Last week I decided to do something extra to celebrate the Southwest Minnesota State University homecoming.

I went out to campus on Friday to just walk around and see a typical class day. I went to the Natural History Museum, the greenhouse, the alumni heritage gallery and the campus store. I enjoyed a large sized cup of coffee.

I attended SMSU as an undergraduate from 1986 to 1990, earning English and history majors with a Spanish minor. I later completed graduate school, a master’s of business administration, from 2004 to 2007.

I wore my alumni sweatshirt when I visited campus so that everyone would know my reason for being there. It led to greetings. Several people asked about my graduation year, my major and where I live now.

The only place where I felt culture shock was at the campus store. It can’t really be called a bookstore any more since less than half of it contains books. It has a nice assortment of SMSU apparel and a very complete selection of school supplies.

The store manager told me that most of the classes involve digital reading materials. It hasn’t saved college students much money. The electronic publishers charge massive amounts of money just like textbook publishers did in my eras.

The museum and greenhouse have both seen major upgrades in recent years. They still serve as attractions for visitors and for school classes.

The museum is filled with hands on learning opportunities. It also makes extensive use of modern technology. The greenhouse has a good mix of flowers, vegetables, tropical plants and desert vegetation.

The alumni gallery tells the complete story of SMSU’s 58-year history. I served on the gallery’s planning committee when it was established as part of the construction of a two-story student center.

We took an awkward corner and turned it into a good attraction. It’s enjoyed not only by alumni, but also current students and prospective students who visit the campus. I especially like the model dome at the front of the gallery and the radio station exhibit with the record albums.

SMSU is a vital part of Marshall in hundreds of ways. It was a big step forward in 1963 when the city was selected as the site of southwestern Minnesota’s four year college.

It became a tremendous opportunity for ambitious young professors. They could make the new campus anything they wanted it to be. No one could say that they already tried something in the past. Nobody had the mindset that if something was a good idea they’d have done it before.

Many of those professors who were young in the late 1960s went on to spend entire careers at SMSU. They paved the way for the future, creating a tradition of innovating. SMSU has earned a great reputation as an outstanding small college, one that has stood the test of time.

Alumni like me who visit during homecoming can’t expect everything to be the same. It’s good to see some differences. Universities have to change with the times. They have to stay current.

It seems that college students get younger every year. It’s easy now to mistake some of the younger professors for students.

That hasn’t changed the way I still like being part of a college town. SMSU and the Independent, along with family ties, are the things that have kept me in Marshall. Whenever I was in the market for a good educational opportunity, SMSU was always able to provide it.

If you focus on current news, it seems like there’s not much idealism left in America. Everything seems money driven. People think they need more money, that money is a main factor for happiness.

When I meet today’s college students I still see idealism. They want to make a difference for society. Most of them aren’t content with the idea of just being a clerk and then a supervisor and then a manager. They want more than that.

I’m concerned that higher education comes at such a high cost. More should be done to make college more affordable. A lack of money shouldn’t prevent someone from reaching educational goals.

College remains an important time of life. It leads to academic knowledge and social opportunities that can’t be found anywhere else. It’s good to see examples of how today’s students are getting the most of their college experiences. They’re destined for success.

— Jim Muchlinski is a longtime reporter and contributor to the Marshall Independent