Vol. 14, No. 27 - April 6, 2010

On April 13, Truman will conduct its 23rd annual Student Research Conference, which will feature a broad spectrum of presentations by students from all academic disciplines.

Scheduled classes will not meet during the day of the Conference, thereby providing the opportunity for all students and faculty members to attend and fully participate. Evening classes will meet as scheduled.

The day will be a University-wide celebration of undergraduate and graduate research, scholarship and creative achievement.

This year’s Conference will be a record event, with 360 presentations delivered by 519 student authors who are mentored by 160 faculty, 146 from Truman.

Students will present their scholarly work in a range of presentation types, including oral papers, posters, performing arts and studio arts.

The day will also include a Conference-wide plenary address by Dr. Denise Von Glahn, professor of musicology and director of the Center for Music of the Americas at Florida State University. The plenary session begins at 11 a.m. in Violette Hall 1000.

Registration will take place in the Student Union Building from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Student presenters, faculty mentors and session moderators should pick up their name tags at the registration table.

A program book, including the full schedule of presentations, maps and other information, will be available at the registration desk in the Student Union Building on the day of the conference.

Oral papers will be delivered in classrooms in Violette Hall and Magruder Hall, and music performances and art exhibits will be in Ophelia Parrish.

The poster session will be in the Georgian Room of the Student Union Building, as will the closing reception.

Several refreshment breaks are scheduled throughout the day.

A full Conference program and all presentation abstracts can be found online at http://src.truman.edu. The abstracts can be electronically browsed and extensively searched.

Website visitors can create a custom schedule of presentations and events to attend. The website also includes other useful information for students and faculty, and historical details about past Conferences. 

The Student Research Conference is planned and coordinated by the Office of Student Research.

The Children’s Literature Festival returns to Truman on April 16. Included in the Festival are 12 authors and illustrators, and approximately 1,400 students from grades four to six.

The Festival will take place from 9 a.m.-2:15 p.m. in the Student Union Building. Children will participate in 30-minute sessions with the guest authors and illustrators.

Visiting authors and illustrators include: Alma Flor Ada, Mary Amato, Isabel Campoy, Jill Esbaum, Lucia Gonzalez, Carol Gorman, Jane Kurtz, Cynthia Lord, Ben Mikaelsen, Gloria Skurzynski, Brad Sneed and Michael Spradlin.

All children attending must be pre-registered. The sessions are open to faculty, staff, students and other interested adults.

Anyone interested is welcome to attend an informal meeting and book signing with the authors and illustrators from 3-4 p.m. in the Student Union Building Conference Room. Refreshments will be served.

The Festival will conclude with a dinner at 6 p.m. in the Student Union Building Georgian Room B. The dinner is limited to pre-registered adults and children accompanied by an adult. The cost of the dinner is $10.50. At 7 p.m. authors Alma Flor Ada and Isabel Campoy will give a presentation.

The Festival was an annual event for 21 years, but due to budget cuts it was discontinued in 2004.

A Children’s Literature Festival Fund was started in 2007 in an effort to reinstate the event. Because of this fund, the Festival returned in 2009.

The Festival is sponsored by Pickler Memorial Library with financial support from the Freeman Foundation, Barnes & Noble - Truman State University and the State Library LSTA Spotlight on Literacy from the Missouri Office of the Secretary of State.

For more information about the Festival, contact Sharon Hackney at 785.7366 or e-mail shackney@truman.edu, or go online to http://library.truman.edu/Children%27sLiteratureFestival.asp.

To register for sessions or the dinner, contact Daisy Rearick at 785.4048 or at drearick@truman.edu.

For information about the Children’s Literature Festival Fund, call the Office of Advancement at 785.4133 or visit http://giving.truman.edu/SpecialInitiatives/ChildrensLiteratureFestival.asp.

The authors’ books are available at the Truman State University Bookstore.

A plaque celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Delta Chapter of Missouri Phi Beta Kappa was recently unveiled in Pickler Memorial Library.


The process for installing a Phi Beta Kappa chapter is very rigorous. Only about 10 percent of the nation’s institutions of higher learning have Phi Beta Kappa chapters.

