Vol. 29 No. 24 - March 3, 2025

The first-ever Tru Crime Day, sponsored by Interdisciplinary Studies and Criminal Justice Studies, will take place on campus March 26.

Open to the campus and Kirksville communities, Tru Crime Day offers visitors a multidisciplinary exploration of crime and criminal justice. Through engaging panels, workshops, discussions and activities, attendees will uncover the science behind investigations, explore real-life cases and examine the social, legal and psychological dimensions of crime. Some of the events will be of particular interest for current and prospective students.

“True crime is a popular genre with people of all ages, especially Gen Z,” said Elizabeth Wiles, assistant professor of criminal justice studies and chair of legal studies and pre-law programming at Truman. “This is not just for criminal justice or pre-law students, it’s for anyone teenaged or older interested in learning more about true crime from an interdisciplinary perspective.”

Registration is not required for most events, but it is encouraged. Events marked with an asterisk require registration. To register for Tru Crime Day, visit truman.edu/events/tru-crime-day.

Tru Crime Day participants are also invited to stay on campus for a presentation by Anthony Ray Hinton. Wrongfully convicted of murder in 1985, Hinton and spent nearly 30 years on death row in Alabama. Bryan Stevenson at the Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit based in Montgomery, Alabama, picked up his case, handling his defense for 16 years. Since Hinton’s conviction was overturned by the United States Supreme Court in 2015, he has become a sought-after speaker and author of the bestselling book “The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row.”

“This is a powerful memoir with themes of faith, hope, perseverance and justice, which should appeal to a broad audience,” Wiles said. “It is a powerful memoir, and this event is sure to be a transformative experience for anyone from any background.”

Hinton will speak at 6 p.m. March 26 in Baldwin Hall Auditorium as part of the University’s Holman Family Distinguished Speaker Series. His presentation is free of charge and open to the public.


Tru Crime Day Events
*Registration required

Anatomy of an Autopsy: Virtual Cadaver Lab*
Unlock the chilling secrets of the human body with Truman’s state-of-the-art virtual anatomy lab. Visitors will use virtual dissection tools to peel back layers of skin, slice open organs, saw through a skull and more. In this truly “cutting-edge” educational tool, students dig through 3D cross-sections of the cadaver to uncover crucial clues about a mysterious murder.

Voices of Justice: Conversations with Criminal Justice Professionals
Hear from dynamic panels of criminal justice professionals as they pull back the curtain on their challenging and rewarding careers. Get a firsthand look at the complex and high-stakes decisions they face every day, from courtroom drama to the chaos of crime scenes. Hear their expert perspectives and learn how each professional plays a unique role in the pursuit of justice.

Crack the Case: Mock Crime Scene Investigation*
Step into the shoes of a detective in this hands-on mock crime scene investigation. Team up with current criminal justice and forensic science students to examine a staged crime scene, collect evidence and piece together the clues. Use real investigative techniques to analyze fingerprints, track down hidden evidence and solve the mystery before time runs out.

Hometown Horrors: True Crime Writing and Podcast Workshop*
Bring your hometown’s dark tales and dastardly deeds to life in this creative writing and DIY podcast workshop. Learn how to craft gripping narratives through written words and voice. Plus, get a behind-the-scenes look at the Villhard Innovation Lab’s podcast studio in Pickler Library and experiment with the equipment.

Prison Break Escape Rooms
In this brain-bending prison break challenge, you and your team will crack codes, solve puzzles and piece together clues to break free. Beat the clock and earn some “get-out-of-jail-free” prizes that will have you feeling like a criminal mastermind.

From Script to Scream: Indie Filmmakers Spill Their Guts
Join indie horror filmmakers and Truman alumni Nick Toti and Rachel Kempf for a chilling discussion on how they craft suspense, fear and thrills in their films. As founders of DieDieBooks, an independent publisher of horror film criticism, and DieDieVideo, a low-budget horror film production company, they’ll share behind-the-scenes secrets from their work. Hear about their debut movie, “It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This,” which premiered at TIFF’s Midnight Madness program and was called “horror’s hottest ticket” by Variety.

Killer Psychology with Sal Costa
Peak into the minds of serial killers with Sal Costa, the legendary Truman professor who taught the infamous “Serial Killers” course for nearly three decades. In this captivating session, Costa will unravel the psychology and history of notorious serial killers, exploring the strange behaviors and dark motives behind their crimes.

Laundered Lies & Dirty Money: Financial Crimes Exposed
Unravel the secrets of financial fraud and white-collar crime in this fascinating session. Learn the truth behind the headlines about greedy elites who exploit the system while everyday people suffer. In this twisted world of lies and corruption, forensic accountants are modern-day Robin Hoods – using their skills to expose corporate crooks and high-powered con artists, bringing them to justice.

