Vol. 16, No. 26 - March 27, 2012

In an effort to better serve Truman students and to better coordinate student success initiatives and first-year advising, effective July 1, New Student Programs and the Student Success Center will be merged into a new entity: the Center for Academic Excellence.

Taking on the current missions of New Student Programs and the Student Success Center, the Center for Academic Excellence is charged with offering programs and services that allow all Truman students to reach their academic potentials. The newly formed Center will be led by Jack Holcomb. Holcomb is currently the interim director of the Student Success Center. Previously, Holcomb was an academic advisor in New Student Programs.

The creation of the Center for Academic Excellence required no new budget dollars. While the director of the Center for Academic Excellence is a new position, the director of the Student Success Center was eliminated.

All of the advisors in New Student Programs have been transferred to the Center for Academic Excellence. There has been no net increase in the number of employees.

While Facebook continues to be a forerunner in shaping how people communicate, an alumnus and current student from Truman are working to leave their mark on the social networking giant.

Corey Owens (’06) has been working at Facebook for the past two years. Currently he operates out of the company’s Washington, D.C., office managing Facebook’s federal political action committee, state legislative affairs and a number of other policy issues such as data center infrastructure. As guidelines are constantly being reshaped in the digital era, Owens is in a unique position to influence Facebook and social media for years to come.

“We’re involved in dozens of policy areas and there’s always more work to be done than you can handle at any one moment,” Owens said. “Having that kind of license to explore and try new things is very different than other jobs I’ve had.”

Owens credits the education he received at Truman with some of the success he has experienced at Facebook.

“Working in public policy requires being conversant in a lot of subject areas,” he said. “Truman has always aimed to produce well-rounded graduates with exposure to many fields, and that training has certainly helped me in this job.”

Owens’ Truman education is one of the reasons he is working in Washington, D.C., today. As a student, he completed an internship in the capital for the American Civil Liberties Union and after graduation got his first job with the organization.

A few years later, a former colleague recruited him to Facebook for his experience with digital privacy issues.

Once Owens was in a position to select members of his own team at Facebook, he reached out to his alma mater.

“I was eager to give a Truman student the same kind of positive experience I had during my internship in Washington,” he said. “My internship gave me an amazing opportunity, and I wanted to give another Truman student the same shot that I had.”

After consulting with some former professors, student Christian Johns came highly recommended to Owens. Johns, who was studying abroad in Australia at the time, immediately applied and even interviewed at 4 a.m. to compensate for the time difference.

Johns, a political science major who has already been accepted to a number of law schools, has spent this semester working on state and local legislative issues as well as assisting Owens with some of the day-to-day operations of the political action committee.

“Thankfully, Corey and a few other people in our office have given me the opportunity to work on some projects that interest me, and they value my contribution every day,” Johns said. “The goal of most internships is to gain valuable work experience in a field, and also get the opportunity to network and make good impressions. I can’t think of a place where I could have a better chance to do those things than working at Facebook’s D.C. office.”

Like many companies, Facebook offers several different areas where potential interns can get involved, including programming, communications and policy, to name a few.

Not surprisingly, Johns credits good grades and extracurricular activities with helping get his internship, but he also credits his association with Truman.

“I keep finding that the reputation of Truman students precedes us,” he said. “In some ways, just being a Truman undergrad can put you in some conversations that other students don’t get to experience.”

Johns’ internship will end in May, and as of now, he plans on attending law school in the fall. While he may be the first Truman student to intern with Facebook, he probably will not be the last.

“Christian’s done really well here, so I’m sure we’ll be keeping Truman students in mind for future internships,” Owens said.

Phi Kappa Tau will be conducting the 17th Annual Cookout for Kids April 17 to benefit the Hole in the Wall Gang Camps for children with chronic or terminal illnesses.

The cookout menu includes barbecued half chicken or pork steak, baked beans, coleslaw, bread and a soda or bottled water for $8. Food is delivered or can be picked up between 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at 215 N. High Street. Orders will be taken in the Student Union Building April 2-5 and McClain and Centennial halls April 2-6. Students will be able to place orders until April 12. For more information, email gar2775@truman.edu.

Hole in the Wall Gang Camps were founded by Paul Newman, a Phi Tau alumnus. They provide multiple one-week camping experiences for children who suffer from chronic and terminal illnesses that require around-the-clock care and frequent hospitalizations. The camps provide these experiences free of charge to children’s families and it is only through contributions that the camps are able to continue.