The ideal Phi Beta Kappan has demonstrated intellectual integrity, tolerance for other views and a broad range of academic interests.

Each year, about one college senior in 100, nationwide, is invited to join Phi Beta Kappa.

Membership in Phi Beta Kappa shows commitment to the liberal arts and sciences, and to freedom of inquiry and expression — and it provides a competitive edge in the marketplace.

Phi Beta Kappa is the nation’s oldest undergraduate academic honor society in the liberal arts and sciences. It was founded in 1776 at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va., and now has a total of 270 chapters.

Staff members now have the opportunity to take part in the first-ever Truman Interoffice Exchange to promote cross training and create a better understanding of other departments.

In response to feedback, the Staff Council’s University and Community Relations Committee began to discuss the possibility of providing something like job shadowing or cross training.

This committee then met with the Staff Development and Recognition Committee. Together they came up with the Truman Interoffice Exchange to help staff members appreciate and empathize with each other and to help discover how all of the “puzzle pieces” contribute toward making the bigger picture — the Truman Experience.

The Truman Interoffice Exchange is a continuation of “Building a Sense of Belonging as a Part of the Truman Experience,” which was discussed during the University Conference Day.

Staff members interested in participating, whether it be a full day, half day, or even a couple of hours, should communicate with their supervisor, then fill out the form at http://staffcouncil.truman.edu.

Once Staff Council has received responses, participating staff members will be contacted and informed of their options and what is available.

After an exchange has been agreed upon, staff members will receive another e-mail confirming the exchange date and location, with two attached forms: a confidentiality agreement to submit to the exchange office and a brief questionnaire to fill out and turn in anonymously after the exchange.

The 5 Browns, a sibling quintet of piano players, are the final performers in the 2009-2010 Kohlenberg Lyceum Series. They will perform at 7:30 p.m. April 8 in Baldwin Hall Auditorium. Tickets are now available.

Delivering on their dream to wake up classical music, The 5 Browns are introducing it to the widest, largest and most excited audience they can find.

The 5 Browns reveal a deep connection to their material while bringing a fresh energy and dynamic character to the color and tonal spectrum of their sound.

The 5 Browns – Ryan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra and Desirae – all attended New York’s Juilliard School. In fact, they became the first family of five siblings ever accepted simultaneously.

The quintet enjoyed their first wave of critical attention in February 2002 when People magazine dubbed them the “Fab Five.” At about the same time, they were featured on Oprah and 60 Minutes.

The 5 Browns have released three CDs that each went to No. 1 on Billboard Magazine’s Classical Album Chart.

The New York Post has proclaimed, “One family, five pianos and 50 fingers add up to the biggest classical music sensation in years …When these kids do Rachmaninoff, they’ll make you forget about Marshall amps.”

The quintet has garnered extensive coverage from media outlets ranging from the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Today, to the New York Times, the Sunday London Telegraph and Entertainment Weekly.

In addition to touring, The 5 Browns are published writers. Their book, “Life Between the Keys,” was published by Phoenix Books in March 2009. 

This month will see the release of their new CD “The 5 Browns … In Hollywood,” on the E1 Music label.

They are also featured in a new PBS TV special, “The 5 Browns In Concert,” which airs on PBS stations across the country.

Tickets are free for Truman students, faculty and staff with a Truman ID. Students may pick up their tickets at the Student Activities Board office in the Student Union Building. Faculty and staff may pick up their tickets at the information desk in the Student Union Building.

For more information, visit http://www.the5browns.com or http://lyceum.truman.edu.

The 51st Annual Missouri Phi Beta Lambda State Leadership Conference took place in Jefferson City, Mo., March 26-27. The conference theme was Missouri PBL — Simply the Best.

The conference featured competitive events for individuals and teams, leadership training and election of officers for the next year.


The Truman chapter received the award for third largest chapter in the state. The following students were recognized: Ivana Tjung (3rd) and Caroline Forsythe (1st) in accounting analysis and decision making; Caroline Forsythe (4th) in business law; Giorgi Amashukeli (2nd) in contemporary sports issues; Wanding Shi (3rd) financial analysis and decision making; Wanding Shi (1st) and James Fang (3rd) in financial concepts; Parker Leatherman (2nd) in impromptu speaking; Jacob Caughron (5th) in information management; Booyoung Jang (3rd) in international business; Son Le (1st) in management concepts; Ihan Prasetyo (5th) in microeconomics; Son Le (1st) in project management; Ihan Prasetyo (1st) in statistical analysis; and Parker Leatherman (1st) in telecommunications.