Criminal Law, From Courtroom to Classroom
Explore real criminal law in this interactive class session with current students. Learn about the sources of law and discuss how the criminal legal system functions. Through engaging activities and discussions, gain a better understanding of how laws are made and applied in real criminal cases. This session is ideal for aspiring lawyers or anyone curious about the justice system.

SAB will host Battle of the Bands from 6-8 p.m. March 4 in the Student Union Building Georgian Rooms.

This event will feature five acts – three groups and two solo performers – competing for the coveted SAB Battle of the Bands 2025 trophy. Students attending the event will receive a ticket upon entry and can cast their vote in jars designated for each respective performance.

A variety of Mardi Gras and Cajun-inspired dishes including gumbo, beignets, Cajun mac n’ cheese and hushpuppies will be available to try. The event will also include traditional Mardi Gras décor, along with games and photo-ops.

SAB organized this event in an effort to showcase student talent on campus and provide some lighthearted competition.

Brian Gardner will speak from 12-1:20 p.m. March 18 in the Doug & Diane Villhard Innovation Lab located in the Pickler Memorial Library, as part of the TRU-Entrepreneur Speaker Series.

Gardner earned a business administration degree from Truman in 1984. He went on to receive an AA degree in mortuary science from Kansas City Community College in 1986. Throughout his career, Gardner worked for, owned and operated a number of funeral homes in Missouri, including the Markland-Gardner Funeral Home and the Columbia Cremation Care Center. The Columbia Cremation Care Center was a new business he started from the ground up in 2009 and served as president until his retirement in 2023.

TRU-Entrepreneur Series events are a good opportunity for students to meet with seasoned entrepreneurs that will share their success stories, how they rebound from failure, their passion for making a positive impact and more.

The Office of Student Research is accepting applications for Grants-in-Aid of Scholarship and Research (GIASR).

GIASR applications are for research and creative scholarship conducted in summer 2025. Grant applications may request up to $750 and can cover student stipends, supplies and travel to conduct research.

Complete guidelines for the GIASR applications can be found at the Office of Student Research website. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. March 28. Questions can be directed to osr@truman.edu.

The next installment of the Chuck and Sherri Woods TRU-Biz Forum will take place at 3:30 p.m. March 3 in Violette Hall 1000.

At this event two distinguished alumni and one current student will share their expertise and insights. They will draw on their personal experiences to discuss how to prepare for job searches, job fairs, getting to the interview, landing the role and the ways Truman Career Center can help.

As a successful sales/business professional Rod Cooper (’88) retired at the age of 49 to manage his real estate holdings and help others achieve their dreams. He is now the owner of RKCC Real Estate Holdings. Prior to retiring in 2015, Cooper was managing director for a national accounting and business consulting firm. He was responsible for new client development, growing the firm’s public awareness, and sales consulting with companies on top-line growth and management-related issues. Cooper’s business roles have included president/owner, entrepreneur, managing director, vice president of sales, vice president of operations, director of sales and branch manager. He was named to the Top 100 People to Know in St. Louis Small Business Monthly in 2011 and was the 2008 Truman State University Business Alumnus of the Year as well as the recipient of the 2024 Truman State University Distinguished Service Award.

Haley (Meissen) Macarthy (’19) is a business operations analyst at Turnberry Solutions in Des Moines, Iowa. She leads a women’s employee resource group at Turnberry Solutions and also volunteers as a pastoral council member at her church. Macarthy served two years on the Young Professionals Connection of Des Moines’ Board and was recognized as the 2023-2024 board member of the year. While at Truman, she was actively involved with Delta Sigma Pi and worked as a human resources intern, mock interviewer and career advisor with the Career Center.

Anna Kuhnert (’26) is a communication major and education minor at Truman and serves as the human resources intern at the Career Center.

All students, faculty, staff, and community members are welcome for inspiration and learning with renowned speakers. Networking will follow the forum.

The TRU-Biz Forum is made possible by the Chuck and Sherri Woods Endowment for Business Excellence at Truman. The fund was established by alumni Charles H. “Chuck” and Sherri Woods as part of generous support of Truman.

The Chinese Language and Cultural Association for Lunar New Year Gala won Outstanding Overall Program for the 2024 LRP awards.
Nominations are currently being accepted for this year’s Leadership Recognition Program.

The LRP is designed to honor Truman students, organizations and advisors for their dedication to their peers, organizations, campus and the Kirksville community through various leadership roles during the academic year. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to nominate exceptional student leaders, advisors, organizations and events on campus.

