Vol. 17 No. 10 - Oct. 29, 2012

Ben Mezrich, the author behind the movie “The Social Network,” will be the Student Activities Board speaker at 8:15 p.m. Nov. 2 in Baldwin Auditorium. 

Mezrich has created his own highly addictive genre of nonfiction, chronicling the amazing stories of young geniuses making tons of money on the edge of impossibility, ethics and morality. He has authored 12 books, including the wildly successful “Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions,” which spent 63 weeks on the New York Times Best-Seller list. His latest book, “The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, a Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal,” debuted at No. 4 on the New York Times Best-Seller list and spent 18 weeks on the list. The book was adapted into the movie “The Social Network,” written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by David Fincher and was No. 1 at the box office for two weeks. It went on to win Golden Globes for best picture, best director, best adapted screenplay and best score. It also received eight Oscar nominations and won three including best adapted screenplay. Mezrich and Sorkin share a prestigious Scripter Award for best adapted screenplay.

Mezrich has appeared often on television, including a stint on Court TV with a series titled “High Stakes with Ben Mezrich.” The show utilized his unique contacts to explore the culture of young, highly educated millionaires and their clandestine hobbies. Mezrich also hosted the “World Series of Blackjack” for GSN and has several scripted and non-scripted TV projects in the works.

Tickets are free for students, faculty and staff. General admission tickets are $10. They are available in advance in the SAB Office in the Student Union Building or online at sab.truman.edu/ticketstore. They will also be available at the door the night of the event.

Anthropologist Ted Goebel will present “The Ice-Age Dispersal of Humans to the Americas: Do Stones, Bones and Genes Tell the Same Story?” at 8 p.m. Oct. 31 in the Student Union Building Alumni Room.

Goebel is an archaeologist who studies the exodus of modern humans to the Americas during the Ice Age. His field work has been primarily in Siberia, Alaska and the intermountain west of the United States, investigating archaeological sites spanning from more than 50,000 years ago to 10,000 years ago.

He has excavated important archaeological sites containing some of the earliest evidence of humans in Beringia, and most recently directed field research at Serpentine Hot Springs, the Ice Age archaeological site yet found on the Bering Land Bridge itself. In the Great Basin of the western U.S., Goebel’s research has focused on the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene, a period of significant climate change and human adaptation. Since 2000, he has directed excavations at the multi-layered Bonneville Estates Rockshelter (a dry cave in eastern Nevada), which contains a series of well-preserved cultural layers spanning from about 13,000 years ago to historic times. Goebel’s research has been reported in a series of journal articles in Science, Current Anthropology, and the Journal of Archaeological Science.

Currently Goebel is Professor of Anthropology at Texas A&M University. He holds the Endowed Professorship in First Americans Studies and is the associate director of the Center for the Study of the First Americans.

Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, is a membership honor society of about 91,000 scientists and engineers. The goals of the society are to honor scientific accomplishments, to encourage and enhance worldwide appreciation and support for scientific research, and to foster a creative and dynamic interaction among sciences, technology and society.

The Kirksville Chapter, chartered as a Club in 1989 and as a Chapter in 1995, is composed of approximately 60 members representing Faculty and students of both Truman State University and the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Upperclassmen interested in a gaining practical experience and insight into the history of the nation’s 33rd president may now apply for the Harry S. Truman Presidential Museum and Library internship beginning summer of 2013.

The internship will take place on-site at the Museum in Independence, Mo. The intern may work in a variety of areas at the Museum and Library including archives, public relations, marketing, educational programming, museum development or visitor services.

Specific job duties will be assigned on the basis of the intern’s abilities and the Library’s needs. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate strong communication skills, organizational skills, an ability to work independently on multiple tasks, dependability and mastery of basic computer skills. Candidates must be of junior or senior status to be eligible to apply.

Interns are not paid for their work, however they can earn between five and eight hours of sponsored tuition, thanks to an endowment from donors Fred and Ethel Schwengel.

The last day to submit applications is Dec. 7. For applications or inquiries contact Jeff Gall at 660.785.7747 or jgall@truman.edu.

Truman Honors Society Phi Kappa Phi recently received the honorable designation of Chapter of Merit for the 2012 academic year from its national assembly.