Nearly all of Truman’s participants are eligible to represent the University at the National Leadership Conference July 9-13, in Nashville, Tenn.

Phi Beta Lambda is an educational association of postsecondary student members preparing for careers in business.

The University Career Center will conduct its third annual Lend a Hand for a Living conference April 7 in the Student Union Building Georgian Room.

The conference will include a poster display session featuring exhibitions with information on more than 100 different nonprofits, along with employment opportunities within the nonprofit industry.

The poster display will be followed by an evening symposium.

Steve Joiner, a previous employee of idealist.org, is the conference keynote speaker.

There will be additional opportunities to speak with other professionals who have previously or currently work within a nonprofit organization.

Breakout sessions on professionalism and networking skills will also be presented during the conference.  

The poster session will take place from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. April 7 in the Student Union Building Georgian Room. The conference is scheduled for 6 p.m., beginning with the keynote speaker, also in the Georgian Room. 

For questions about the poster display or conference, contact Elizabeth Bauer at ebauer@truman.edu.

Truman Concert Percussion Ensembles I and II will present the annual “Spring Percussion Extravaganza” concert at 8 p.m. April 11 in Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall.

The ensembles are directed by Michael Bump, associate professor of percussion studies, and assisted by Jason Baskin and Vince Wallace, graduate teaching assistants. 

This year’s concert will present “Monuments of Percussion,” featuring some of the most influential and historically significant works ever written for percussion ensemble.

The program includes Edgard Varese’s Ionisation, generally considered the first art piece for percussion ensemble and a landmark merging of science and the industrial world within the musical aesthetic.

The program will also include John Cage’s Third Construction for percussion quartet, complete with conch shell soloist, and Mario Davidovsky’s Synchronisms No. 5, recognized as the first work for percussion ensemble with recorded electronic sound synthesis. 

Admission is Free. For additional information, contact Bump at mbump@truman.edu.

The Greek Community Relations Board will sponsor its first annual B.I.O.N.I.C. (Believe It or Not I Care) Week, April 6-10 to show appreciation to the administration, faculty, staff, students and community members that help make Truman a special place.

Starting April 6, the group is honoring the campus administration. April 7 is student appreciation day and there will be a table on the quad where students can pick up candy or other treats as a token of the organization’s appreciation of their fellow students. Faculty and staff appreciation days will be April 8-9.

The final event, a community flag football game, will take place at 1 p.m. April 10 in Stokes Stadium. Greeks will be partnering up with members of the Kirksville Police Department and other emergency responders to play a game of flag football at the stadium.

For more information, contact Beth Tuttle at btuttle@truman.edu.

Truman’s Health Science Case Study entered the national AAHE Case Study Competition at the AAHPERD national convention in Indianapolis, Ind., March 19.

The team, consisting of Kelsey Cler, Sarah Folks and Katie Emery, took second place at the competition. Grace McGaughey was the alternate member.

On March 17, the team had 12 minutes to present their plan and were evaluated on how well they covered the seven certified health education specialist responsibilities: assess, plan, implement, evaluate, serve as a resource, communicate and administer the program.

The results were announced March 19. Ohio University took first place and Ball State University took third place.

The Truman students were commended for the quality and amount of research and statistics they gathered and presented.

The Jack J. Isgur Foundation is accepting applications from students enrolled in the field of education in the humanities, such as literature, fine arts, music, art, poetry and dance. The Foundation awards scholarships to students studying at colleges and universities who indicate an interest in teaching courses in the above-described areas in school districts located in the State of Missouri, preferably rural school districts. The scholarship is available to those at the junior and senior levels, as well as graduate students. For further information, and an application, stop by the Truman State University Financial Aid Office. Deadline for submission is April 15.

