Vol. 25 No. 12 - November 2, 2020

Truman’s annual First Generation Celebration will take place Nov. 5-8.

Traditionally taking place during the first week of November each year, the purpose of the week is to celebrate and support the many students on Truman’s campus who will be the first in their family to successfully complete a bachelor’s degree.
 
This year’s events include: a library display featuring books by first-generation authors or concerning topics relevant to the first-generation college experience; tabling and giveaways on the mall from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 5-6; and a virtual panel discussion of how first-generation college students can use their unique stories to self-advocate in college, work and society at 6 p.m. Nov. 8.
 
Students attending the virtual panel Nov. 8 will be eligible for door prizes. Register for the panel discussion here or by stopping by the table Nov. 5-6.    

Truman has received a grant from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and the Council for Opportunities in Education (COE) for this year’s celebration.

With Adair County ranking high on the list of Missouri counties struggling with food insecurity, some Truman students are doing their part to spread awareness and bring help to those who need it the most.

TRU 100: FEED is one of the nine Truman Symposium classes offered to incoming students, and its goal is to research, volunteer and collect food for people in need. According to Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, food insecurity is a household’s inability to provide enough food for every person to live an active, healthy life.

Students in this section were assigned multiple projects which have included volunteering at Take Root Cafe and the White Rose Catholic Worker Farm, as well as designing and running a food drive at local grocery stores. Students working at Take Root Cafe were assigned tasks such as cutting vegetables, processing meat, watering plants, doing dishes and, ultimately, learning how the cafe operates. Those who went to the WRCW farm performed a wide variety of duties, including stacking wood, moving boxes, fixing fences and mulching areas in order to support peach trees.

The food drive organized by this symposium class took place Oct. 17 at Walmart and Hy-Vee in Kirksville. Students accepted cash, checks and food, specifically requesting non-perishable items. In total, the drive secured $1,300 and 752 pounds of food, which was taken to the Pantry for Adair County.

Throughout the remainder of the semester, the FEED section will watch the documentary “Hunger in America” and will continue to spread awareness for those in our community who do not have access to the food they desperately need.

All registered voters are reminded and encouraged to participate in the Nov. 3 election.

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Anyone in line at the closing time of 7 p.m. will have the right to cast their vote. 
 
Students are eligible to vote in the county in which they have registered. Students living on campus and registered to vote in Adair County will be able to vote at polling stations in the Student Union Building Down Under between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Employees and students living off campus and registered to vote in Adair County are able to identify their assigned polling location, based on their local address, through the Secretary of State Voter Outreach site.

Adair County voters currently in quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19 can still vote through a drive-up voting station Nov. 2. The Adair County Health Department will conduct the clinic from 12-5 p.m. at the north side of the court house downtown. Participants must be registered to vote in Adair County and be on the health department’s list. They should contact the health department at 660.665.8491 to schedule an appointment.

While at the polling location, it is important to remember the basic safety protocols in place as a result of the pandemic. Maintain proper social distance when waiting in line, wear a mask, spend as little time inside as necessary and use hand sanitizer after leaving.

As a campus community, Truman values the civic responsibility of voting and understands that fitting in time to vote may be more difficult for some than others. Some polling lines may be long and other circumstances may influence the time it takes to complete the voting process. This should be taken in to consideration if students or employees are tardy or absent for a portion of the day due to voting. Employees are granted up to three hours of paid time off to vote, and faculty are encouraged to support student voting as expressed in the Student Government Resolution. All offices are expected to maintain regular business hours, so it is essential for staff to coordinate with colleagues and consult with their direct supervisor regarding their intentions for participating in the election.

Patience and understanding will be required after election day as well. Results may not be known immediately. This is not cause for concern as a delay is expected. For tips on dealing with election-related stress, click here. While this election is characterized by intense polarization, it is important as a campus community to focus on shared values, including a respect for different perspectives and opinions. Regardless of the outcome, the Truman community will remain committed to joining together as a Bulldog family and working together to make the world a better place.

The digital mystery “Ghosts in the Machine” is the next production on the Truman Theatre schedule, and it will run nightly at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11-14.

The production marks a first for Truman Theatre as it will be presented entirely online. All of the actors are Truman students, each with their own space where they will be preforming in front of a camera while the entire production is streamed live.

A comedy/drama by Eric Coble, “Ghosts in the Machine” is set in a high school. It begins after lunch on Melissa’s phone. Someone she doesn’t know is texting her looking for a drug hook-up. Soon, eight very different high-school kids are getting bizarre texts from numbers they don’t recognize – budding romances, bitter rivalries, even violent threats. What’s going on? And what if it’s not people connecting with other people via their phones, but phones trying to connect with other phones via their people?