Submissions for the LRP are taken online only. A link to the nomination form can be found at involvement.truman.edu/leadership-recognition-program. Multiple nominations for individuals or organizations are welcome. Details about all of the awards can be found in the nomination packet available here. Nominations will close at 5 p.m. March 3.

Questions about the LRP can be directed to the program coordinator at lrp@truman.edu or orgs@truman.edu. Union & Involvement services will host the Leadership Recognition Program ceremony April 8.

Deulen’s poetry collection, “Desire Museum,” was published with BOA Editions in fall 2023 and won a 2024 Lambda Literary Award. Her previous books include “Lovely Asunder,” “Our Emotions Get Carried Away Beyond Us” and a memoir, “The Riots.” Her honors include a Pushcart Prize, an Oregon Literary Fellowship, the GLCA New Writers Award, the Utah Book Award, an Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award and a Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellowship from the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing.

Deulen is the co-creator and host of “Lit from the Basement,” a poetry podcast, and teaches for the graduate creative writing program at Georgia State University in Atlanta. More information about her can be found at danielledeulen.net.

 
The open course list for summer can now be viewed online.
 
Registration for summer classes begins March 18. Courses are available in a variety of options, including online, hybrid and in-person delivery methods. The flexibility of summer courses provides students the opportunity to have a job, take a vacation or socialize with friends back home.
 
Summer is a great time for students to focus their attention on a challenging class, or work on boosting their GPA for scholarship renewal or graduate school applications. It is also an opportunity to make a lot of progress toward an additional major or minor without falling behind.

With six separate terms throughout the summer, students have multiple options to fit their needs. Interim classes run May 10-24. The first round of five-week courses, as well as 10-week courses, begin May 27, while the second round of five-week courses begins June 30. An eight-week session begins June 2. The August interim runs from July 26-Aug. 9. For more information visit summer.truman.edu.

The 24th annual Big Event is set to take place from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. March 29.

The Big Event gives Truman students, faculty, staff and alumni the opportunity to show appreciation for all of the support the Kirksville community has offered to them. Hundreds of Truman volunteers will provide services to the residents of the community by raking leaves, washing windows, painting and more.  

Volunteers can sign-up here. Local Kirksville residents hoping for volunteers to help them with projects can sign-up here. All sign-ups are due by March 21. For more information visit serve.truman.edu.

Students interested in living on campus during the 2025-26 school year can now make arrangements to do so.

Living on campus provides students with a built-in community of peers, in addition to offering a variety of amenities. All campus residence halls feature furnished rooms, access to laundry facilities and a meal plan. On-campus residents also have all of their utility costs included in the price of their room.

Residence Life has several options for students who want to live on campus including single residence hall rooms, apartments and suites for up to four roommates.

Students that have completed a housing application but have not found a roommate and/or self-selected a space by March 20 will be manually assigned to a room with a roommate by the Residence Life team.

The housing portal is open now and can be accessed through TruView. Questions about the housing process can be directed to Residence Life at 660.785.4227 or reslife@truman.edu.

 
This spring, Truman is offering an introductory ceramics course open to community members.
 
“Ceramics Handbuilding” begins March 17 with weekly class meetings from 6-8 p.m. Mondays. The eight-week course will conclude May 5. Cost of the class is $375, which includes instruction and materials. Participants will keep all the works they create.
 
As an introductory course, “Ceramics Handbuilding” will teach students proper use of ceramic tools, handbuilding techniques, basic glazing and surface decorating methods, and rudimentary knowledge of kiln firings.
 
“There’s something special about getting your hands in clay – shaping, experimenting and bringing ideas to life,” said William McKinney, assistant professor of art. “It’s not just about making pottery, it’s about building community, finding joy in the process and discovering the excitement of creating something from the earth with your own hands.”
 
“Ceramics Handbuilding” is under the direction of Truman’s Institute for Academic Outreach as part of its professional development and enrichment mission.
 
“The goal is to make a sampling of our courses widely available so people in the area can experience some of the fun things Truman has to offer,” said Tyana Lange, vice president of student engagement, enrollment and marketing.
 
Last fall, Truman offered a condensed version of the popular “Serial Killers and Psychopaths” course taught for decades by Sal Costa. The course reached full capacity. Other courses, to be determined, may be offered in the future.
 
More information about “Ceramics Handbuilding” can be found online at institute.truman.edu. Registration is open to community members and Truman employees. This is a one-credit, pass/fail course. It is not available to degree-seeking Truman students.
 