The Foundation of the Stadium Managers Association (SMA) offers its student scholarship to provide tuition assistance and an opportunity for outstanding students currently enrolled in an accredited sports management and sports administration programs with an emphasis on facility and/or event management to learn more about the professions through networking with leaders in the field in an educational and information setting. This $2,500 annual scholarship award includes student membership in the SMA. For an application and more information regarding this scholarship go to http://www.stadiummanagers.org, click on Foundation. Application deadline is April 15.  

The William M. Reiss Foundation is offering scholarships to graduates of publicly supported high schools located within the city limits of Belleville, Ill. Official college transcripts are required and a copy of the Student Aid Report from the FASFA is recommended. Stop by the Financial Aid Office at McClain Hall 103 for more information on how to apply for this scholarship. Deadline to apply is May 1.

The John Gyles Education Awards are available each year to students in both Canada and the United States. They are the result of a private, benevolent endeavor established in 1990. Full Canadian or American citizenship is a requirement. Awards are available to both male and female students for all areas of post secondary study. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. Criteria other than strictly academic ability and financial need are considered in the selection process. Selected students will receive up to $3,000. The filing date for mailing applications is May 1. Applications are available online at http://www.johngyleseducationcenter.com.

The BigSun Organization is proud to be able to continue to help young athletes succeed in their academic pursuits by offering a $500 scholarship. All student athletes are eligible for this award, regardless of the sport. Deadline for submission is June 24. Visit http://www.bigsunathletics.com to learn how to apply.

AES Engineers is providing $500 scholarships to students, regardless of courses being studied, who meet certain criteria. Scholarships are intended for future leaders across a wide spectrum of fields of study. This award is available to high school seniors and all students attending a post secondary educational facility. Students are not required to be taking engineering courses to be eligible. Students must submit an essay of no more than 1,000 words in answer to one of the two questions posted online at http://www.aesengineers.com/scholarships.htm. Deadline for entry is Oct. 8.

The Public Relations Office is now accepting résumés for the full-time Fall 2010 internship position. Interns can receive course credit, a stipend and valuable experience in public relations office duties. Interns usually take six hours of class in addition to six hours of internship credit. Applicants should have a strong background in writing and editing. Communication majors are encouraged to apply, with special consideration given to candidates with knowledge of Associated Press style, experience in desktop publishing and familiarity of InDesign or similar software. To apply, send a résumé, two writing samples and contact information for two on-campus references to the Public Relations Office, McClain Hall 101, by April 9. For specific questions about the internship, contact Heidi Templeton at heidi@truman.edu.

The SERVE Center is hiring for student assistant positions via TruPositions. Applications will be accepted through April 9, and successful candidates will be notified of interview times for the week of April 12. Apply at https://trupositions.truman.edu.

KTRM announcer applications are now available online at http://ktrm.truman.edu/ktrm/index.php/component/jforms/7/31. Both specialty show and format applications will be accepted through 5 p.m. April 16. For more information, contact jdm5231@truman.edu.

Activity: Swim Meet
Division: Open/Org/Greek
Deadline: Apr. 6
Captains’ Meeting: E-mail
Play Begins: Apr. 8

Activity: Ultimate Frisbee
Division: Open
Deadline: Apr. 13
Captains’ Meeting: E-mail
Play Begins: Apr. 17 & 18

Activity: Punt Pass & Kick
Division: Open/Org/Greek
Deadline: Apr. 13
Captains’ Meeting: Apr. 15
Play Begins: Apr. 22

Activity: Track Meet
Division: Open/Org/Greek
Deadline: Apr. 13
Captains’ Meeting: Apr. 15
Play Begins: Apr. 22

Activity: T-Shirt Design Contest
Division: Open
Deadline: Apr. 29
Captains’ Meeting: NA
Play Begins: NA

Activity: Wrap Up Meeting
Division: Open
Deadline: NA
Captains’ Meeting: Apr. 29
Play Begins: NA

All information, rules and registration requirements are online at http://recreation.truman.edu/intramuralrec.asp, or contact the Intramural Office at 785.4467. Captains’ Meeting is at 4:30 p.m. in the SRC Conference Room.

Sylvia Macauley, associate professor of history, served as chair and discussant of the “Africa, Agency, Contestation and Acculturation” panel during the Conference on Perspectives on Cross-Cultural History at St. Louis University March 19-20.

