Vol. 23 No. 11 - Oct. 29, 2018

Students, faculty and staff can now borrow a bicycle for the day by presenting a Truman ID at the Student Recreation Center.

The Bike Share Program is a cooperative venture between the Bike Co-op, Student Recreation Center, Business Office, Advancement Office through alumna Colleen Ritchie, the Student Giving Campaign and student founder Theo Greer. It launched Oct. 23 with a ribbon cutting just outside the main entrance of the Student Recreation Center.  

Cable locks and handlebar baskets are included with each bicycle. Adult bicycle helmets are also available for checkout. For more details, contact the Student Recreation Center at 660.785.4847.

Tickets for the TEDxTrumanStateUniversity conference are free and can be picked up at the Student Government office, located in the CSI complex in the lower level of the Student Union Building, from Oct. 29 through Nov. 2. Tickets can be picked up from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. each day, with additional hours from 5-8 p.m. Nov. 1. The conference is open to the Truman community. Availability is limited, so picking up a ticket as early as possible is advised.

The conference will feature unique talks from students, faculty and staff of Truman on a wide range of subjects and seeks to embody a liberal arts mission through the spread of creative ideas across a variety of disciplines. It will be divided into two sessions of six speakers, the first running from 1-3 p.m. and the second running from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Nov. 4 in the Student Union Building Georgian Rooms.

A viewing party with a livestream of the conference will take place Nov. 4 in the Baldwin Little Theater from 1-5:30 p.m. No ticket is required for admission.

Fernandez has served in the Business Office as Truman’s student accounts supervisor for more than 10 years and comes to the financial aid position with a solid foundation of campus knowledge and exemplary interpersonal, financial and technical skills.

Since the February retirement of former directory Kathy Elsea, the office has been under the interim leadership of Robin White and Julie Burns. They will continue to serve in the capacity of associate director and assistant director, respectively.

Fernandez will begin her new role Nov. 1.

The Orientation Committee is seeking enthusiastic, friendly and dedicated students to welcome the Class of 2022 to the Bulldog community through summer orientation.

Orientation welcomes and introduces all first-year students and their families to Truman throughout the month of June and a late session in August. Orientation leaders have access to benefits such as impactful professional experience, a deeper understanding of the University, provided room and board if needed and a $1,500 taxable stipend. Applications are open now and are due Dec. 14.
 
To read the full job description and to apply, visit truman.edu/ol or Shari Fieser, orientation coordinator, with any questions.

 
In individual events during the Missouri Mule, Oct. 20, junior Austin Sopko was named tournament champion in afterdinner speaking. He also placed third in impromptu speaking and seventh in communication analysis. First-year Korrin Comley also picked up a tournament championship in informative speaking, which made her the top novice in the event. First-year Will Henrickson advanced to finals of dramatic interpretation and placed fifth. He was also named top novice in extemporaneous speaking. Junior Rebecca Walker advanced to afterdinner finals with Sopko and placed fifth.
 
During the Dale Carnegie, Oct. 21, Sopko once again advanced to finals in all three of his events. He would end up placing third in communication analysis, fourth in afterdinner speaking and sixth in impromptu speaking. Comley also advanced again in informative speaking, placing second and once again earning top novice. Henrickson reached finals in extemporaneous speaking and placed third, once again earning top novice in the event. Sophomore Maguire Radosevic also reached finals in extemporaneous, placing fifth. Finally, Walker also returned to afterdinner finals and placed fifth.
 
In Lincoln-Douglas (LD) debate, senior Johnathan Christy earned a tournament championship during the Missouri Mule by advancing through four elimination rounds and then defeating his finals opponent on a 3-0 judge’s decision. Christy was also named sixth speaker in varsity LD debate. Senior Tyler Behymer and sophomore Peyton Gilbert also had good tournaments, with Behymer finishing as a semifinalist and Gilbert as an octofinalist. Additionally, sophomore Eric Martin picked up a winning record in the junior varsity division of LD debate but fell just short of advancing to the final. Martin was named sixth speaker in the division and first year Michael Garrett was named fourth speaker. On Sunday, Christy once again advanced to elimination rounds, this time finishing as a quarterfinalist. He also completed his tournament as a third speaker in varsity LD.
 
After a very successful weekend at the University of Central Missouri, Truman Forensics picked up seven national qualifications for the NFA Championship Tournament, including Comley in informative, Henrickson in drama and extemporaneous speaking, Martin in LD debate, Radosevic in extemporaneous speaking, Sopko in communication analysis, and Walker in afterdinner Speaking. After only three tournament weekends, the team already has earned 20 qualifications to nationals.
 
Truman Forensics will return to competition with the Fall Redbird LD Swing, hosted by Illinois State University Nov.17-18.   
 
For more information on how to get involved, visit forensics.truman.edu or contact Christopher Outzen, director of forensics, or Craig Hennigan, assistant director of forensics.

All faculty, staff and students are welcome to attend the SEM Works Audit Findings session from 9-11 a.m. Nov. 8 in the Student Union Building Activities Room. Consultants from SEM Works, the enrollment management consulting service, were on campus Oct. 15-17 conducting the discovery phase of the project. Dr. Jim Black, president and founder of SEM Works, and Kathi Baucom will return to share the results of the campus audit.

There will be informational meetings for students interested in the Costa Rica study abroad program at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 29 in McClain Hall 306, and at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 12 in McClain Hall 306.