The award is meant to recognize those chapters across the nation that are actively demonstrating Phi Kappa Phi’s core principles to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education, and engage the community of scholars in service to others. The designation is a part of the Society’s Chapter Recognition Program, which acknowledged 73 chapters nationally including 54 Chapters of Merit.

By receiving the Chapter of Merit distinction, the Truman chapter is recognized as a thriving organization that meets frequently, holds annual initiations and applies often for Phi Kappa Phi’s select scholarships, grants and fellowships.

Chapters achieving the Chapter of Merit award receive a commendation letter from the Society sent to chapter officers and campus administration; special recognition on the Society’s website and publications; a specially designed logo for use in chapter communications; recognition in local media and educational journals; and a $100 award.

The Society has chapters on more than 300 colleges and universities in North America and the Philippines. Truman’s chapter was first chartered on May 15, 1991. The organization’s Fall Induction Ceremony and Reception took place Oct. 28 on campus.

The Truman Mock Trial team received numerous awards as they took to the road the weekend of Oct. 20 for Quincy, Ill., where they competed in their first tournament of the year.
 
Attending the Quincy tournament has become an annual tradition for the team. They view the tournament as an opportunity to prepare for upcoming competitions later in the year. Unlike most tournaments, which typically last for several days, the Quincy tournament is a condensed, one-day tournament where members can test their skills as they compete against other prominent teams from the region. 

This year the Truman Mock Trial team had enough members to take two teams to the competition. Experience levels ranged from four-year veterans to first-time collegiate competitors. The two Truman teams placed both second and fourth in the competition.

Additionally, five members won the outstanding witness or outstanding lawyer awards, which recognize individual performance.
 
Mock Trial provides students with the opportunity to perform imitation trials. Students develop critical thinking and public speaking skills, as well as knowledge of legal practices and procedures through engaging in trial simulations with other college-level institutions. There are approximately 600 teams from 350 colleges and universities.

Students and on-campus organizations looking to reserve rooms for the upcoming spring semester can do so by filling out and submitting a printed Room Lottery application to the Student Union Building Administrative Office, Room 2000. The office will begin accepting applications Nov. 5 through Nov. 8 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Room Lottery is used by the University to assign rooms as a means of ensuring that all groups on campus have an equal opportunity to get meeting rooms, and that first priority in room reservations is given to campus-wide events. Room allocation is based on the size of the group and the major needs of the organization.

Paper lottery forms can be found at studentunion.truman.edu/lottery beginning Oct. 29. Applications must be printed and submitted, in their entirety, only during the lottery time. The Reservation Office will not accept early applications.

Any submissions that arrive after the Nov. 8 deadline will be processed on a first-come-first-served basis; only after all other lottery requests have been processed.

Confirmations will be mailed to campus offices and delivered to student organizations’ mailboxes in the lower level of the Student Union Building.

Fulbright/HAEF Teaching Fellows are chosen to act as young ambassadors, strengthening the ties between the Foundation and the United States, and providing a cross-cultural educational experience. The role of the fellows includes infusing their culture, enthusiasm, ideas, language and knowledge into the surrounding Greek community.

Outside school hours, the fellowship affords ample time and opportunity to explore Greece. Past fellows have complemented school responsibilities with travel and cultural exploration.

The program begins Sept. 1 and continues until July 15 of the following calendar year. There are two, 14-day vacation periods—one at Christmas and one during the Greek Orthodox Easter. Sporadic vacation days throughout the fellowship also include various Greek national and public holidays.

The Fellowship is open to graduating seniors and recent graduates with a record of academic excellence at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Majors in education and English literature and language (including TESOL/TEFL) are preferred but not required. Applicants should be highly motivated, flexible, willing to work on a number of different projects at the same time and possess a relatively active lifestyle. Past endeavors should reflect a desire to work with children and teenagers. Applicants with past teaching, college counseling and/or admissions experience will be favored during the decision-making process.

HAEF pays a monthly stipend for the duration of the Fellowship and provides a comprehensive private healthcare package. Housing will be offered at the 45-acre Psychico Campus, a pleasant suburban setting overlooking Athens. Two off-campus apartments located nearby campus are also options for accommodation. Each fellow has a separate bedroom, but all share the bathrooms, kitchens and living rooms. All houses are equipped with wireless Internet and include a washer and dryer. Lunches are provided at the school during school days and fellows are reimbursed for a monthly mass-transit pass within Athens’ city limits.