In the last three years, the Delta Omega chapter has contributed more than $5,000.

Shawn Bodden, an English, Russian and linguistics triple major from Florissant, Mo., was selected for the 2012 Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program intensive summer institute in mid-March for his studies in Russian. Bodden will be spending eight weeks in Kazan, Russia this summer as part of his scholarship. While there, he will spend five days a week in the classroom, live with a host family, have a peer tutor and participate in cultural excursions. Bodden plans to use this experience in pursuing a career in diplomacy with a focus on Eastern Europe.

The CLS Program is part of a U.S. government effort to dramatically expand the number of Americans studying and mastering critical foreign languages. CLS institutes provide fully funded group-based intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences for seven to 10 weeks for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students. The Program caters to all majors and areas of study.

Students may apply for one language and will be placed at institute sites based on language evaluations after selection. Languages offered include: Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla/Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Turkish and Urdu.

Truman Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) has established a partnership with Because Every Mother Matters (BEMM) with the goal of helping them improve their business practices.

BEMM works across Eastern Africa to promote health and self-sufficiency, especially for pregnant women. They created a mother sponsorship that “adopts” mothers, established maternal health centers and educated women with health training.

So far, SIFE has created sponsorship packets for African mothers so they may find a sponsor as well as arrange agreements to sell BEMM headbands. SIFE’s outlook is to expand BEMM’s product line beyond headbands to T-shirts and canvas bags with the BEMM logo. They also hope to reach out to more subjected women.

“I have been privileged to work with the organization founder, Steffany Boster, to have a direct impact on the organization and their future undertakings,” said Anna Elzein, the student leading SIFE’s efforts. “I am excited to continue this partnership and carry out our plans to help expand BEMM’s impact and encourage their mission.”

SIFE intends to continue their work with BEMM for the coming years to positively affect the mothers of Africa.

March 26
I Scream for Global Health
1-4 p.m.
Truman Mall
Come get some delicious ice cream for $1 and an “I love Haitian babies” t-shirts for $5.
 
March 27
Round Table Discussion
7 p.m.
Student Union Building Georgian Room A
Round table discussion with international students. Summer Jenson will be leading the discussion.
 
March 28
Clinic on the Quad, sponsored by AMSA and GlobeMed
11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Come to the quad for a free blood pressure screening and more health information.
 
March 29
TTS Trivia Night
Dukum Inn
GlobeMed is doing a trivia night for all the typical Truman students. There will be a round for athletes, Greek organizations, fantasy gamers, hipsters and nerds! Make it clear which TTS your team is supporting and wear costumes! The team with the best costumes will earn a prize! There will also be raffle and door prizes. It is $5 per person and 4-6 people per team.
 
March 30
Haitian Celebration
11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Come support Haitian babies on the mall. GlobeMed will be serving traditional Haitian rice and beans for $3 a plate and all proceeds go to a birthing clinic in Haiti.

The 2012-2013 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now available at fafsa.gov. It is important to apply before April 1 to be considered for all available funding. The government allows filing with estimates in order to meet early state or institutional deadlines. The FAFSA is also required for Parent (PLUS) Loans. Contact the Financial Aid Office in McClain Hall 103, or call 785.4130 with any questions.

The Career Center is hosting Paging All Doctors March 26-28. Events include learning about the graduate school admissions process, a networking reception with healthcare professionals, medicine demonstrations, MCAT test preparation and more. For more information and to register for events, go to career.truman.edu.

In the first three decades of the 20th century, four important historical figues discovered inconsistencies in current world views. Carnegie, Einstein, Hubble and Lemaitre, each from a very different world, came together coincidentally between 1900 and 1930 to completely change humanity’s world views of the universe as a whole.

The Office of Citizenship and Community Standards (OCCS) is now accepting entries for its Bulldog Video Contest. Winning entries will be creative videos that capture the essence of the Truman experience. Specifically: What does it mean to be a Truman student? How do you define the Truman college experience?

The OCCS will accept individual or group entries and will award Truman Bookstore gift certificates for the top contestants: first place, $150; second place, $100; third place, $50.

Entries will be accepted through March 30. Visit conduct.truman.edu for more information and contest rules.

