Vol. 28 No. 18 - January 22, 2024

Eight Truman students traveled to the Iowa caucus the weekend before classes started to gain hands-on experience as a continuation of a communication course they took in the fall.

The group had the opportunity to gain journalism experience acting as an extension of the Truman Media Network. Communication students Abigail Knabe, Ali Werner, Ben Henderson, Colleen O’Reilly, Kathryn Hammock and Stephanie Nau were joined by Index staff Kaylee O’Dell and Lillie Morisaki.

“I think trips like the Iowa caucus are important because it gives students real life experience and we had very hands-on learning. It also gave us an opportunity to get closer with our classmates and with the faculty,” Hammock said.

Faculty members Jay Self and Don Krause work together to teach the course. Self focuses on the political science side and Krause focuses on the impact of the media. Self is the chair for the Communication Department and Krause is the advisor for the Index.

“It is a great opportunity to take what we learned in the classroom and see it happening in real life and to get to see democracy in action,” Krause said. “To really see the concepts from the book and how it applies to real life, I think it’s a great opportunity to just become more engaged in the democratic process, but also to study it from different lenses from communication to political science and get a good understanding of how that works.”

The course is taught every four years alongside a presidential election in order for students to attend the first event in the primary nominations. In the class, students learn about the significance and process of the Iowa caucus, as well as the effect the media has on politics. The trip to Iowa is the summation of the content and gives students a chance to apply what they had been studying all semester.

“Trips are important for any student, but I think particularly for liberal art students,” Self said. “One of the purposes of a liberal arts education is to make you a more productive citizen, so the idea here is that not only do you learn about this particular process, but you learn about political communication writ large and you see how campaigns function, how they’re trying to persuade to get your vote, how the media covers it, and this is really important for civic engagement.”

Truman has been sending students to the caucus since 2004. Self and Krause were involved in the 2008 trip, with Krause leading a team of students through Iowa and Self helping anchor the coverage in Kirksville. After realizing students didn’t have much political background in the caucus, Self created the course students would take before the trip. He and Krause have taught the class together twice.

“It’s fun to go on a trip like this where students can see what they’ve learned in the textbook and how it plays out in real life,” Krause said. “There’s no better way to learn about something than to actually go through the process and to see that.”

Students were in Iowa Jan. 13-16 where they had the opportunity to attend rallies and events for the candidates, visit the media center and sit in on a caucus in the Des Moines area.

“My biggest takeaway from the trip is how the caucus process works and how democratically it functions within our nominating process. I find that really interesting, and to be able to see that in person was really beneficial to my understanding of it,” Werner said.

While on the trip, students were tasked with writing a story about the event in order to practice their journalism skills. The stories can be found at tmn.truman.edu under the Iowa Caucus Coverage tab.

“I love watching [students] get excited and become more civically engaged,” Self said. “It’s why I took this gig, it’s why I do this job, and to see that happen, it’s always exciting.”

The Truman Food Pantry is a resource on campus that offers food and hygiene products to assist students.

The pantry is available to all Truman students. There are no income eligibility requirements for use, and all that is needed is a Truman ID when picking up items. Students are asked to complete a one-time form on their first visit, but use of the pantry will not become apart of the student’s record, nor will the student’s information be shared.

The food pantry is located in the Student Union Building Room 1106 (SERVE Center) and is open 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday and 12-4 p.m. Sundays. In addition to these hours, throughout the year, there will be pop-up pantry events that allow students to make their own food packs or pick up one that is already prepared. This semester’s pop-up pantrys will take place 2-5 p.m. Feb. 1, March 7, April 4 and May 2 in the Student Union Down Under.

Additional information can be found on the food pantry website, by emailing serve@truman.edu, or by following @tsuservecenter on Instagram.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Baldwin Fire, considered by many to be a seminal event in the University’s history.

When the fire was discovered at around 3:30 p.m., classes were still in session. It spread rapidly, engulfing the entire building and moving to the connecting corridor of the library. Brave students ran into the library to save as many books as possible, but by 10:30 p.m., both buildings were gone.

Famously, there was an all-University meeting the next day, where students, faculty, staff and members of the community came together in support of the school, vowing it would continue. Business owners offered space in their stores, church leaders offered their sanctuaries as teaching spaces and A.T. Still University offered their campus resources too. That sense of community saved the school at a tenuous moment in its history, and it has been a hallmark in the 100 years since.

The University will honor the anniversary of the Baldwin Fire with a candlelight ceremony at 6 p.m. Jan. 28 at Kirk Memorial. The event will not only remember that day, but celebrate the sense of community that remains and can be seen in efforts like the Greenwood Interprofessional Autism Center and the Kirk Building project that will soon be a skills center supporting student success and making services available to people of Kirksville and northeast Missouri.

Professor Griff, an inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and co-founding member of the hip-hop group Public Enemy, will speak at Truman as part of the Kohlenberg Lyceum Series.

