Vol. 24 No. 22 - February 17, 2020

The Golden Dragon Acrobats will return to Kirksville at 7:30 p.m. March 2 in Baldwin Auditorium as part of the Kohlenberg Lyceum Series.

The Broadway veterans hail from Cangzhou, Hebei, province in China and have toured the United States continuously since 1978. Representing a time-honored tradition that began more than 25 centuries ago, the Golden Dragons utilize award-winning acrobatics, traditional dance, spectacular costumes, ancient and contemporary music and theatrical techniques to present a show of breathtaking skill and beauty.

Tickets cost $10 and are available now. They can be purchased online at lyceum.truman.edu, at the cashier window in McClain Hall or at the Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce. If there are tickets available the day of the performance they can be purchased at the Baldwin Auditorium ticket window 30 minutes before the event.

Questions regarding the Kohlenberg Lyceum Series can be directed to lyceumseries@truman.edu or 660.785.4128. More information on the Golden Dragon Acrobats is available at goldendragonacrobats.com.

The monthlong TruCare service initiative will take place throughout March, giving everyone with a Truman connection an opportunity to show how dedicated the University is to service.

TruCare is an international service initiative where the Truman community volunteers locally to make a difference globally. Designed as a way for alumni and friends to share in the spirit of the Big Event, TruCare allows anyone with a Truman affiliation to count service hours completed from March 1 through midnight April 1 as part of a cumulative total.

Students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the University can participate by simply logging any service hours completed during that time on the TruCare website. Hours can be logged individually or by student organizations. Hours completed during the Big Event will also be counted. The grand total will be announced in April.

Last year’s campaign saw 1,059 members of the Truman community contribute 10,265.5 hours of service. Projects took place in 36 cities across 19 states and included serving at food pantries, animal sanctuaries, community kitchens, parades, resale shops and safe houses.  

TruCare is sponsored by the Truman Alumni Association. For questions about the program, contact Stacy Tucker-Potter, director of engagement.

There will be an informational meeting from 3-4 p.m. Feb. 20 in Violette Hall 1236 for anyone interested in Truman’s online graduate certificate program in data science.

Truman’s program is the perfect fit for anyone looking to enhance their skill set or keep their career options open for data driven fields. It is comprised of five online classes and can be completed in as little as 45 weeks. It’s also a great option for upcoming or recent graduates who want to add additional value to their already valuable Truman undergraduate degree.

Data scientists are trained to decipher large volumes of information in order to find trends and gain deeper insight into what it all means. Data science is one of the fastest growing career paths. Average salaries can reach well into six figures, and common careers include business intelligence analysts, analytics managers and research scientists, to name a few.

Upon completion of the program, participants will receive a notation on their transcripts and a certificate suitable for display.

Additional details on the data science program can be found here. For more information, contact Hyun-Joo Kim, chair and professor of statistics.

Eleven Truman MOLSAMP students and two faculty members attended the Emerging Researchers National Conference in Washington, D.C., Feb. 6-9.
 
With support from the National Science Foundation, the Missouri Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (MOLSAMP) scholars program seeks to increase the number of students who receive degrees in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Three students received travel awards to attend the conference, and five students presented their work from research conducted since summer 2019. Presenters included: Mary Butler, sophomore biochemistry and molecular biology major; Ulysses Butler, senior computer science major; Carolynn Gonzalez, sophomore biology major; Elsa Schenk, senior biology major; and Alyssa Tipler, junior biochemistry and molecular biology major.
 
Scholars also participated in professional development sessions, networking activities and a graduate school fair.

Underrepresented students in the following majors are encouraged to join the MOLSAMP program at Truman: agricultural science, biochemistry and molecular biology, biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, physics and statistics. Participants receive STEM-specific advising and academic tutoring as well as the opportunity to conduct paid summer research, enroll in classes designed to prepare for undergraduate research and learn the important interconnectedness of the STEM fields.  

Participation in the program is free. To learn more or to join, stop by the STEP Office in Magruder Hall 3101 or email Ryan Miller, academic advisor, at ryanm@truman.edu.

Sigma Tau Delta will sponsor Blind Date with a Book, Feb. 17-18. This fundraising event promotes reading for enjoyment with a fun twist: participants do not see the cover of the title they are purchasing. Each book is given enough of a description to help the purchaser make a decision, but not enough to fully inform them what it is.

Books are $3 a piece and can be purchased from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Feb. 17 in Violette Hall and Feb. 18 in the Student Union Building. Homemade bookmarks will also be sold, two for $1.

The Theatre Department will perform “The Charm of Preparedness,” at 8 p.m. Feb. 19-22 in the James G. Severns Theatre in Ophelia Parrish.

