Joseph Archibald Serena, president from 1921 - 1933, reorganized and changed Southeast in many ways.

Serena's many contributions to the community and school include the construction of Houck Stadium and Field House, which he had built without using any money from the treasury. This is especially impressive considering the building cost of more than $100,000 during the Depression translates into approximately $7 million today. Serena utilized student fund-raising activities and private contributions to meet the price.

Serena also reorganized the college into the present day departmental organization and appointed the first dean of the faculty. However, his greatest contribution was his battle to gain national accreditation for Southeast as a full four-year collegiate institute.

Serena is remembered as having served the community and school with his strong constructionist goals and his intense pursuit of progress for the college.

_{This information is excerpted from the article "Past and Present Presidents" appearing in The Southeast Missourian on April 4, 1999.}

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