dot com
I really enjoy reading the above info about your college. I play basketball, volleyball,run track, and softball.Softball is my favorite sport, I would like to attend your school in the spring of 2008. I graduate from School May 14, 2008.