Based on the book by Jorge Ignacio Cortiñas, “The Charm of Preparedness” is a contemporary comedy about a college that is turned inside out when a pre-med student begins to organize a campus-wide preparedness drill. Is this guy for real, or is this all just a ruse to impress Greta, the nursing student? Will the students who volunteer to play chemical burn victims be able to earn extra credit? Does college actually prepare anyone for anything?

Tickets cost $6 and are available now. They can be purchased from 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at the Theatre Box Office in Ophelia Parrish. Tickets will also be available starting at 7 p.m. on the night of each performance. Reservations for out of town guests may be made by calling 660.785.4515, and those tickets will be kept at the box office until 15 minutes before show time.
 
This show is not recommended for audience members under the age of 13. For more specific information about the show’s themes, contact the box office.

The Communication Internship Forum will take place at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 19 in Barnett Hall 1211. Communication majors and minors can ask questions of, and hear advice from, current communication students who have completed internships. Michelle Kleine, the communication internship coordinator, will also answer questions and explain how students can complete internships for Truman course credit.

Feb. 19
Violette Hall 1332

The American Marketing Association is a great way to gain a resume-quality experience by utilizing classroom knowledge and creativity during chapter meetings and with real clients. It is also a great way to meet new people in a comfortable environment. AMA is open to all majors.

There will be a Safe Zone training from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Feb. 19 in the University Art Gallery.

The current exhibition, “Every Breath We Drew,” is composed of portraits of the LGBTQ community that explore identity and connection and is the creation of St. Louis-based artist Jess Dugan.
 
Truman’s Safe Zone program was created to have a network of knowledgeable faculty, staff and students in order to create safe and welcoming environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people. Completing the training and displaying a Safe Zone sign indicates participants are committed to increasing their knowledge of LGBTQ+ issues and challenging homophobic and heterosexist comments or behaviors in an educational and informative manner. Safe Zone members are able to provide assistance as needed, including referrals to University Counseling Services.
 
Anyone can become a Safe Zone ally. Participants will learn current terminology and simple ways to create a welcoming campus environment. Contact Brad Turnbull at bturnbull@truman.edu or Summer Pennell at spennell@truman.edu with any questions.

National Pan-Hellenic Council is conducting a book drive for Black History Month. The organization is encouraging people to help purchase books to donate to local schools. The suggested books cover a variety of topics of inclusion and diversity. The book list can be found here or by scanning the QR code.

Dr. Ather Zia, assistant professor, Department of Anthropology and Gender Studies Program
University of Northern Colorado
7 p.m.
Feb. 20
Baldwin Hall Little Theater

ABSTRACT: The Indian government says that the removal of Kashmir’s autonomy is for development, but it should be seen as embedded in a structure of neocolonialism based on fundamentalist Hindu ethnonationalism or Hindutva and fueled by neoliberalism. Kashmiris fear their loss of territorial sovereignty will pave way for settler colonialism, dispossession of indigenous people and rampant exploitation of resources resulting in neocolonial maldevelopment. In a broader neocolonial context, the erasure of Kashmir’s autonomy is also the fruition of the ideology Hindu indigeneity in which Muslims living in India, are cast as invaders and foreigners.; and Kashmiri Muslims are doubly marked as the Other: first as Muslims and second, as Kashmiris who are committed to an irrepressible struggle for the UN-mandated plebiscite and a democratic sovereignty.
 
BIO: Ather Zia, Ph.D., is a political anthropologist, poet, columnist and short fiction writer. She teaches at the University of Northern Colorado Greeley. Zia is the author of “Resisting Disappearances: Military Occupation and Women’s Activism in Kashmir” and co-editor of “Resisting Occupation in Kashmir” and “A Desolation called Peace.” She has published a poetry collection “The Frame” and another collection is forthcoming. Zia’s ethnographic poetry on Kashmir has won an award from the Society for Humanistic Anthropology. A widely published columnist, she is the founder-editor of Kashmir Lit and is the co-founder of Critical Kashmir Studies Collective, an interdisciplinary network of scholars working on the Kashmir region.

Nationally recognized photographer Jess T. Dugan will give an artist talk at 11 a.m. Feb. 22 at the University Art Gallery in Ophelia Parrish.

The presentation will be the keynote address for the Women’s and Gender Studies Conference taking place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 22 in Ophelia Parrish 2210.