This event, taking place at 7 p.m. Feb. 1 in the Student Union Building Georgian Room, is in partnership with the Black History 101 Mobile Museum. Several artifacts will be on display and discussed during the presentation as part of the Music of the Movement Exhibit, an immersive experience that delves into the powerful impact of music on the social, cultural and political movements of the Black experience in America. The exhibit features a range of cultural and historical artifacts that include vinyl records, press photos, flyers, clothing items, contracts and other items from iconic artists who have shaped popular culture around the world.

Griff is an avid lecturer, known for his innate ability to impart life-changing ideas, concepts and techniques for the growth and development of all who attend his lectures. He draws on his exemplary life of service and an impressive 20-plus-year musical career to captivate audiences with his universal call for social responsibility within both the hip-hop community and larger culture. In addition to his work as a recording artist, Griff is a published author, cultural entertainment analyst, producer and educator.

Tickets are not required for this event. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and attendees are encouraged to view the artifacts on display after the lecture.

Established by the educator and scholar Dr. Khalid el-Hakim, the Black History 101 Mobile Museum is a renowned repository comprising more than 10,000 original artifacts. As the premier traveling exhibition of Black history in the nation, the Black History 101 Mobile Museum has visited more than 1,000 institutions in 43 states. For 25 years, these highly sought after exhibits have touched the lives of countless individuals across diverse settings, including educational institutions, corporate spaces, conferences, libraries, museums, festivals, places of worship and cultural events.

This season all Kohlenberg Lyceum Series events are provided free of charge thanks to the generous support of local sponsors, the Friends of the Lyceum program and the Truman State University Foundation. Friends of the Lyceum receive exclusive benefits including reserved seating, special parking and a commemorative gift of the season based on the level of their donation.

For more information, visit lyceum.truman.edu or call 660.785.4133.

The Admission Office is now hiring student digital ambassadors for the spring 2024 semester.

A student digital ambassador communicates with prospective students by text message or phone to answer any questions they may have about the University, reminds them of upcoming events or deadlines and shares their own Truman experience.

Scholarship, work-study and institutional opportunities are available. Institutional opportunities are limited. Applications can be found here and are due by 11:59 p.m. Feb. 2.

Delta Sigma Pi is a co-ed professional business fraternity open to all business, accounting and finance majors. Members of Delta Sigma Pi have access to events, conferences, resources and connections to build professional skills, leadership ability, management potential and character. The three pillars of the fraternity are professionalism, service and brotherhood.

They will host their recruitment at 7 p.m. Feb. 5-8 in the Student Union Building Activities Room. For more information follow DSP on Instagram or email deltasigmapi@gmail.com.

The board term is one year, July 1-June 30, with possible renewal for a second consecutive term. To apply, submit an application along with a current resume to Mandi Wiser at awiser@truman.edu.

The City of Kirksville runs a Student Discount program in which participating businesses in the community offer special deals to students on overnight stays, yoga, moving services, automotive services, retail and memberships. Students can receive the discount by showing their student IDs at businesses that display the student discount emblem. Below is a list of the businesses and applicable discounts.

Arts and Entertainment
Downtown Cinema 8
$1 off Friday through Sunday, and $2 off Monday through Thursday

Kirksville Art Association
50% a one-year membership; additional discounts for student booths at their events

Erickson Piano Studio
No enrollment fee ($50 value)

Decorating
Beard's Decorating Center
15% off custom picture framing

Blossom Shop Flowers & Gifts
15% off any purchase

Carpet Plus/Floormart
25% off area rugs and 10 % off any remnant

Graphic Impressions
20% off order $50 or more

Iris and Ivy Floral
10% storewide on Fridays

Lodging
Crofter's Cottage
10% discount off the nightly rate for stays of at least three nights

Retail
Hope Chest
10% off any purchase

Scrappers Den
10% any purchase

Services
Anderson Computer Consultants
10% off on labor costs.

Kirksville Lumber Company
Discount for bulk orders.

Mystic Meadows Yoga
$25 off a monthly membership.

Picky Peck's L.L.C.
Up to 10% off on a service

Renew Counseling
Up to $35 off an appointment

The Sunspot
$5 off Tanning Packages for Truman and ATSU students

You, Yourself, and Yoga
Two registrations for the price of one

Vehicle services
Adam Mercer U-Haul
10% off any rental

Farmers Insurance
Up to 15% off on auto insurance

J&K Tire and Auto
$5 off any oil change, and 10% off any BG service when in conjunction with another service

Kirksville Autoworks
$20 off on Tuesday for oil changes

Kirksville Motor Company
$10 off oil changes and tire rotations, as well as 10% on any service not including tires. Not able to be combined with any other promotional offers

State Farm Insurance
Up to 25% off on auto insurance

The 2024-25 FAFSA will use 2022 tax year information with a priority deadline of April 1, 2024 for Missouri residents. It is strongly recommended to apply or renew before Feb. 1 Details about the FAFSA can be found online at studentaid.gov.

Truman’s Financial Aid Office is currently working on details of when aid offers will be available for students. This year it will most likely be March for incoming freshmen and April for current students.

For more information, contact the Financial Aid Office at 660.785.4130 or finaid@truman.edu. The Financial Aid Office website also has a variety of helpful resources for students and their families.