The Truman Writing Center is looking for candidates to be writing consultants for the 2012-13 academic year. They will consider well-qualified students from all disciplines. Scholarship, stipend (limited) and work-study positions are available.

The application deadline is March 30, but positions may be filled by that date. Application requirements and an online form are at writingcenter.truman.edu/apply. Write to write@truman.edu for more information.

Information Technology Services is working on the computer lab software for the 2013 academic year. Over the summer the lab computers are scheduled to be updated to Windows 7 with MS Office 2010. Additional software requests for the computer labs can be made by sending an email to LabSoftware@truman.edu with the following information:

* Title of the software
* Version
* Number of licenses
* Company information

To allow sufficient time to install and test, submit software requests by April 1. Software packages that were previously in the computer labs will not be available unless requested. The link for the lab software that has been requested for the 2013 academic year is its.truman.edu/projects/labimage12-13/index.asp#list. The link for the lab software that was requested last year is its.truman.edu/projects/labimage11-12/index.asp#list. Also, to request training on using the technology in the classrooms, contact the IT Helpdesk at 785.4544.

The Student Union Building reservation office will accept reservation requests for the fall semester from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. April 2-5 in the Student Union Building Reservation Office, Suite 2000. All requests must be submitted in writing on a reservation form. Additional forms will be available at studentunion.truman.edu/lottery to print out. There will not be electronic confirmations for these requests. Confirmations will be mailed out by April 27. Address all questions to the SUB Reservation Office, 785-4186, or at union@truman.edu.

Truman students can nominate an outstanding full-time faculty advisor for the
William O’Donnell Lee Advising Award.

To nominate a faculty member, complete the online nomination form at newstudents.truman.edu/web/form_builder2/form_builder.asp?testId=356.

Nominations are due by 5 p.m. April 8. Academic Advisors are not eligible for the award.

Contact Marty Eisenberg at martye@truman.edu with questions.

The National Communication Association Student Club is hosting the event “TSU One Day Without Shoes” in conjunction with the worldwide TOMS event April 10. On this day, the club will spread awareness of the impact a pair of shoes can have on a child’s life by asking the Truman community to take off their own. Millions of children live without proper footwear, exposing them to injury and disease everyday.

“Shoeless” t-shirts will be available to purchase for $6. Contact btw5342@truman.edu or visit the Facebook event TSU ONE DAY WITHOUT SHOES for more information.

The Students Supporting the Exceptional Community is looking for volunteers to be buddies for the athletes at the Special Olympics, 12-5 p.m. April 21. Buddies will remain with an assigned athlete all day, cheering them on and helping them enter their events. Volunteers can sign up to be a buddy anytime by contacting Kristen Little at knl7714@truman.edu.

There are several online resources that can help. EndNote allows users to download citations and then formats them in the selected citation style. Zotero is a similar product, but it only works on FireFox browsers. For examples of how to format bibliographic citations in the three major styles—MLA, APA and Turabian—visit library.truman.edu/weblinks/citing-sources.asp.

Alpha Delta Kappa, Sigma Chapter of Burlington, Iowa is offering one $1,000 scholarship to Des Moines County undergraduates who will be majoring in education. Further eligibility requirements include the applicant must show qualities of leadership, demonstrate success in academics and be involved in extra curricular and/or community activities. While financial need will be considered, it will not necessarily be the primary qualification. For further information, stop by the Financial Aid Office at McClain Hall 103. Applications are due by March 31.

U.S. Bank is awarding 40 scholarships in the amount of $1,000 through a random drawing process. Undergraduate students attending an eligible four-year college or university participating in the U.S. Bank Student Loan Program are eligible to apply. More information about this scholarship opportunity can be found at usbank.com/studentloans. Deadline to apply is March 31.

The Missouri Insurance Education Foundation will award scholarships to deserving students attending Missouri colleges or universities in a program that could lead to positions in the insurance industry in Missouri. The C. Lawrence Leggett Scholarship, in the amount of $2,500, is to be awarded to a junior or senior Missouri resident majoring in insurance or a related area of study. In addition to the Leggett Scholarship, the foundation has made an additional scholarship available in the amount of $2,000. Application forms are available on their website at mief.org and are due by March 31.