Nicole Moore, a graduate music student, is one of 62 semifinalists invited to compete for $11,000 in prizes during the 2010 Naftzger Young Artists Auditions and Music Awards. The competition, which is administered by the Wichita Symphony, will take place April 23-24 at Duerksen Fine Arts Center on the campus of Wichita State University. Contestants will compete for a single $5,000 prize, plus $2,000 prizes in each of the three divisions — piano, instrumental and voice. Moore will play the viola in the instrumental division.

Lynn Rose, professor of history, and Steven Reschly, professor and chair of history, have completed “Amish Tourism in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: Open-Air Freak Show,” and will submit it for publication to Disability Studies Quarterly. In October 2009, Rose and Reschly also visited the new Acropolis Museum, among other sites, in Athens, Greece, as part of the on-site preparation for the two fully-enrolled “Sacred Sites in Greece” faculty-led study abroad courses. The first three-week, six-credit course will take place in May/June 2010 and will be led by Reschly and James Cianciola, assistant professor of communication. The second course will take place in July/August, and will be facilitated by Reschly, Molly Herbert, assistant professor of classical studies, and Eric Ross, visiting assistant professor of history.

Six Truman Spanish majors presented papers at the St. Louis University 2010 French and Spanish Undergraduate and Graduate Students Symposium March 27. The students were: Grant G. Berry, “La estructura espacio-temporal en ‘El Sur’ y ‘El jardín de senderos que se bifurcan’”; Tahamara Ibarra, “Fedina Rodas y Alba Santgy: Mujeres de esperanza en el infierno político de El señor Presidente y La casa de los espíritus”; Jillian S. Lopez “Búsqueda de la identidad y recuperación de la memoria en Retrato en sepia”; Josef D. Sallen, “La pesadilla continua: El señor Presidente”; Theresa M. Giuffrida, “El desequilibrio del poder en El señor Presidente de Miguel Ángel Asturias”; and Nathan Beck “El poder del temor político en la dictadura y su representación en El señor presidente.”

Truman students Timothy Ryan, Charles Tomlinson and Zachary Whitehouse represented Truman in the 70th Annual William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition administered on campus in December. The team ranked 127 of 546. Whitehouse earned a score that ranked him 186.5 out of 4,036 contestants. The top 200 ranked students have their names and institutions reported to all participating institutions.

A health and wellness presentation for faculty and staff will take place at 3 p.m. April 7 in Pickler Memorial Library Room 103. The presentation is about “Summer Skin Safety and Mythbusters.” Learn about summer skin misconceptions.

For-Words: An English and Linguistics Event Series, presents a performance and discussion with songwriter, poet and visual artist Grant Hart at 7 p.m. April 8 in the Violette Hall Commons on the second floor.

Truman Talk will record its second episode at 5 p.m. April 9 in Barnett Hall 1211. The guests for Truman’s late night talk show are Sally Lister, the host of Dilly Dally with Sally. Also performing will be TAG Improv, Truman’s No. 1 improv group.

The Board of Governors will meet at 1:30 p.m. April 10 in the Student Union Building Conference Room.

A group of French majors will perform Raymond Queneau’s “Exercices de style,” at 8 p.m. April 13-14 in the Student Union Building Down Under. A translation of the text is available at http://www2.truman.edu/~plobert. For more information, e-mail Patrick Lobert at plobert@truman.edu.

For-Words: An English and Linguistics Event Series, will present a poetry reading with Missouri Poet Laureate, Walter Bargen at 7:30 p.m. April 15 in the Student Union Building Alumni Room.

GlobeMed will host a Haitian Celebration from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. April 16 on the Mall. Come and enjoy a delicious meal of Haitian-style rice and beans while learning about Haiti’s culture. Cost of tickets are $3. All proceeds support Maison de Naissance, a birthing clinic in Lanarge, Haiti. Rain site will be Ryle Hall Main Lounge.

True Men are hosting their Spring Concert at 7:30 p.m. April 30 in Baldwin Hall Auditorium. Come celebrate the release of True Men’s new CD, “TrueMentertainment,” which will be on sale for $10. Admission is free.