On Monday October 9, PHS seniors and juniors took a tour of University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL) campus with Miss Gray and Mrs. Schlosser.
Before the tour, the students learned about UMSL, including majors UMSL offers, scholarships, help for disabled students, financial need, sports and clubs. After the students listened to the presentation, they were shown around. The tour guide showed us the dorms, college rooms, biology lab, dining hall and study halls.
During the tour, the students were shown how dorm life is, giving us a look in the doors and letting us discuss how dorms work and answering any questions students had.
The dining hall of UMSL was a shock to some students because of how big it was and everything they offered. The dining hall offers a wide range of food and drinks. Our tour guide mentioned how she has never had a bagel before until she got to UMSL and saw the bagel shop.
The classes at UMSL give unique experiences for each student, offering fun and engaging classes that students are able to take. They offer more than 300 degree programs for students to choose from, meaning there is an option for everyone. Some students are also able to get into the Honors College, which offers one on one with a teacher and student, while giving students the chance to discuss among each other about their work and getting help from each other.
UMSL prioritizes education and affordability. Tuition per semester at $12K for in state students, which is one of the cheapest in Missouri.
UMSL’s mission is to transform lives for the better. UMSL believes that education is for everyone who is seeking it out. They honor the duties inherent in their land-grant beginnings by positioning themselves as partners in the search for knowledge, progress and positive change for ourselves, our communities, and our world. UMSL’s core value is that trust is sacred. They build trust through goodwill, transparency, accountability and positive, and measurable results. They believe that trust is more than a pursuit. It is the very heart of their mission, the basis of their integrity and the foundation that makes the rest of their values and goals a possibility.
UMSL strives to become an inclusive community, where equity is the reality on their campus. They recognize and respect individual attributes, all while asserting that we are better together. They pursue each of these values with the knowledge that there is no perfect end point or top of the mountain.
Potosi High School graduate and UMSL freshman Autumn Sellers said, “The diversity at UMSL is amazing! UMSL is the most diverse campus in Missouri. It not only has people from all races and religions, but also backgrounds, and LGBT. There’s people from different countries! Coming from a small town, it was a big change, but it is so cool to meet all kinds of different people.”
USML holds a lot of traditions. One of those traditions is their soccer homecoming. Their homecoming for sports is a tradition that they hold near and dear to their hearts. UMSL’s homecoming traditions started Feb 1, 1963 and have continued every year since. Though they have moved their homecoming date from February to October. Other traditions UMSL holds are MLK Day of service, Trunk or Treat, and UMSL night at the Ballpark.
UMSL provides a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, connecting students to university resources and people, giving new students institutional expectations and values, promoting learning and discovery both inside and outside of the classroom, fostering pride in the UMSL community.