Twelve fellowships are awarded annually to recent graduates from universities across the nation. For more information, visit haef.gr/gr/fellowship/index.php or contact Kathy Caroki at kcaroki@haef.gr.

Curtains will raise for Truman Theater’s debut performance of comedic play “You Can’t Take it With You” at 8 p.m. Nov. 7-10 in Ophelia Parrishs’ Severns Theatre.

“You Can’t Take it With You” is a Pulitzer Prize for Drama-winning production that first premiered Dec. 14, 1936. The plot surrounds the laughable story of the strange happenings possible when two young people, Alice Sycamore and Tony Kirby, fall in love. Both are of families with very different backgrounds, and they soon find out the chaos involved in attempting to manage a relationship while their families are at odds.

The play is composed of a cast of around 20 students and is directed by Ron Rybkowski. Neva Sheaffer and Adam Hunn will play the roles of Alice Sycamore and Tony Kirby respectively.

Admission to the performance is free and tickets may be reserved prior to opening night by calling the Truman State University Box Office at 660.785.4515. The public is encouraged to attend.

The Student Activities Board will host actor, writer and stand-up comedian Judah Friedlander as the Fall Comedian at 7 p.m. Nov. 3 in Baldwin Auditorium.

Best know for his role as Frank Rossitano on the Emmy-winning “30 Rock,” Friedlander is known to comics and audiences as one of the funniest and most original stand-up comedians. He has made multiple appearances on many late night talk shows including Letterman, Conan, Jimmy Fallon and “The Daily Show.”


Friedlander was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2003 Independent Spirit Awards for his role in the Sundance-winning “American Splendor.” Some of his other movies include “Meet the Parents,” “Wet Hot American Summer,” “Feast,” “Zoolander” and “The Wrestler.”

His instructional karate book “How To Beat Up Anybody,” is based on his stand-up act.

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The event is free for students and $5 for staff and general admission. Tickets are available now in the SAB Office located on the bottom floor of the Student Union Building.

Charity Pageant
7 p.m.
Nov. 8
Baldwin Auditorium

Tickets can be purchased at the Student Union Building, Magruder Hall, McClain Hall and Violette Hall for $2 in advance or $3 at the door. Sponsored by Alpha Phi Omega.

Tonic Sol-fa
Holiday Concert
Nov. 26
 
Tickets will be available starting Nov. 12.
Visit lyceum.truman.edu for more information.

Scholarship and volunteer positions available now. Telecounselors assist high school students from their junior through their senior year by providing helpful information and advice about visiting Truman’s campus, completing the application process, understanding scholarships, making housing choices and more.

Applications are located online at telecounseling.truman.edu, in the Office of Admission or by emailing jgraves@truman.edu. The deadline is 5 p.m. Nov. 9 in the Office of Admissions.

Kay Cowan
2-4 p.m. • Oct. 31
Student Union Building Georgian Room B

10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Nov. 7-8
Student Union Building
Georgian Rooms

Please note that anyone who gave blood for the Blue Key and Cardinal Key blood drive is eligible to give again. Look for sign-up tables around campus or sign up electronically for the event at redcrossblood.org/make-donations.

It is not too late to study abroad in the Spring 2013 semester. Contact the Center for International Education in Kirk Building 114 for information on a program to fit your academic interest.

4:30-5 p.m.
Nov.1 and Nov. 5
Health Sciences Building 3205  

After completing a bachelor’s degree and the specified pre-requisite courses, admitted students may finish a BSN degree in 15 months of study. For additional information, email nursing@truman.edu or call 660.785.4557. The nursing website includes information about the curriculum at nursing.truman.edu.

Interested in doing a full-time Truman-sponsored internship? Then check out Truman’s unique Missouri Government Internship Program.

The full-time internship offers a hands-on opportunity for students to intern at the Capitol in Jefferson City, Mo., with a public official, legislator or state agency during the Spring 2013 semester. The program provides students with an inside look at state government and the political process.

Interns receive a stipend of $2,500 and up to 15 hours of credit. Duties may vary based on each individual public official, however, typical duties include attending meetings and making reports, communicating with constituents, doing office and computer work, conducting research, assisting with committee hearings, writing speeches, editing printed materials, tracking and summarizing legislation and being on call to help with projects.

