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The reason I chose Harris Stowe is because I wanted to go to a diverse college, and this one definitely interested me.
Harris Stowe has mostly black, african american students, and a minority of many other ethnicities. At first, I didn't know
that Harris Stowe, was two totally different colleges until they decided to combine them into one. I've already seen the campus
(outside of the campus) and the environment is just really friendly, outgoing personalities. The campus also gives students
a history lesson about the college. Harris Stowe meets everything on my criteria list, especially in the Campus History department.
I would even give Harris Stowe a few extra points in giving history because they gave every single detail about blacks and
their struggles with getting into a proper education.
History:Harris-Stowe State University traces its origin back to 1857 when it was founded by
the St. Louis Public Schools as a normal school and thus became the first public teacher education institution west of the
Mississippi River and the twelfth such institution in the United States.The earliest predecessor of Harris-Stowe State College
was a normal school established for white students only by the Public School System of the City of St. Louis. This school
was later named Harris Teachers College in honor of William Torrey Harris who had been a Superintendent of Instruction in
the St. Louis Public Schools and also a United States Commissioner of Education. The university began
offering in-service education for St. Louis white teachers as early as 1906. In 1920, Harris Teachers College became a four-year
undergraduate institution authorized to grant a Bachelor of Arts in Education Degree. In 1924, the
university received accreditation from the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges. Accreditation from other agencies
followed, including accreditation by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and the National Council for
the Accreditation of Teacher Education. A second predecessor institution was Stowe Teachers College, which began in 1890 as a normal school for future black teachers of elementary schools in the City of
St. Louis. This normal school was also founded by the St. Louis Public School System and was an extension of Sumner High School.
In 1924, the Sumner Normal School became a four-year institution with authority to grant the baccalaureate degree. In 1929,
its name was changed to Stowe Teachers College, in honor of the abolitionist and novelist Harriet Beecher Stowe.These two
teacher education institutions were merged by the Board of Education of the St. Louis Public Schools in 1954 as the first
of several steps to integrate the public schools of St. Louis. The merged institution retained the name Harris Teachers College.
Later, in response to the many requests from alumni of Stowe Teachers College
and members of the Greater St. Louis community, the Board of Education agreed to restore to the college's name the word "Stowe"
and to drop the word "teachers." In 1979, the General Assembly of the State of Missouri enacted Senate Bill 703 under which
Harris-Stowe College became the newest member of the State system of public higher education. The institution's name was again
changed by the addition of the word "State" and became officially known as Harris-Stowe State College. In addition to the
name change, the university's baccalaureate degree was changed to Bachelor of Science in Education.
In compliance with the new state standards and teacher certification requirements, the university's teacher
education curriculum was modified and three separate teacher education majors were approved: early childhood education, elementary
school education and middle school/high school education. In 1981, the university
received state approval for a new degree program -- the Bachelor of Science in Urban Education. This
program is the only one of its kind at the undergraduate level in the United States and is designed to prepare non-teaching
urban education specialists who will be effective in solving the many urban-related problems facing today's urban schools.
In 1993, the State Governor signed into law Senate Bill 153, which authorized the university to expand
its mission in order to address unmet needs of metropolitan St. Louis in various applied professional
disciplines. In response to that authority, Harris-Stowe developed two new baccalaureate degree programs:
- Business Education, with professional options in Accounting, Management Information
Systems, General Business and Marketing
- Secondary Teacher Education, with subject-matter options in Biology, English, Mathematics
and Social Studies.
The university soon after received approval for a new baccalaureate program in Criminal Justice and is now
developing baccalaureate programs in Health and Medical Services Management. These new programs, as well as the Criminal Justice
Program will also be "two plus two" baccalaureates based on relevant community college associate degrees.
Finally, on August 25, 2005, by mandate of the State of Missouri, Harris-Stowe State College obtained University
status. Today the university hosts collaborative graduate degree programs with the University of Missouri, St. Louis. The
college continues to expand, adding new campuses and buildings as part of its 21st-century initiative to offer opportunities
for both undergraduate and graduate students seeking a variety of degrees.
Thus, from its beginnings as two normal schools in the mid and late 19th century to its present status as
a state institution of public higher education, Harris-Stowe State University and its predecessor
institutions have always been in the forefront of teacher education. Now, with its mission expanded to include other professional
disciplines, the college will provide greatly-needed additional opportunities to Metropolitan St.
