Review of Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
from Emerson, AR
Describe your college in three sentences.
SAU has a nice community feel about it; everyone knows everyone else. The professors are great and want to make sure you have a great education. Financial aid and housing staff are less than desirable and are slow at processing student information.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Make sure you apply for financial aid and housing early. These departments are the worst on campus. Consider getting active on campus through community service projects, the Student Activities Board or by going Greek!
Describe the dorm life at your college.
Dorms suited for the freshman (Fincher Hall) is a great place for you to live your first year on campus. They are the nicest dorms on campus with semi private bathrooms. Other dorms on campus are okay but haven't been updated since they were built...around the 50s. The University Village is ridiculously expensive if you don't have a scholarship, and it tends to be relatively loud there in the evenings and at night. If you can, be picky about your neighbors or you might become infested with roaches. The upperclassmen don't really take care of their apartments like they should, you might want to consider moving off campus when you are a junior or a senior.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
With Grille Works and Chick-fil-A being added this past year, the dining on SAU's campus has improved greatly. Students have more options now than ever before. The cafeteria is not fine dining by any means but with the new chef, there seems to be some improvement in the food quality. SAU has really been paying attention to what the students have to say about their dining experiences on campus.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
Magnolia isn't a very large town, there isn't much to do here. That's why many students result to drinking and partying so often. The student activities board has been working very hard to make sure there isn't something for students to do at least once, if not twice a week. There are frequently small time singers, comedians, and other entertainers that come to visit SAU. They also host Casino Night, Big Money Bingo and other events where students come out to have fun and can even win prizes.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
SAU is notoriously cheap. It's one of the cheapest schools in Arkansas. You definitely get your money's worth, PLUS some. The best departments on campus are the Business College, Agriculture Department and the Science Department is quickly on the rise. Any of these choices would be great majors here at SAU. Most departments do a great job of educating their students. If you are wanting a degree in Studio art or Graphic design, SAU might not be the place for you right now. We have some amazing teachers in this department, there just simply aren't enough of them or enough resources for them to use to teach the students.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
There are plenty of unusual traditions around SAU! That's what makes us so special! To start off, our mascot is the Mulerider, definitely one of a kind! At each football game our Mulerider, accompanied with Molly, our mule, ride back and forth on the sidelines proudly waving the SAU flag with each touchdown that is made. We also have Family Day every fall so that students (especially Freshmen), can bring their families to campus and show them what a great time they are having at SAU. Each year at family day, we have the Annual Bed Race. Each organization takes a twin sized bed on wheels, decorates it, and races against another organization. The beds are judged on overall creativity, best decorated and of course which one is the fastest. At family day we also have the Great Greek Canoe Race. There is a small 'duck pond' in the middle of our campus. Each Greek organization has two members in a canoe and they race across the pond and back to determine the winner!
Which types of students will excel at your college?
SAU is great for students who want to get out and be involved with on campus organizations. There isn't too much to do around SAU so you sometimes have to resort to making your own fun. If you are someone who needs to be entertained by someone else constantly, SAU may not be the place for you. It is also difficult for people without cars to get around Magnolia.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
There are plenty of clubs and groups to get involved in! Between the Greek Life on campus, the Student Activities Board, the Residence Hall Association and the hundreds of clubs that are centered around certain majors there is a place for everyone!
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
On campus we have Alpha Sigma Alpha, Phi Mu, Tri Sigma, Sigma Alpha, and Sigma Phi Lambda for the ladies who want to be Greek. For the gentlemen who are interested in becoming Greek we have Sigma Pi, Alpha Kappa Lambda, Beta Upsilon Chi, Alpha Gamma Rho, and Phi Lambda Chi.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
Because the campus is so small and most people know each other there isn't much issue with campus safety. Once a year or so you may hear a report of a small robbery but instances like this are very few and far between at SAU's community!
SAU has a nice community feel about it; everyone knows everyone else. The professors are great and want to make sure you have a great education. Financial aid and housing staff are less than desirable and are slow at processing student information.
Make sure you apply for financial aid and housing early. These departments are the worst on campus. Consider getting active on campus through community service projects, the Student Activities Board or by going Greek!
Dorms suited for the freshman (Fincher Hall) is a great place for you to live your first year on campus. They are the nicest dorms on campus with semi private bathrooms. Other dorms on campus are okay but haven't been updated since they were built...around the 50s. The University Village is ridiculously expensive if you don't have a scholarship, and it tends to be relatively loud there in the evenings and at night. If you can, be picky about your neighbors or you might become infested with roaches. The upperclassmen don't really take care of their apartments like they should, you might want to consider moving off campus when you are a junior or a senior.
With Grille Works and Chick-fil-A being added this past year, the dining on SAU's campus has improved greatly. Students have more options now than ever before. The cafeteria is not fine dining by any means but with the new chef, there seems to be some improvement in the food quality. SAU has really been paying attention to what the students have to say about their dining experiences on campus.
Magnolia isn't a very large town, there isn't much to do here. That's why many students result to drinking and partying so often. The student activities board has been working very hard to make sure there isn't something for students to do at least once, if not twice a week. There are frequently small time singers, comedians, and other entertainers that come to visit SAU. They also host Casino Night, Big Money Bingo and other events where students come out to have fun and can even win prizes.
SAU is notoriously cheap. It's one of the cheapest schools in Arkansas. You definitely get your money's worth, PLUS some. The best departments on campus are the Business College, Agriculture Department and the Science Department is quickly on the rise. Any of these choices would be great majors here at SAU. Most departments do a great job of educating their students. If you are wanting a degree in Studio art or Graphic design, SAU might not be the place for you right now. We have some amazing teachers in this department, there just simply aren't enough of them or enough resources for them to use to teach the students.
There are plenty of unusual traditions around SAU! That's what makes us so special! To start off, our mascot is the Mulerider, definitely one of a kind! At each football game our Mulerider, accompanied with Molly, our mule, ride back and forth on the sidelines proudly waving the SAU flag with each touchdown that is made. We also have Family Day every fall so that students (especially Freshmen), can bring their families to campus and show them what a great time they are having at SAU. Each year at family day, we have the Annual Bed Race. Each organization takes a twin sized bed on wheels, decorates it, and races against another organization. The beds are judged on overall creativity, best decorated and of course which one is the fastest. At family day we also have the Great Greek Canoe Race. There is a small 'duck pond' in the middle of our campus. Each Greek organization has two members in a canoe and they race across the pond and back to determine the winner!
SAU is great for students who want to get out and be involved with on campus organizations. There isn't too much to do around SAU so you sometimes have to resort to making your own fun. If you are someone who needs to be entertained by someone else constantly, SAU may not be the place for you. It is also difficult for people without cars to get around Magnolia.
There are plenty of clubs and groups to get involved in! Between the Greek Life on campus, the Student Activities Board, the Residence Hall Association and the hundreds of clubs that are centered around certain majors there is a place for everyone!
On campus we have Alpha Sigma Alpha, Phi Mu, Tri Sigma, Sigma Alpha, and Sigma Phi Lambda for the ladies who want to be Greek. For the gentlemen who are interested in becoming Greek we have Sigma Pi, Alpha Kappa Lambda, Beta Upsilon Chi, Alpha Gamma Rho, and Phi Lambda Chi.
Because the campus is so small and most people know each other there isn't much issue with campus safety. Once a year or so you may hear a report of a small robbery but instances like this are very few and far between at SAU's community!