Dugan’s “Every Breath We Drew” is currently on display in the University Art Gallery through Feb. 28. The artist is known for portraits that capture a personal encounter with her subjects in rich detail through medium- and large-format photography. Dugan engages the picture-making process to explore the identity of the sitters, focusing in particular on the visual construction of gender and sexuality, and the series encompasses a range of subjects who identify as cisgender, transgender and nonbinary. In this series of portraits, the artist photographed a mix of old friends and new acquaintances with whom she felt a strong connection or intimacy.

Dugan’s work has been widely exhibited and is in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, the Library of Congress, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and many other institutions throughout the United States. She has a Master of Fine Arts in photography from Columbia College Chicago and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in photography from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She currently lives and works in St. Louis.

This exhibition and programming were generously supported with funding from Missouri Arts Council and the Jonny and Dave Eisenberg Speaker’s Fund at Truman. For more information about the University Art Gallery visit gallery.arttruman.com or follow Truman State University Art Gallery on Facebook.

Beta Alpha Psi will host Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) sessions from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 22 and March 28 in Violette Hall 1424.

VITA offers free tax assistance for clients with low to moderate income levels filing simple tax returns. The tax assistance will be completed by IRS-certified volunteers and will also offer free electronic filing to receive a faster return.
 
Clients who come to VITA should bring: social security cards for spouses and dependents; bank routing numbers and bank account numbers for direct deposit; wage and earnings statements such as W-2, 1098T and 1099; and a copy of last year’s federal and state tax returns if available.
 
For more information, visit bap.truman.edu/vita.

The Office of Admissions is looking for enthusiastic student leaders with a passion for sharing their Truman experience.

Applications are open for student ambassadors for the 2020-21 academic year. Student ambassadors guide visiting students and their families on campus tours, assist in the recruitment of prospective students and positively represent the University.
 
Scholarship, work-study and volunteer opportunities are available. Institutional positions are available, but limited. Applications can be found online and are due by 8 p.m. Feb. 23. Questions should be directed to Shari Fieser, student ambassador adviser.

Career and Grad School Week provides students opportunities to connect with recruiters and employers to help them find their next steps after Truman. During this week, there are activities leading up to the Graduate Expo and the Career and Internship Expo, such as Expo Bootcamp, a personal statement writing workshop and an etiquette dinner.
 
Monday, Feb. 24
Expo Bootcamp
6-8 p.m.
Feb. 24
Student Union Building 3201-3204
Learn the basics of working an expo, appropriate dress and resumes. Refine your 30-second commercial and learn how to find all of the registered attendees for the expos.

Personal Statement Writing Workshop
5-6 p.m.
Feb. 24
Student Union Building 3200 (Activities Room)
Dave Lusk will present on how to write a personal statement and get students started on their personal statements. Complete this brief form to help the Career Center prepare. Registration is not required.
 
Tuesday, Feb. 25
Etiquette Dinner
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Feb. 25
Student Union Building Georgian Room A
Enjoy hors d’oeuvres and a four-course meal while learning the dos and don’ts of a formal/professional dining experience. Register by completing the etiquette dinner form. Meals are $20 a person.

Wednesday, Feb. 26
Graduate and Professional School Expo
11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Feb. 26
Student Union Building Activities Room
Speak with recruiters from grad schools and learn about opportunities in your field.

Thursday, Feb. 27
Career and Internship Expo
11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Feb. 27
Student Union Building
Speak with recruiters from non-profit, for-profit and governmental agencies to learn about opportunities in your field.

Professional Photo Booth
11 a.m.-2p.m.
Feb. 27
Student Union Building 3204
Get a free professional photo taken by Tim Barcus, the University photographer.
Pre-Selected Employer Interviews
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Feb.28
Student Union Building

The online submission site for the Student Research Conference is now open and accepting abstracts until 11:59 p.m. March 4.

The 2020 Student Research Conference will take place April 16. This conference is a University-wide celebration of student research, scholarship and creative achievements. Both undergraduate and graduate students are invited to submit abstracts.

Abstracts need to be sponsored by a Truman faculty or staff member. A copy of the information submitted will be sent electronically to the student’s mentor for approval. Students should work with the faculty mentor before submitting the abstract.

To request a special session designation to ensure student groups present together, email osr@truman.edu by Feb. 26. Faculty-requested special sessions will be included in the discipline options for students to select during abstract submission.

Complete guidelines for the Student Research Conference abstracts and presentations can be found at the SRC website. For any questions about the Student Research Conference email osr@truman.edu.

Students with an affinity for business can submit their ideas for the fifth-annual Bulldog B.I.T.E. elevator pitch contest until March 6.
An elevator pitch outlines the concept or idea for a product, service or project in a short period of time, typically from 30 seconds to three minutes. The length of the pitch mirrors the time spent waiting for and riding an elevator in a high-rise building. The purpose of the pitch is to spur the interest of a potential investor or financial backer.