The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis is a non-profit organization that provides access to higher education to St. Louis area students through interest-free loans. The program assists students with financial need. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative 2.0 grade point average, demonstrate good character and must be a permanent resident of St. Louis City, St. Louis County, the Missouri counties of Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, St. Charles or Warren, or the Illinois counties of Clinton, Jersey, Madison, Monroe or St. Clair. Applications are due April 15. For more information, call 314.725.7990 or email info@sfstl.org.

SellUsedBooks.com is currently accepting applications for their Spring 2012, 500-word essay, “Why I Deserve to Win this Scholarship” contest. More information may be found at sellusedbooks.com/sell-used-books-college-essay.htm. Deadline for the $1,000 scholarship application is April 15.

Charter One is taking applications for their 40 TruFit Good Citizen Scholarships to be awarded to students who demonstrate the difference they have made in their communities through volunteering. There will be one $5,000 grand prize, four $2,500 second prizes, and 35 $1,000 third prizes. Entries must be received between April 1–30. For more information go to charterone.com/scholarship.

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. For more information, or to apply for this scholarship, visit the Financial Aid Office at McClain Hall 103. Deadline to apply is May 1.

The Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis is inviting eligible media communication and journalism students to apply for scholarships for the 2012-2013 academic year. Students of journalism or related fields who are residents of the St. Louis metropolitan area (City of St. Louis, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, St. Charles, St. Louis and Warren counties in Missouri; and Bond, Clinton, Jersey, Madison, Monroe and St. Clair counties in Illinois) are eligible to receive these scholarships. Applications are available online at stlpressclub.org/scholarships.html. Deadline for applications is May 4.

The Jack J. Isgur Foundation awards scholarships to students studying at colleges and universities who indicate an interest in teaching courses in the humanities, such as literature, fine arts, music, art, poetry and dance in Missouri schools, preferably in rural school districts. It is available to those at the junior and senior levels of undergraduate college, as well as graduate students. For more information, please stop by the Financial Aid Office, McClain Hall 103. Applications must be submitted by May 15.

The creators of the “Student Award Search Aid” website are offering a $1,000 scholarship for 2012. To learn more, visit studentawardsearch.com/scholarships.htm. Deadline for application is May 28.

The BigSun Organization is offering a $500 scholarship. All student-athletes are eligible for this award, regardless of sport. Deadline for submission is June 22. To learn how to apply, visit bigsunathletics.com.

The GP LSAT Prep Scholarship is available to students interested in applying to law school. One or more grants of $1,000 are awarded twice yearly (Jan. 30 and June 30). To apply, use the “contact us” form at getprepped.com/net to request the application packet.

The James “Rhio” O’Connor Memorial Scholarship Fund is offering its scholarship again this year to all college students. The scholarship awards are based on an essay contest with the subject concerning cancer. The scholarships amounts are $5,000 for first place, $2,000 for second place and $1,000 for third place. Students can receive more information and request an application packet at cancermonthly.com/scholarship.asp.

AES Engineers will continue to provide $500 scholarships to high school seniors or college students, regardless of courses being studied, who meet certain criteria. Scholarships are intended for future leaders across a wide spectrum of fields of study. Students must submit an essay in answer to one of the two questions that are posted online at aesengineers.com/scholarships.htm. Deadline for entry is Oct. 5.

Currently enrolled undergraduate college students are eligible to apply for the Foreclosure.com 2012 Scholarship Program. Students may go to foreclosure.com/scholarship to find out how to be entered to win one of five scholarships by writing an essay on stimulating the US housing market. Top prize is $5,000, second through fifth place will receive $1,000 each.
Deadline to enter is Dec. 1.

Wells Fargo is offering 40 $1,000 scholarships. Twenty will be awarded to high school students and 20 to college students through a random drawing throughout the year. Apply on line at wellsfargo.com/collegesteps for chance to win.

Milk & Honey Publishing, CollegeGreekBooks.org and Big Walt Anderson will offer up to seven $700 cash awards for the current fall/spring academic year. Students may apply each month to be eligible for one of these scholarships. Students must be a member of a social Greek organization and have a minimum 2.0 GPA. For more information and application go to collegegreekbooks.org/cashaward.html.