Students will be attending the Costa Rica Language Academy (CRLA), located in San José, the country’s capital, from May 18 through July 14, 2019. Students will have a complete linguistic and cultural immersion by living with a host family. In addition, students will travel on weekend excursions to bio-diverse sites such as Monteverde, Arenal and Tortuguero, where they will experience trips to volcanoes, hot springs, colonial-era churches, zip lining, waterfalls, a crocodile tour and relaxing beaches.

Students will earn 12 hours of 300-400 level credit taking the following courses: Advanced Spanish Grammar and Composition; Spanish Conversation; Introduction to Hispanic Literature; and Latin American Culture and Civilization. Nine credits apply to the Spanish minor and six credits apply to the Spanish major. Students must complete Spanish 330, Spanish Grammar and Composition, before studying in Costa Rica.

The Department of Classical & Modern Languages sponsors this study abroad program. For more information, contact José Carreño Medina or Óscar Sendón.

As part of her health and exercise science capstone, Tori Thompson will host “Mindful Mondays” at 4 p.m. Oct. 29 and Nov. 5 in Pershing Building 233 for students to participate in chocolate meditation. Students can learn and practice the art of mindfulness while enjoying small pieces of chocolate that will be provided. Sessions will teach basic information needed to be mindful during everyday life. The 30-minute sessions will allow time for students to provide feedback or ask questions.

“Ain’t Misbehavin’” will kick off the Kohlenberg Lyceum Series at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13 in Baldwin Hall Auditorium. When the show opened on Broadway, it made history by winning every Tony Award, including best musical. Time Magazine called it “a stompin’, struttin’ high hattin’ smash.”

The production includes 30 show-stopping musical numbers that take the audience on a journey not only through the Fats Waller song book, but through Harlem in its heyday. With snazzy period costumes — complete with bowlers and spats and ermine and pearls — the dynamic five-member cast takes the audience where the high-steppers partied, from honky-tonk dives to the Cotton Club and from Tin Pan Alley to the Waldorf.

Kirksville Tourism is a platinum level sponsor of this event.

The Environmental Sustainability Fee Accountability Committee selects projects to fund every year supporting sustainability on campus and is in search of a new project. Examples of past projects include solar panels, water bottle fillers and rain water storage systems. The committee is interested in pursuing larger scale energy projects. Proposals must be submitted by the end of the fall semester to be considered for the upcoming project. Students and faculty who may have an idea, click here to fill out an application.

The Truman State University Press will host a book sale from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 30-Nov. 1 in the Student Union Building. The sale will include discounts up to 50 percent. TSUP publishes poetry, contemporary nonfiction/memoir and books of regional interest.

The Center for International Education Abroad will host an informational meeting about the Critical Language Scholarship at 6 p.m. Oct. 30 in Violette Hall. The Critical Language Scholarship will benefit students who are interested in participating in a summer cultural and educational exchange program to study a critical language in an immersive setting. The informational meeting will be led by Truman student Deanna Schmidt, a past CLS scholarship recipient.

The Student Public Health Association will host a webinar conducted by Dr. Tanju Gupta at 5 p.m. Oct. 30 in Pershing Building 233 to discuss how Cerner works to improve population health. Gupta will also provide students with an overview of Cerner and potential careers at the company. The event is open to all students and will be of particular interest to those who are business, communication, health or computer science majors.

In the spirit of Halloween, Truman dining will feature a chocolate fountain from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 30-Nov. 1. The fountain will be rotated throughout Centennial, Missouri and Ryle halls and served with various treats.

The Department of Classical and Modern Languages will host Dr. Fairouz Bishara at 5 p.m. Nov. 5 in Baldwin Hall 114 to present on the Packasso Project, a school-based program for the arts.

“That Liberty Shall Not Perish” will be presented by Amanda Langendoerfer, associate dean of libraries for special collections and museums, and Jason McDonald, assistant professor of American history, from 7-8 p.m. Nov. 15 in Baldwin Hall 102. In commemoration of the World War I centenary, Langendoerfer and McDonald will recount the origin, preservation and historical significance of Truman’s extensive and impressive collection of propaganda posters.

The Center for International Education Abroad and the Career Center will host Kara Jo Levery, career ready coach, to present “How to Market your Study Abroad Experience” at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 28 in Violette Hall 1412. Levery will end her presentation with a Q&A session.

W. Michael Ashcraft, chair and professor of philosophy and religion, gave three presentations on New Religious Movements and how scholars study them. On Oct. 17, he spoke to students and faculty at Texas State University in San Marcos in addition to students and members of the general public at the San Marcos Public Library. The presentations were part of the Dialogue Series sponsored by the Philosophy Department at Texas State University. The following day, Ashcraft presented at the University of Texas at Austin. His presentation was sponsored by the Religious Studies Department at the University of Texas at Austin.

Jeremy Freese, Truman student, was recently selected as one of fourteen winners in Sodexo’s KICKIN’ IT OFF “Sit Back ‘N Savor National Prize Sweepstakes.” Freese will receive an extreme tailgate package, complete with a grill, cooler, a set of four folding chairs and a cornhole tailgate toss game as part of the prize. KICKIN’ IT OFF was a component of an ongoing resident dining promotion series sponsored by Sodexo.

Brenda Higgins, associate vice president for student health and wellness, participated as a panelist and a moderator for the 2018 College Health and Wellness Leadership and Innovations Summit, Oct. 8-9, at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Higgins spoke on the topic of aligning campus environments to well-being. She joined panelists from the University of Notre Dame, the American Council on Education, the Gallup Organization and NASPA. Higgins also moderated a session on meeting the needs of off-campus students.