Bulldog B.I.T.E., which stands for Business Innovation by Truman Entrepreneurs, is open to any student or team of students — up to three members — enrolled during the 2020 spring semester. A student or team may submit only one pitch concept for the contest. Participants may pitch a for-profit or not-for-profit concept.

Students will submit a concept or idea for a product, service or project in a video pitch no longer than two minutes by 10 p.m. March 6. The video should not include any props, except the product prototype, and should be one continuous shot. Students must also include an executive summary of their product. The executive summary must contain: name of the individual or team members; problem or issue being addressed by the concept; product description; target market; competitive advantage of the concept; value creation; and expected future use of prize money.

Judges will select six teams to attend the live pitch competition from 4-6 p.m. April 3 on campus to present their product to a panel. The top three finalists will receive cash awards: the cash prize for first place is $3,000; second place is $2,000; and third place is $1,000. Pitch participants, judges, alumni and audience members are then invited to a networking reception following the competition.

The Bulldog B.I.T.E. is sponsored by Villhard Growth Partners and is coordinated on campus by the Office of Advancement.

Drawstring packs of food are now available for Truman students experiencing food insecurity. Any student limiting their food intake due to cost is eligible to receive a pack. This semester, food packs will be slightly larger than in the past and will offer students more food options from which to choose.

Packs can be picked up with a Truman ID at the SERVE Center located in Student Union Building 1105 between 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Food is provided by Pantry for Adair County in partnership with the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri and from generous donations from the Truman community.

The Center for Diversity and Inclusion will host its Annual Diversity Retreat from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 21 in the Student Union Building Activities Room.

This is a daylong retreat where students will be challenged to engage in a critical reflection of their personal identities and how it impacts their actions and experiences.

The event is free. Lunch will be provided. An RSVP is required by March 18. For more information, visit diversity.truman.edu.

The following full-time staff members started in January.

Deidre Blaine, Classical and Modern Languages, office assistant II

Joel Brumfield, Career Center, career services coordinator

Auburn Meister Barnes, Biology, office assistant II

Megan Poston, Financial Aid, administrative assistant I

Naomi Sloan, Advancement, prospect research specialist

Jerrold Hirsch, professor emeritus of history, is now serving as a peer reviewer for Louisiana State University Press book manuscript submissions in his areas of expertise.

Brodric Thomas received the GLVC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week award for the week of Feb. 3-9. In Truman’s two games, against Lindenwood and No. 13 Missouri-St. Louis, Thomas averaged 27 points and 10 rebounds. He also added 11 assists, five steals and three blocks between the two games. This is his fourth player of the week honor this season, the previous ones coming Nov. 25, Dec. 2 and Jan. 27.

The Truman State University Foundation has applications for 2020-21 Foundation Scholarships available now. There is more than $750,000 that will be awarded to current students at Truman. These are scholarships established by generous alumni and friends of the University. Recipients must be enrolled full time during the term of the scholarship to receive the full amount. To apply, log in to TruView, go to the Student Tab, Student Finances, Foundation Scholarship Application. There are typically some scholarships with no applicants. Students can submit and revise their application online at any time prior to the deadline of March 6.

In honor of Financial Aid Awareness Month, students are encouraged to check out many of the options they have to support their education.

•    Information about external scholarships can be found online.

•    Students will also be receiving an email regarding Truman State University Foundation Scholarships, and details on how to apply can also be found in the Truman Today.

•    FAFSA applications can be filed for 2020-21.

•    Students are always welcome to visit the Financial Aid Office in McClain Hall 103 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, go online to financialaid.truman.edu, email finaid@truman.edu or call 660.785.4130.

The Missouri Scholarship and Loan Foundation will offer the Purdy Emerging Leaders Scholarship, named in honor of Allan Walker Purdy.

Purdy was born in 1914 on a farm near Macon and was the first in his family to attend a four-year college. He worked in the University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture before becoming the campus’s first director of scholarships and student financial aid.

The scholarship is designed to provide merit-based scholarships to emerging leaders who are outstanding students and who have a need for additional resources for higher education. The scholarship amount can vary based on an applicant’s circumstances. The general range will be $1,000-$5,000 based on expected family contribution (EFC), unmet need and other factors.

Applicants must be a Missouri resident, typically a 2.5 or higher cumulative GPA, a U.S. Citizen, attending a Missouri public four-year university or the State Technical College of Missouri, and be a sophomore, junior or senior in college. Deadline to apply is June 30, 2020. Applications should be submitted online through Scholarship Central at moslf.org. To access more information about this scholarship, click here, or contact the Financial Aid Office at 660.785.4130.