Students wishing to participate in the program are required to have a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit, a minimum of two semesters of residence at Truman, a cumulative GPA of 2.75 and divisional approval.

No special coursework is required prior to the internship and all majors are encouraged to apply for the internship. Successful applicants will be of sound character and possess qualities that reflect positively upon themselves and the University.

Interviews will be conducted once applications have been received. Applications are available online at career.truman.edu/Internships/mogovBrochure.asp.

For more information, contact Candy Young, professor of political science, at cyoung@truman.edu or Ralph Cupelli at rcupelli@truman.edu. 

6-8:30 p.m.
Oct. 31

The event takes place at all of the Truman Residence Halls on campus.

Residents must register beforehand and will receive a sign from the Residence Hall Association to designate their room.

Students interested in applying for the University’s Spring 2013 Foundation scholarships are encouraged to do so by midnight Nov. 1. Applications can be accessed online at secure.truman.edu/isupport-s/.

This application period is for Foundation scholarships that have not yet been awarded for 2012-2013. Applications for the majority of Foundation scholarships will be available in February for the 2013-2014 academic year.

Since the start of this year’s United Way campaign, the Truman community has contributed more than $30,000. United Way is local—this one gift supports more than 20 programs sponsored by 13 partner agencies. These programs help individuals pursue the goals of education, income and health.

There is still time to contribute to the campus goal of $56,000. Pledge forms may be sent to “United Way, Sally Herleth, Human Resources.” For additional questions or to get a pledge form contact Herleth at 660.785.6049, Pam Ryana at 660.785.4550 or John Dungan at the United Way Office, 660.665.1924.

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation has announced the opening of this year’s application cycle.  

The mission of the Truman Scholarship Foundation is: to find and recognize college juniors with exceptional leadership potential who are committed to careers in government, the nonprofit or advocacy sectors, education or elsewhere in the public service; and to provide them with financial support for graduate study, leadership training and fellowship with other students who are committed to making a difference through public service.

Visit truman.gov for more information. Truman’s campus deadline is Dec. 3.

Successful Farming magazine will highlight the talents of young artist who share a passion for modern agriculture during National Ag Day March 19. The winning original piece of art will be selected as the official National Ag Day poster, and a portion of the proceeds from the online sale of limited-edition prints will go to the original artist, the scholarship program and the Agriculture Council of America. The winner will also be awarded a $1,000 Successful Farming Scholarship. For more details, visit agday.org. Deadline for entry is Oct. 31.

CableTV is taking haiku submissions to be entered for their $1,000 scholarship. More information is available at cabletv.com/scholarship. Deadline to enter is Oct. 31.  

Creative Bioscience will be awarding a $1,000 scholarship in January. To enter, students must write a 300-500 word essay about any subject that interests them in the health industry, focusing on why it interests them, how they have learned from it or how it could be applied in their lives. Creative Bioscience is the industry leader for diet supplements and diet support services. Their business success depends on maintaining a positive brand image and delivering a quality product to the market. The Fitness Scholarship is designed to encourage and promote a healthier lifestyle and to help college students learn about healthy eating habits early. For more information, go to creativebioscience.com/blog/scholarship-application/. Deadline for application is Nov. 1.

The Foreclosure.com 2012 Scholarship Program is available to currently enrolled undergraduate students. 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 U.S. housing market. Top prize is $5,000, second through fifth place will receive $1,000 each. Deadline to enter is Dec. 1.

CustomMade will be awarding two $1,000 scholarships to two deserving students. CustomMade is a marketplace that allows users to commission custom projects from more than 3,000 independent makers. CustomMade would like to know what students think the benefits are of buying custom products from local artisans. To find out how to apply for these scholarships, go to custommade.com/scholarships. Deadline for submission is Dec. 15.

MedicareSupplementalInsurance.com is offering scholarships in support of disability awareness. Every year, a prospective or current college student will be selected to receive a $1,000 scholarship to help with costs associated with attending school. Qualified applicants are welcome to submit an essay of 500-1,000 words detailing what they hope to achieve throughout their time in a therapy-related career. Students currently enrolled in a therapy-related educational program are eligible to apply. For more information, go to medicaresupplementalinsurance.com. Deadline for application is Dec. 15.

