Missouri College Road Trip: University of Missouri
One landmark you're sure to notice as you walk around the University of Missouri is the set of six pillars called The Columns that symbolize the beginning and the end of a student's time at the school.
Before fall classes begin, freshmen run through the columns toward the heart of campus as part of "Tiger Walk," an event that marks the start of their college careers. Graduating students pass through in the opposite direction during "Senior Sendoff."
In between, the 27,000 undergraduates at Mizzou, which prides itself on being both a land-grant institution with a public service mission and a research university, find plenty to do.
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More than 280 degree programs are offered through 13 colleges and schools. Many undergrads participate in research projects, investigating everything from how plants defend themselves against bacterial infections to highway safety, either independently or with faculty mentors. The university emphasizes experiential learning in other ways as well; about 18 percent of undergraduates each year receive credit through courses that intersperse class work with community service.
And budding reporters and editors in the university's renowned School of Journalism are trained using the hands-on Missouri Method. To complement their class work, they get intensive practice at one of several publications, radio stations or advertising agencies. Students guided by faculty put out the local Columbia Missourian newspaper, for example, which publishes five days a week and is updated online 24/7. Students discuss how stories are told during budget meetings, as they would at any paper.
"The journalism school was a huge draw for me," says Madalyne Bird, a senior from Kansas City who is focusing on multiplatform design. "It's so rewarding, but it's also a huge time commitment."
In general, the 1,262-acre campus -- which also happens to be a registered botanic garden, a "living museum" of some 42,000 plants and trees -- has the feel of a "big small place," says Nick Droege, a 2014 grad from St. Louis and former president of the Missouri Students Association. "There are so many opportunities here to make it smaller."
For example, some students may find a tight community within the Honors College, which offers small classes and a book club, among other activities. Much of the bonding happens within the 750-plus student organizations, which range from UNICEF Mizzou to the chess club to the Quarter Scale Tractor Pulling Team.
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Anyone who is into playing sports has more than 45 club options to choose from. Fans can also cheer on some 20 teams that compete for the university in the Southeastern Conference; the football team recently added 2014 AT&T Cotton Bowl champions to its list of accolades. The women's volleyball team also celebrated a big victory last November when it won the Southeastern Conference championship.
Tiger spirit is on full display during the weeklong homecoming spectacular, one of the most unifying campus events. Homecoming is also an opportunity each year to embrace the university's multicultural identity -- its varied student body, alumni, faculty and staff -- by hosting events such as the Black Family Reunion.
Columbia is a college "town" of just over 113,000 residents that welcomes and caters to the school community, and students regularly head off campus to its coffee shops, music venues and many restaurants. Shakespeare's Pizza and Lakota Coffee on South 9th Street are some of the more popular dining spots, while The Blue Note and Missouri Theatre are a safe bet for finding some live entertainment.
More From the Missouri College Road Trip:
-- Washington University in St. Louis
-- Missouri University of Science & Technology
This story is excerpted from the U.S. News "Best Colleges 2015" guidebook, which features in-depth articles, rankings and data.
Delece Smith-Barrow is an education reporter at U.S. News, covering graduate schools. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at dsmithbarrow@usnews.com.
