Vol. 29 No. 1 - August 19, 2024

Kirksville has been selected to host the 2025 Special Olympics Missouri State Summer Games, and the Truman campus will be the site for all of the events.

Through a partnership between the city and Truman, a bid to serve as the host site was submitted earlier this year, and the games were officially announced in early August. This event will bring hundreds of people – competitors, coaches, family members and spectators – to Kirksville next summer for a weekend full of athletics, fun and community support. This marks the first time Kirksville will host the event. The games are scheduled to take place at the end of May or early June.

“We are both thrilled and honored to host the State Summer Games along with our wonderful Kirksville partners,” said University President Sue Thomas. “We look forward to working with the Special Olympics Missouri team to put on the best games yet.”

Truman’s facilities will host all four athletic events, which include powerlifting, swimming, track and field, and volleyball. Truman will also host the athletes in its resident halls.

In addition to the sports competitions, the State Summer Games will include the traditional Opening Ceremony, featuring the Parade of Athletes and the lighting of the torch. The event will also offer health screenings through Special Olympics Missouri’s Healthy Athletes program, providing essential health services to participating athletes.

“We are excited about connecting with the Kirksville community and Truman State University,” said Larry Linthacum, president and CEO of Special Olympics Missouri. “We’re most excited to connect with the Kirksville community and their volunteers as we work together to ensure our athletes have a tremendous championship experience.”

Kirksville has a strong tradition with the Special Olympics, as local athletes frequently qualify for the state and USA games. Kirksville also has a history as a hub for exceptional community support services and organizations for people with intellectual disabilities.

“We are elated to bring the Special Olympics Missouri State Summer Games to Kirksville,” said Sharon Swehla, Kirksville tourism director. “I thank Truman for its collaboration to make this a possibility. I believe this event will make a great impact on Kirksville, and we look forward to ensuring Kirksville makes a great impact on it as well.”

Special Olympics Missouri is a year-round program of sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Thousands of athletes participate in 13 Olympic-type sports throughout the state. Special Olympics Missouri provides people with intellectual disabilities continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage and experience joy as they participate in the sharing of gifts and friendship with their fellow athletes, their family and friends, and communities across Missouri.

Details about the games including sponsorship and volunteer opportunities will be posted at somo.org/summergames.

Five times throughout the fall, a variety of food trucks will be on campus giving students, employees and members of the community another dining option.

The first food truck event will take place from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 22. Visiting trucks include: The Big Cheez, which features gourmet grilled cheese; 850 Wood Fire Pizza & More, wood fire mobile oven food trailer that specializes in pizza; and Roll N Blue BBQ, which offers pulled pork, brisket and chicken.

The parking lot between the Student Union Building and McClain Hall will be blocked off to accommodate the trucks and to set up tables and chairs for diners.

Students and employees who may have received vouchers during move-in and Truman Week activities can redeem them at any of the food trucks. The $5 vouchers can be stacked up to $20 to apply toward the cost of a meal. Cash and card will also be accepted methods of payment. Meal swipes and Bonus Bucks cannot be used at the food trucks.

Dates have been set for the remaining food truck events. The specific venders are still to be determined.  

Sept. 17
4-7 p.m.

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

Nov. 1
4-7 p.m.

Dec. 10
11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Parkinson Voice Project has awarded the Truman Speech and Hearing Clinic a 2024 SPEAK OUT! clinical education grant to help clients affected by Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson Voice Project is a nonprofit organization solely dedicated to improving speech and communication in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. The organization is headquartered in Richardson, Texas, and has trained more than 10,000 clinicians in more than 40 countries.

“The faculty and graduate students of the Truman Speech and Hearing Clinic, as well as a trained therapist at Northeast Regional Medical Center in Kirksville, have proudly served individuals in our community who have a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease with SPEAK OUT! since 2019, thanks to consecutive grants,” said Julia Edgar, professor of communication disorders. “Following the completion of SPEAK OUT! clients can maintain and continue their progress while working with others in a weekly SPEAK OUT! group session, which is only provided at the Truman Speech and Hearing Clinic.”

The SPEAK OUT! Grant Program honors the late Daniel R. Boone, Ph.D., a world-renowned speech-language pathologist who recognized in the 1950s that individuals with Parkinson’s disease could improve their communication by “speaking with intent.” Based on Boone’s teachings and developed by Parkinson Voice Project, SPEAK OUT! is a highly effective, comprehensive program that helps people with Parkinson’s disease and related neurological disorders regain and retain their speech and swallowing. By combining individual and group SPEAK OUT! therapy with ongoing patient and family education, people with Parkinson’s disease learn to transition speech from an automatic function to an intentional act.