Hy-Vee Foundation Scholarships are now available at hy-vee.com under company info. Forty $1,000 scholarships will be given out to high school seniors and 40 $1,000 scholarships will be given to college students for the 2013-2014 academic year. Applicants: must have been employed at a Hy-Vee location after June 1, 2012; must be classified as a full-time student in their freshman, sophomore or junior year during time of application process; must be classified as a full-time sophomore, junior or senior at the time funds are disbursed. Deadline for application is Feb. 10, 2013.

Comcast is offering a $1,000 scholarship opportunity to one deserving student. To apply, students must write at least a 750-word essay on the topic “Why is reality television so popular, and how has it impacted the viewing public?” Go to comcastoffer.net/scholarship.html for more information.

The CEO of Tomorrow Scholarship is offering a $2,500 scholarship to students interested in business leadership and/or entrepreneurship. Applicants must answer a short online survey and submit a 500-1,000 word essay on “the CEO of tomorrow.” Possible topics could include (but are not limited to) company structure, company culture or utilization of technology. For more information, or to apply, go to www.ceo.com. Deadline is July 1, 2013.

Encouraging Discovery
 
Films on Demand
 
Pickler Memorial Library has access to the digital video collection, Films on Demand, that includes over 8,000 full-length videos and 90,000 clips.  Users can create a personal account to organize and bookmark clips as well as create and share playlists. Titles can be found using the library catalog.  Users must be on the Truman network to view videos. Call 660.785.4051 with questions.

 

The Annual Benefits Fair is scheduled for 8:45 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 30 on the 3rd floor of the Student Union Building. Representatives from Aetna, Delta Dental, UnitedHealthcare Vision, MOCAFE and CIGNA Life Insurance will be on campus to discuss the plan options the University will offer effective Jan. 1, 2013.

The third annual Community Partner Luncheon will take place at 12 p.m. Oct. 30 in the Student Union Building Georgian Rooms B and C.

The physics colloquium will take place at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 31 in Magruder Hall Room 1000. The symposium will feature key speaker Ronald Bieniek of Missouri University of Science and Technology. Bieniek will speak on the topics of the Mathematical God and Heavenly Physics. More information is located online at physics.truman.edu/colloquia/mainstage.asp.

"The Path Less Chosen: An Exchange of Cultural and Educational Perspectives of African and American Study Abroad Programs,” will take place from 5:30-7 p.m. Oct. 31 in the Student Union Building Georgian Room C. This event is sponsored by the African Students’ Association.

The deadline for a $2,000 scholarship to the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand is Nov. 1. The scholarship is for Spring 2013. For more information, call 406.994.7044 or email alyson.roberts@montana.edu.

The A.T. Still Research Institute is accepting applications for the Summer Research Experience. The undergraduate application deadline is Nov. 1. For more information, visit atsu.edu/research/index.htm.

Applications for the McNair Program are due by Nov. 1. To view eligibility requirements and access the application, go to mcnair.truman.edu/apply.asp.

The local Mark Twain division of the American Chemical Society and its student affiliate group will host Herbert J. Kaiser, Ph.D. of Steris Corporation at 7 p.m. Nov. 2 in Magruder Hall 2001. The topic of his presentation will focus on the decontamination of chemical and biological warfare agents. For further information please contact David Wohlers at wohlers@truman.edu.

Award-winning author Peter Nye will present “Writing About What You Want to Write: From Idea to Published Book,” at 7 p.m. Nov. 5 in the Student Union Building Alumni Room. Nye has authored and co-authored seven books, and written on topics as diverse as professional cycling, labor and automotive history. He will speak about his writing career, developing an idea for a book, working with agents, co-authoring books and writing about what you love. Nye’s presentation is sponsored by the Department of English and Linguistics.

The Pre-Law Club will host an event with The University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 in Violette Hall 1404. Ellen Suni, dean of the UMKC School of Law, along with several faculty members and admissions counselors, will speak to students that may be interested in law school. Application fee waivers will be available at the meeting. Refreshments will be provided.

Students Supporting the Exceptional Community (SSEC) is hosting Wheelchair Basketball from 1-3 p.m. on Nov. 10 in the Student Recreation Center. Teams should be made of 3-5 people. The early registration fee is $15 dollars for all who sign up by Nov. 8. After that the price will be $17. If every player on the team brings a canned food item, the price will be discounted. All proceeds benefit the Special Olympics.

A schedule of this week’s Truman Athletics events can be found here.