Lincoln University (MO)

Academics

Students come to Lincoln University for a variety of reasons—75 of them, to be exact. That’s how many degrees are offered across this Missouri school’s five colleges, whether that’s in the school’s College of Agricultural, Environmental, and Human Sciences, or in the arts, business, education, or nursing. (Graduate options are also available in a few of those fields.) The school does lean into its agricultural roots, and those students are challenged to use science to address critical world issues, including human and animal health, world hunger, and climate change. There are opportunities to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree with an emphasis in agribusiness, animal science, natural resource management, or plant and soil science. Minors within that department include Geospatial Information Systems and Wildlife Management. Students can expect internship options within the agricultural industry, participation and access to cutting-edge research, opportunities to attend conferences and symposiums, and competitive scholarships. Across the rest of the school, students can expect to find the sort of personalized experience that comes from having classrooms of fewer than 20 students. Additional options for housing, summer mentorships, faculty work, and special courses are available to those exceptionally talented and motivated students who qualify for the 18-credit Horace Bond Honors Program. And accommodating every pathway to college, Lincoln University also offers an ROTC college-based, officer-commissioned program, as well as an Extended Studies department that provides classes that advance careers and expand minds, regardless of age.

Career

A Lincoln University education begins in the classroom, but fully extends through the heart of Missouri’s capital, Jefferson City. The school’s proximity to government offices (and city parks) ensures that students are involved in the community, and the fact that nearly 50% of students live in some form of college housing makes it easy for students to forge lasting ties with their classmates. Additional opportunities arise from the over 50 registered student organizations, like the Model UN Student Organization, Creative Community Art Club, and Black College Quiz. Aspiring journalists have the chance to work at the university’s award-winning radio station (KJLU), public-access television station (JCTV), and student newspaper, the Clarion. Artists are prominently featured throughout the Student Union Building, which houses art galleries and the International Cultural Center; elsewhere on campus there are studios of all shapes and sizes, servicing everyone from ceramicists to 3D designers, printmakers, and digital recording. And Lincoln students proudly support their Blue Tigers, who, as part of the MIAA conference in Division II, compete in both men’s and women’s sports that include football, basketball, golf, and track and field. Among the ways the university fosters a culture of diversity is with its recruitment of international students. The International Student Services Center aims to make Lincoln home to students from anywhere in the world. The university has a stated goal of “producing technologically advanced, diverse, ethical, global leaders who think critically, address societal problems, and compete effectively,” and to that end, students are also encouraged to use the Langston Hughes Memorial Library, which has a robust collection of microforms, periodicals, labs, archives, lounges, and study rooms.

Culture

Lincoln graduates have historically gone on to achieve in a vast array of fields. Notable alumni include Dorothy Butler Gilliam, the first African American female reporter at the Washington Post; George Howard, Jr., the first African American federal judge in Arkansas; Lemar Parrish, an eight-time NFL Pro Bowl defensive back; and current U.S. congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer. According to Payscale.com, Lincoln graduates are earning an average base salary of $67,000 per year in a variety of occupations including professional counseling, lending management, public policy, insurance claims, and library science. The school’s career center works to help students focus on the ideal education path for them, offering career assessments, internships, and alumni assistance.