Grant recipients include hospitals, universities, private practices and other organizations providing speech therapy across the United States and abroad. Each clinical education grant recipient receives training for their speech-language pathologists and students, SPEAK OUT! eLibrary access and the opportunity for SPEAK OUT! workbooks and other materials.

Truman’s Speech and Hearing Clinic, in collaboration with partners at Northeast Regional Medical Center, can provide a structured evaluation to determine if individuals are a good match for the treatment program. Treatment requires eight to 12 sessions spread over four to six weeks, along with daily practice sessions. Due to the progressive nature of Parkinson’s disease, and to maintain the full benefit of the program, joining and participating in a SPEAK OUT! group for ongoing practice is strongly encouraged.

The Speech and Hearing Clinic is located in Truman’s Health Sciences Building. More information about the clinic, including available services, hours and details about making appointments, can be found online or by calling 660.785.7255 or emailing jedgar@truman.edu.

During the summer months the Truman campus was anything but quiet as the Institute for Academic Outreach welcomed nearly 600 young students for summer academies.

Joseph Baldwin Academy for Eminent Young Scholars is the cornerstone of summer programming at Truman. A residential academy for students who have finished 7th, 8th or 9th grade, this year a total of 463 students attended across two separate three-week sessions. Participating students could choose from more than 20 classes, with topics touching on business, neurobiology, theatre, data science, chemistry, Chinese, genetics, animation, mythology and creative writing, among others.

“It is a special kind of student who wants to spend three weeks of their summer taking classes and attending JBA,” said Michelle Wilson, JBA dean. “These are students who will excel when they get to college, and we have seen a record number of participants in the last few years.”

Historically, JBA has served as many students’ first taste of Truman, and hundreds of program alumni have gone on to attend the University. JBA alumni make up a larger representation of the Truman student body than any single high school. Next year will mark the 40th anniversary of the program.

Inspired by the success of JBA, Truman established a spinoff of the program in 2019 to reach children in 4th-6th grades. JBA Jr. is targeted to students from northeast Missouri communities in an effort to get them excited about the possibility of college. Unlike the Joseph Baldwin Academy, JBA Jr. does not have restrictions for entry based on test scores as it aims to inspire enthusiasm for learning in all ability groups. This weeklong day program exposes participating students to the Truman campus, including the planetarium, herpetarium, science labs, University Farm, and Pickler Memorial Library. A total of 54 students took part in JBA Jr. during the 2024 session.

Truman also saw continued success in its collaborative summer program with the local medical university. The ATSU-Truman Healthcare Academy offers high school students a glimpse of careers in the medical field. During a weeklong stay on the Truman campus, participants experience hands-on activities and stimulating discussions at both schools. Nearly 60 students, primarily from Missouri, Iowa and Illinois, participated in this year’s ATSU-Truman Healthcare Academy.

“This is great opportunity for students who know they have an interest in the health care industry,” said Jeanne Harding, director of the Institute for Academic Outreach. “Through our partnership with ATSU we are in a unique situation where we can provide this kind of experience for high school students, and we have seen our numbers increase every year.”

On the Truman campus, students were able to use the nursing simulation lab, the Speech and Hearing Clinic, athletic training facilities and the new virtual anatomy lab. During excursions to the ATSU campus, student activities took place in the ultrasound lab, cadaver anatomy lab, and the dental simulation lab. They also got to tour the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine. As part of a field trip to the hospital, students were able to explore the robotic arm used in surgery. Throughout the week, academy participants learned about various careers in nursing, neurobiology, chiropractic care, biomechanics, physical therapy, counseling, emergency response and dentistry from doctors, nurses and health care practitioners. Students were also able to engage in a number of fun events, including a planetarium show, a scavenger hunt and bowling.

Each summer academy has its own application process. JBA requires a nomination from a teacher, guidance counselor, principal or parent of a home-school student. The nomination process opens in November for sessions the following summer. JBA Jr. and ATSU-Truman Healthcare Academy have open application periods. More information about summer academies at Truman can be found online at institute.truman.edu or by contacting the Institute for Academic Outreach at institute@truman.edu or 660.785.5384.