Louisians in other important fields of endeavor. The university will continue its quest for excellence in all of its offerings
and strive even more to meet the complex and demanding challenge of preparing students for effective roles in this region's
various professions.
Financial Aid: Between 80 to 85 percent of HSSU students recieve some kind of financial assistance. Students
are encouraged to file early for federal financial aid by applying for the FAFSA. To find out more about assistance programs
and opportunities, visit the HSSU Financial Assistance home page.
High School Co Op Program:
Harris-Stowe State University offers the High School Co-Op program which allows high school students in
the St. Louis metropolitan area the opportunity to take university-level courses that can be applied toward a college
degree. To be eligible students must meet the following requirements:
- A Missouri high school senior
- Recommendation by a high school counselor
- Possess a 2.75 or higher cumulative GPA
- An ACT composite score of at least 18
- Submit an official copy of a high school transcript
- Students may take up to five credit hours of coursework.
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Admissions Requirements:
General Requirements
- Graduation from a secondary school or a GED is required.
- Completion of the Missouri High School Core Curriculum.
- Transfer students must meet the specified GPA entrance requirements for their desired degree program.
- A placement test will be required in any subject area in which the student scores below 18 on the ACT, prior to course
enrollment in that area.
International student requirement equivalents adhere to the approved admissions policies established by the Division of
Academic and Student Affairs. Here's what you need to do:
- Complete the university application for admission.
- Submit official copies of all college/university transcripts.
- Submit official copies of your high school transcript or GED scores.
- Submit an official record of your ACT or SAT scores.
- Submit a $15 nonrefundable application fee.
Transfer Student Requirements
Transfer students must satisfy the HSSU cumulative GPA requirements for satisfactory academic progress placed on enrolled
students with an equal number of credit hours. Admission to Harris-Stowe State University does not necessarily guarantee admission
to a specific degree program. Students should refer to the appropriate sections of the university bulletin for program specific
admission requirements. Minimum GPA for admission to Teacher Education is 2.5 and for nonteaching programs is 2.0.
Students transferring with an Associate of Arts Degree
The Associate of Arts degree is designated as the statewide general transfer degree. Students completing the A.A. degree
consisting of a 42-semester-hour general education block of credit will have met the 42-semester-hour general education block
for Harris-Stowe State University. Courses taken as part of an A.A. degree outside the general education block should be carefully
chosen to ensure transferability to the program of study which the student intends to pursue at HSSU. All other associate
degrees are evaluated on a course-by-course basis.
Transfer Prior to Degree or General Education Block Completion
Students who transfer without completing either an Associate of Arts degree or a 42-semester-hour general education block
of credit will have their transcripts evaluated on a course-by-course basis. Lower-division credit hours completed beyond
the A.A. degree will be evaluated for transfer on a course-by-course basis.
International Admissions
All international students must complete an application for admission. All academic records from institutions outside the
United States must be submitted translated into English. Students from non-English speaking countries must submit scores from
the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum paper score of 500 or computer score of 217 is required. International
students must provide evidence that he or she will receive a minimum of $15,000 per year while in the United States. This
is the minimum cost of living and studying for a single, full-time student at Harris-Stowe State University for one year.
Contact the admissions office for more details.
The Rev. Dr. William G. Gillespie Residence Hall and Student Center (GRH),
opened August of 2006. The building was named for Harris-Stowe State University’s longest-serving regent, Rev. Dr. William
G. Gillespie. Gillespie Hall houses 228 students in four-bedroom suites, equipped with a common living and dining area, kitchenette
and two bathrooms. Additional amenities include a workout facility and laundry room. Located in the Gillespie Hall Student
Center is the Dean of Student Affairs, Office of Student Activities, counseling and health offices, game room, computer lab
and university bookstore, all of which are open to residents and nonresident students of Harris-Stowe. Gillespie is the
first residence hall in the history of Harris-Stowe. Its current residents are a big part of Harris-Stowe’s history,
as charter members of Gillespie — the first to ever reside in the state-of-the-art facility. The HSSU Department
of Residential Life is committed to offering services that support the academic mission of the university and to providing
opportunities for the students’ growth and development in a living-learning community.
To read more about Harris Stowe State University, click here to see the site to get an application
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