Registration can be completed online. Because space is limited, spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration does not guarantee a spot in the class. There is no charge to register, and payment is not due until a spot in the class has been confirmed by the University. Once registrations are processed, an email will be sent with information on how to pay online. Payment in full is due by March 5. Additionally, payment may be made at the cashiers’ window in McClain Hall, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. or 1-3 p.m. Any questions about the course can be directed to the Institute for Academic Outreach at 660.785.5384 or institute@truman.edu.

The Institute for Academic Outreach is seeking applications for JBA Jr. and ATSU-Truman Healthcare Academy.

JBA Jr. is hiring a full-time day position that functions as a traditional summer day camp experience in July for students that have completed fourth, fifth or sixth grade. Preceptor preference is given to Truman education majors or other students that have experience with children but are not education majors.

ATSU-Truman Healthcare Academy hires full-time overnight positions spanning approximately seven days in June. Preceptor preference is given to students in a pre-health profession, biology major or to students who have significant experience in health topics by virtue of some co-curricular activities. After those students have been considered, preference then goes to education majors.

Applications are currently being accepted and will continue until the positions are filled. Information about each available position can be accessed at tiacademies.truman.edu/employment or by emailing Michelle Wilson at mwwilson@truman.edu.

Applications should be well thought out and as detailed as possible, however the committee will help to refine submissions. Proposals can be completed using this form. The deadline for proposal submission is 12 a.m. March 16. For more details about the application process and guidelines, visit senate.truman.edu/archives/officialdocuments, or reach out to Willow Reese, committee chair, at sb85256@truman.edu.

Truman’s Upward Bound program is currently looking for juniors, seniors or graduate students to serve as residential mentors for summer academy.

Upward Bound is a college preparatory program for income-eligible area high school students, many of whom will be the first in their families to attend college.

Dates for this position are May 30-July 2, which includes training and a trip with students. Residential mentor positions are paid, full time, offer weekends off and include room and board.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until all positions have been filled with qualified candidates. For more information, or to access an online application, visit the Upward Bound website.

The best way to showcase Truman is by sharing examples of success stories from its students, employees and alumni. These examples can take the form of short blurbs in print pieces and on University webpages, to longform stories in newsletters, magazines or video projects. Truman is always interested in highlighting the people and projects that make the University special.
 
If you are a Truman employee or student and would like to suggest a person for possible inclusion in upcoming University promotional materials, please use this form. Noteworthy suggestions might include: students who have participated in research, study abroad or other transformational experiences; alumni who have demonstrated excellence in their field after graduation; or out-of-the-ordinary stories that include students and/or employees that others would find interesting.
 
All submissions will be reviewed by the Public Relations Office. Submitting a recommendation is not a guarantee the person will be included in any Truman promotional materials. Stories will be pursued on a variety of factors including how and where they may best serve the needs of the University.

Associate professors of exercise science, Julene Ensign and Nancy Daley-Moore are recruiting faculty and staff to participate in the post-test survey of their IRB-approved research study exploring faculty and staff perceptions of wellness on Truman’s campus. They are hoping that the information provided in this post-test survey could be used to figure out better faculty and staff wellness programming.

Those eligible to participate must be a current full-time faculty or staff member. Any questions about the research project can be emailed to jensign@truman.edu or ndmoore@truman.edu.

Truman Department of Nursing will have a site visit by the Missouri State Board of Nursing (MSBN) March 17 as part of their five-year program review. Any person or organization that would like to comment on the nursing program is invited to send written comments to the Department of Nursing, 100 E. Normal Ave, HS 3206, Kirksville, MO 63501 or email to nursing@truman.edu. Comments may also be emailed directly to MSBN atsarah.mckee@pr.mo.gov. Comments must be received prior to the site visit.

The next issue of the Truman Today will be available March 17.

Jesse Krebs and Xin Gao, both professors of music, traveled to Johnson City, Tennessee, Feb. 22, to serve as the invited clarinet and saxophone guest artists for East Tennessee State University’s Woodwind Day 2025. They taught warm-up sessions, gave masterclasses and performed at the evening guest artist recital. Krebs performed the unaccompanied “Dos Melodias” by Vinicio Meza and “Fused” for clarinet and audio track by Kevin Poelking. Gao performed “Caprice en forme de valse” by Paul Bonneau and “Pulse” by Vincent David.

The Truman State University Foundation fall 2025 Foundation Scholarship applications are now available.

Recipients must be enrolled full-time during the term of the scholarship to receive the full amount. Applications can be submitted and revised at any time prior to the March 17 deadline. To apply, log in to TruView, go to the Student Tab, Scholarships, Financial Aid & Loans then Foundation Scholarship Application.

When starting the online application process, students will automatically be considered for all Foundation scholarships for which they qualify. While some scholarships are limited by major, many general awards exist.

These scholarships are available thanks to the private gifts of alumni and friends of the University.