Tickets are $6 and available now at boxoffice.truman.edu. Once a ticket has been purchased detailed information on how to access the live stream will be provided. There is a limit of 250 audience members per performance.  

“Ghosts in the Machine” is appropriate for audience members 13 and older. It features discussion of distressing themes such as self-harm and school violence. Runtime is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.

For more information, contact the Truman Theatre Box Office at 660.785.4515 between 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

 
Truman is now accepting applications for two new master’s programs in counseling.

Both the Master of Arts in Counseling: School Counseling and the Master of Arts in Counseling: Mental Health Counseling, will begin in fall 2021, and prospective students can apply now at connect.truman.edu/apply.

Created in response to market demands, the new programs strive to equip caring, committed, competent and culturally aware individuals with the knowledge, skills and dispositions required to become professional counselors in school and community settings.

The Master of Arts in Counseling: School Counseling program is geared toward meeting the academic, career and personal/social needs of culturally diverse students in elementary, middle and secondary schools as certified and licensed school counselors.

The Master of Arts in Counseling: Mental Health Counseling program specializes in community-based work as licensed professional counselors.

For more information about either program, visit counseling.truman.edu or contact Graduate Admissions at 660.785.7343 or gradinfo@truman.edu.

The first Truman Faculty Forum of the 2020-2021 school year will take place online at 7 p.m. Nov. 12.   

Sara Orel, professor of art and art history, will present “Archaeology in Egypt: Quarries and a Monastery at the Gebel el-Haridi.” The forum will be conducted via Zoom. All are welcome to attend.

The Gebel el-Haridi, an area of cliffs on the east bank of the Nile just north of modern Akhmim, was the focus of three seasons of survey sponsored by the Egypt Exploration Society and partially funded by Truman in the 1990s. This paper, the result in part of research conducted during a sabbatical year, discusses the Ptolemaic and Roman quarries at the site, as well as an enigmatic building constructed in front of one of these quarries, which fits the elements of an early Christian monastic settlement.

The Faculty Forum was created in 2003 to give faculty the opportunity to present their research and creative work to the Truman community, and to enhance the importance of scholarship and creativity in the culture of the institution. In the spirit of the liberal arts and sciences, the forum is a showcase of Truman faculty’s many creative and intellectual pursuits. The forum offers a variety of formats – public lectures, classroom-style symposia, performances and gallery exhibitions – to best suit different fields of study, as well as different individuals.

Junior and senior students could win up to $250 from Truman, and $10,000 nationally, through the Robert L. Gould Scholastic Award competition.

SS&C, a financial technology company, sponsors the annual Robert L. Gould Scholastic Award to recognize outstanding university students who produce academic papers on topics related to investment management strategies, theories and trends. The prompt for this year’s award is:

The human response to the COVID-19 global pandemic has been extraordinary in as much as it has required from our society and what it has revealed of us as people. This response has accelerated the acceptance of digital engagement. How do you see financial services companies engaging with their clients in the short-term post-COVID world and going forward over the next five years? Specifically: how do you see financial service companies using digital capabilities to engage and connect with their customers; and what implications and changes in engagement models or emerging digital capabilities of today will be assumed as standard across financial services in 2025?

In addition to the national award, the University will offer cash prizes to the top three papers from Truman students. Locally, first place will earn $250, second place will receive $150 and third place will get $100. All three will be submitted to the SS&C for the national competition.

Paper submissions should be directed to Chuck Boughton, instructor in business administration, at boughton@truman.edu by Jan. 17. Submissions should be in Word format only. Local awards will be announced after the Jan. 31 submission to the Gould judges.

Questions about the competition can be directed to Boughton.

The Truman Concert Percussion Ensemble I & Graduate Percussion Quartet will present a livestream concert event at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 2. The ensembles are under the direction of Michael Bump, professor of music. This fall’s concert will feature Truman’s top percussionists in an eclectic program of colorful and challenging music written expressly for percussion chamber ensembles. Featured composers include internationally renowned minimalist composer Steve Reich, as well as Truman graduate teaching-research assistant Adam Grim in a new work entitled “The COVID Awakening.”

The Communication Disorders Graduate Program will host a series of virtual open houses. Participants can join for a live Q&A session with faculty and current graduate students. More information, and pre-recorded sessions, are available at truman.edu/majors-programs/cmds-open-house.

Nov. 6
2-3 p.m.

Nov. 7
10-11 a.m.

Nov. 13
9-10 a.m.

Email Connie Ikerd at chelton@truman.edu to RSVP and to receive a Zoom link.