 
Qualifying students in search of part-time employment should consider pursing work-study positions available on and off campus.
 
The Federal Work-Study program allows eligible students to earn a monthly paycheck that can be used toward educational expenses. This is a need-based program open to students who have filed a FAFSA and meet certain financial need criteria. Once approved, work-study students can seek employment through any number of on-campus offices, or with certain off-campus nonprofit organizations and public agencies. Off-campus opportunities pursued in the past include positions with the Kirksville Public School District, Kirksville Head Start and the Adair County Humane Society, to name a few.
 
Work-study positions are beneficial to students because work commitments are flexible and can be tailored around class schedules. Work-study compensation can also be utilized for the same positions where students complete scholarship hours. After a student completes their scholarship hour obligation, they can use work-study compensation to continue in the same role. This enables students to continue their work with a particular office, and because the work-study program is federally funded, the financial obligation does not come from the department’s budget.  
   
Students who qualify for the Federal Work-Study program are notified through their financial aid offer notification and can accept the offer on TruView online acceptance.
 
To locate a position, students can visit TruPositions. The website also contains postings for scholarship and institutional positions. Students may contact a department directly to inquire about any openings that may not be listed on TruPositions or to get an update on an application.
 
New or returning students who have not worked for Truman previously must print, complete and submit I-9 and W-4 forms to the Payroll Office in McClain 101. The forms are available on TruView under Student Tools and the Student Finances & Student Employment channel. They may also be submitted via email to payroll@truman.edu or mailed to Payroll Office, Truman State University, 100 E. Normal, Kirksville MO 63501.
 
For questions regarding work-study student employment, contact the Financial Aid Office at 660.785.4130 or email jjacobs@truman.edu.

Students have a variety of options to cast their vote in the Nov. 5 election this year.

To vote in Missouri, individuals must be; a U.S. citizen; 18 years of age by election day; and a resident of the state or attending a college or university in the state. Out-of-state students may not register to vote in both their home state and in Missouri. The deadline to register to vote for this year’s election is Oct. 9.

Students registered to vote in Adair County can vote in person on election day at their polling precinct, which is determined by their local address. On-campus students registered to vote can do so at the polling precinct in the Student Union Building.

Voters may choose to request an absentee ballot in their home county. Registration for an absentee ballot is usually open six weeks before election day. Ballots are due back to the county clerk’s office before the election. Absentee ballots in Missouri require notary service. There are notaries on campus to assist students in the Business Office in McClain Hall and in the Department of Public Safety in the General Services Building. A picture ID is required for notary service.

For those who will not be able to vote in person at their regular precinct the day of the election, absentee in-person voting in their registered county is available at the county clerk’s office until 5 p.m. the night before the election.

Voters should contact the county clerk’s office in the county in which they are registered if they would like additional information regarding this year’s election.

Truman’s Rho Rho chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, was named an Honor Chapter for its outstanding activities in 2023-24.

This is the 31st consecutive year Truman has earned this prestigious distinction, which represents the longest continuous Honor Chapter run in the 105-year-history of Sigma Delta Pi. Óscar Sendón, Rho Rho’s chapter advisor in 2023-24, was instrumental in earning this national honor.

Each summer, the 635 chapters of Sigma Delta Pi nationwide are asked to submit an annual report detailing their numerous activities and projects from the academic year. Based on these reports, the national executive committee chooses approximately 10-15 Honor Chapters annually. This recognition is based upon the caliber of chapter projects that reflect the Sigma Delta Pi mission of honoring excellence in the study of the Spanish language, contributing to cultural understanding and upholding the goals of the society.

Through participation in the Fulbright program, Chun-Hua Wu will serve as a Chinese instructor at Truman for the 2024-25 academic year.

Wu will teach Chinese language courses and lead cultural activities to foster cross-cultural understanding. As an accomplished Chinese language teacher from Taiwan, she is passionate about teaching and promoting cultural exchange to students. Wu is committed to creating an inclusive learning environment that encourages students to embrace diverse perspectives.

Beyond the classroom, Wu plans to organize engaging Chinese cultural activities for all students on campus. These will include exploring Chinese cuisine, celebrating traditional festivals and experiencing Chinese music and calligraphy. These events aim to broaden students’ horizons and promote cultural appreciation.

Wu’s extensive travels in Southeast Asia, as well as her interest in Asian languages, enrich her teaching with valuable cultural insights that enhances her cross-cultural approach.