Activity: Swim Meet
Division: Open/Org/Greek
Deadline: March 29
Captains’ Meeting: N/A
Play Begins: April 5

Activity: Co-Rec Ultimate Frisbee
Division: Open
Deadline: April 2
Captains’ Meeting: N/A
Play Begins: April 14-15

Activity: Golf Scramble
Division: Open/Greek/Org
Deadline: April 16
Captains’ Meeting: N/A
Play Begins: April 17

Activity: Punt, Pass & Kick
Division: Open/Greek/Org
Deadline: April 14
Captains’ Meeting: N/A
Play Begins: April 17

Activity: Track Meet
Division: Open/Greek/Org
Deadline: April 12
Captains’ Meeting: N/A
Play Begins: April 19

All information, rules and registration requirements are online at 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.

FAC (Funds Allotment Council) is having open enrollment through the end of the semester. Applications can be found at fac.truman.edu and outside the FAC office in the Student Union Building 1109A.

Twelve Truman students traveled to Columbia, Mo., March 16-18 for the annual convention of Eta Sigma Phi, the collegiate national classics honor society. Lauren Milburn represented Truman as national secretary (megale grammateus) throughout the meeting. David Giovagnoli was chosen to present his paper “Echoes of Sapphic Voices: Masculine Construction in the Catullan Corpus” at the 2013 annual meeting of the American Philological Association. Giovagnoli also took third place in the national Latin prose composition contest. Hannah Lantz was elected as national treasurer (megale chrysophylax) and Jordan Dillon as national vice president (megas hyparchos) for 2012-2013. Bridget Thomas, professor of classics and advisor to Truman’s Eta Sigma Phi chapter, accompanied the students.

Jerrold Hirsch, professor of history, gave a talk on “Folklore for the Public: Ballad Scholarship, Revivals, and the Botkin/Dorson Wars” to the Indiana University Folklore Department, March 7 in Bloomington, Ind.

Huping Ling, professor of history, has been selected by the University of Saskatchewan as a Role Model Speaker at the College of Art and Science in 2012. She will deliver a public lecture on the “Rise of China and Chinese in North America” on May 15. On March 29 and March 30, Ling will give a series of invited public lectures in Chicago on her newly published book “Chinese Chicago: Race, Transnational Migration, and Community Since 1870.” She has been invited by DePaul University for its “Women’s History Month Lecture” to deliver a public lecture on “Celestial Women in the Windy City” on March 29. Ling also was invited by the Asian American Studies Program at the University of Illinois in Chicago to give a public lecture on March 30, and by the Chinese American Service League to give a public lecture on “Chinese Community in Chicago.”

Daniel Mandell, professor of history, had two articles, “Massachusetts” and “Rhode Island,” published in Native America: A State-By-State Historical Encyclopedia.

Truman’s campus liaison for the Washington Center will give an informal presentation at 2 p.m. March 27 in the Student Union Building Alumni Room. Students interested in participating in a Washington, D.C., internship are encouraged to attend and bring questions.

Truman’s Tunnel of Oppression will take place from 7-9 p.m. March 27 on the fifth floor of Centennial Hall. The tour sheds light on oppression and injustice.

The Faculty Lunch-n-Learn series continues from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. March 28 in Pickler Memorial Library 103. This session will focus on two GoogleApps used here at Truman: Google Docs and Google Sites.

No More Ramen: The 20-Something’s Real World Survival Guide, presented by speaker Nicholas Aretakis, will take place at 7 p.m. March 28 in the Student Union Building Activities Room. Aretakis will offer advice on jobs, money, balance, life and more. His presentation is sponsored by Delta Sigma Pi and SIFE.

Women’s Resource Center will be having Women’s History Trivia from 7-9 p.m. March 28 in Baldwin Hall 303.

T.S. Eliot Poetry Prize winning authors will conduct a panel at 1:30 p.m. March 29 in the Student Union Building Alumni Room and a poetry reading at 7 p.m. March 29 in the Student Union Building Down Under. Their visit is in celebration of the University Press’ 25 years of publishing.

Beta Alpha Psi will provide free income tax assistance to students and the community from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. March 31 in Violette Hall 1424. For complete details visit bap.truman.edu or email lmd6224@truman.edu.

“Love Deferred: The Problem of Unity in Theocritus’ Idyll 22,” a presentation by alumna Lisa Feldkamp, Ph.D., will take place at 4 p.m. April 2 in Ophelia Parrish 2210. There will be a reception and informal discussion about graduate school immediately following. This event is sponsored by the Department of Classical and Modern Languages.