Katie Alexander, Student Government president, presents a certificate of appreciation to Donna Brown of Wine on Washington for their pledge to follow safe practices.

Student Government is participating in a new project to highlight businesses that have pledged to follow safe practices in regard to COVID-19. This week is Wine on Washington. Located on the south side of the square in downtown Kirksville, Wine on Washington is Kirksville’s first official wine bar. It offers free WiFi, and free coffee is available during wine bar hours for those who do not drink. The business hopes to open for coffee and study hours soon. Signs like the one below can be found at businesses Student Government has recognized for pledging to follow safe COVID-19 practices.

The Office of Student Research is accepting applications for Grants-in-Aid of Scholarship and Research (GIASR) as well as Conference Travel Scholarships.

GIASR applications are for research and creative scholarship conducted in spring 2021. Grant applications may request up to $750 and can cover student stipends, supplies and travel to conduct research.
 
Conference Travel Scholarships are for students presenting the results of their research or creative scholarship at a conference between January and June 2021. Students must have completed or be currently involved in a faculty-mentored research experience and plan on presenting at the conference. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the spring 2021 Conference Travel Scholarship will only cover student registration to attend a virtual conference.
 
Complete guidelines for the GIASR and Conference Travel Scholarship applications can be found at the Office of Student Research website. Applications for both opportunities are due by 11:59 p.m. Nov. 11. Questions can be directed to osr@truman.edu.

Applications are now being received for summer internships at the following locations in Missouri:
 

• Independence: Harry Truman Presidential Library (full-time, 9 credits)
• Kansas City: National World War I Museum (part-time, 3 credits)
• Kirksville: Judicial Archives Project (part-time, 3 credits)
• St. Joseph: St. Joseph Museums (part-time, 3 credits)
• St. Louis: Field House Museum (part-time, 3 credits), Missouri History Museum (part-time, 3 credits), Mercantile Library (part-time, 3 credits)
• Springfield: MSU Special Collections and Archive (part-time, 3 credits)

The summer internships are open to all Truman students, but they are especially relevant for those considering careers in archives, museums, teaching, and law.
 
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until all positions are filled.
 
To find out what the internships entail and how to apply, direct enquiries to: Jason McDonald, Baldwin Hall 226, 660.785.7575, jasonmcd@truman.edu.

While many conferences have been canceled due to COVID-19, the 2021 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) will take place virtually, April 12-14. Students from all fields are welcome to submit an abstract for this conference. Abstract guidelines can be viewed here. While submitting an abstract, enter the Office of Student Research information into the field of the undergraduate research coordinator. Students can apply for the Conference Travel Scholarship to cover conference registration costs; however, an abstract accepted to NCUR does not guarantee a Conference Travel Scholarship. Anyone interested in submitting an abstract should use the NCUR portal by Dec. 1.

Academic Buildings
7 a.m.-6 p.m.


Pickler Memorial Library    
Nov. 30-Dec. 3
8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Dec. 4    
8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Dec. 5-6
Closed

Dec. 7-10
8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Dec. 11
8 a.m.-5 p.m.


Student Recreation Center        
Nov. 30-Dec. 4
11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Dec. 5-6
Closed    

Dec. 7-11
11 a.m.-2 p.m.

        
Student Union Building            
Nov. 30-Dec 4
8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Dec. 5-6
Closed

Dec. 7-11
8 a.m.-5 p.m.

    
Dining Service Options
Nov. 29
Closed

Nov. 30-Dec. 4     
Ryle Hall Only
    Breakfast 8-9 a.m.
    Lunch 12-1 p.m.
    Dinner 5-6 p.m.
Dobson Convenience Store 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Dec. 5-6    
Ryle Hall Only    
    Breakfast 8-9 a.m.
    Lunch 12-1 p.m.
    Dinner 5-6 p.m.
Dobson Convenience Store 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Dec. 7-11    
Ryle Hall Only    
    Breakfast 8-9 a.m.
    Lunch 12-1 p.m.
    Dinner 5-6 p.m.
Dobson Convenience Store 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Saturday, Dec 12    
Ryle Hall Only    
    Breakfast 8-9 a.m.
    Lunch 12-1 p.m.
    Dinner Closed
Dobson Convenience Store 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Joe Benevento, professor of English, recently released his new novel “Kiss of the Moonflower” through Black Opal Books. Set in northeast Missouri, “Kiss of the Moonflower” is the next installment of the Cupelli Brothers Mystery Series created by Benevento. In the novel, the brothers from Queens are out of their element as they search for a missing professor visiting the area on sabbatical.