Truman’s Upward Bound program is currently accepting applications for fall employment.

Upward Bound is a grant-funded college preparation program for income-eligible area students that hires Truman students to assist high school juniors and seniors with tutoring, workshops and overall college application processes.  

All hours spent training, preparing, traveling and working with students are paid. This a great transformative experience for upper-level students and those interested in education, social work or related fields.  

Applicants should be juniors, seniors or graduate students. Positions require regular weekly availability 1-3 days per week between 2:30-6:45p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays. Interested students can access application materials here.

The Activities Fair will take place from 12-5 p.m. Aug. 28 in the Student Union Building. This event is an excellent opportunity for students to find organizations to join on campus. A full list of organizations can be found here. For more information contact Union & Involvement Services in the Student Union Building 2000, at 660.785.4222 or by email at orgs@truman.edu. Organizations in good standing with Union & Involvement Services can register here by Aug. 24.

The General Bradley Memorial, Library and Museum in Moberly, Missouri, is looking for a student intern that has an appreciation for local, state and national history.

The intern position will involve marketing and assisting with fundraising campaigns for the creation of the General Bradley Library and Museum. Marketing and social media skills will be needed to successfully complete the internship. This internship is an excellent opportunity for students involved in museum studies, archiving, history, communications, English, marketing, fundraising and digital presence. The intern will work closely with the president of the General Bradley Memorial, Library and Museum Board. The position is remote, and meetings will take place through video conferencing. The intern is expected to work with the site supervisor to coordinate a couple in-person meetings in Moberly and/or Kirksville.

Social media experience, working on projects and reporting project development to stakeholders, and strong interpersonal and time management skills are appreciated. Familiarity with Canva, Instagram and Facebook are encouraged. The internship is unpaid and will likely be five-ten hours per week and is negotiable with the right candidate. Academic credit for this internship can be arranged with a faculty supervisor within a major.

Those interested in applying can submit a resume to Sarah Barfield Graff at board@omarbradley.org.

Truman’s Publications Office can help student organizations and University departments with creating materials to promote their events free of charge. The Publications Office can also provide images in the correct size for the Truman Today, social media and traditional printed posters. For more information, contact the Publications Office at publications.truman.edu or fill out a work order job request at publications.truman.edu/request-a-work-order-form. Information about Truman’s brand and visual identity can be found at identity.truman.edu.

Jesse Krebs, professor of music, was invited to conduct the International Clarinet Association’s Professor’s Clarinet Choir at the 2024 ClarinetFest conference in Dublin, Ireland, July 30-Aug. 4. This year’s ensemble included more than 50 clarinet professors from around the world performing selections based on the theme “Music & Place.” He also served as the coordinator of the 2024 ICA High School Competition by selecting the repertoire, inviting the judges and organizing the finalists from South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Canada and the United States.

Cindy Waller, third from the left, visits the Brooke Army Medical Center and the Army Medical Department Center of Excellence located in Texas.Cindy Waller, department chair and associate professor of nursing, was selected by United States Army Cadet Command to visit to the prestigious Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) and the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Center of Excellence located in Texas.
 
Waller’s support and collaboration with Truman’s Bulldog Battalion have positively impacted the University’s newest Army nurses in countless ways. As a result of her accomplishments, and on recommendation of the Military Science Department faculty, she was selected from faculty members across 10 states and more than 50 universities in the heartland and upper Midwest regions as one of 10 nursing faculty to tour the Army Medical Department’s top facilities, engage with Department of Defense (DoD) personnel, learn more about the Army’s Nurse Summer Training Program and share her experiences with other nursing professionals.
 
This trip, which took place July 30-Aug. 2, was funded by the DoD and included tours of state-of-the-art facilities equipped with cutting-edge technology and housing dedicated teams of experienced faculty members committed to shaping the future of nursing. During the visit, guests had the opportunity to tour both BAMC and AMEDD center campuses, interact with the Army Nursing team, network with other nursing faculty and interact with many nurse interns.
 
BAMC serves as the largest and most robust military health care organization within the DoD, providing safe, quality care to military service members, their families, veterans and civilian emergency patients as the only Level I trauma center within the military health system. Both inpatient and outpatient services are provided by approximately 8,500 staff members, including active-duty military personnel from each of the uniformed services, federal civilian employees, contractors and volunteers.