Vol. 29 No. 33 - May 27, 2025

Features

  • Special Olympics Opening Festivities Include Drone Show

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    The State Special Olympics will begin with an opening ceremony, May 30, in Stokes Stadium.
     
    Activities will begin around 6:30 p.m. with the schedule to include performances from Kirksville community dance teams, a drumline, the traditional parade of athletes and lighting of the torch. A highlight of the evening will also be a drone show in the sky over the stadium.
     
    Seating will be available in Stokes Stadium, with chairs and blankets acceptable on lawn areas to the east and west of the grandstands. Attendees can also bring noise makers and coolers. Concession will not be open, but water stations are available. Pets are welcome in the lawn sections.
     
    Parking on campus will be open throughout the Special Olympics. Visitors coming for the opening ceremony can park in the lots to the north or south of Stokes Stadium.
     
    Through a partnership between the City of Kirksville and Truman, a bid to serve as the host site was submitted last year. This is the first time the state summer games have been hosted in Kirksville. 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.
     
    For a complete schedule of events, visit somo.org/summergames. Volunteer opportunities are still available, and more information can be found on the website.
  • Truman Announces Academic Honor Rolls

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    Truman has released its academic honor rolls for the spring 2025 semester.
     
    Students who received a grade point average of 3.5 or better during the spring semester can now find their honor roll information posted online.
     
    The President’s List, for students with a perfect 4.0 grade point average, can be accessed at truman.edu/honors/spring-2025-presidents-list. The Vice President for Academic Affairs’ List, featuring students with a grade point average between 3.50-3.99, can be found at truman.edu/honors/spring-2025-vice-presidents-list.
     
    To qualify for either list, a student must be an undergraduate and complete at least 12 hours of credit during the semester.
     
    Lists are organized by state and hometown. Hometowns are based upon the permanent address given to the University by the student. Students who have requested a directory hold on their information are not included on the lists. Any questions regarding student eligibility for inclusion on the lists can be directed to the Academic Affairs Office at 660.785.4105.
  • Worley Named Men’s Basketball Head Coach

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    Mike Worley has been hired as the 14th head coach of the Truman State University men’s basketball program.
     
    Worley joins Truman after 12 seasons as men’s assistant coach at NCAA Division I Troy University.
     
    “We had a very competitive pool of applicants, and we are thrilled to announce Coach Mike Worley as the next head men’s basketball coach at Truman State,” said Signe Coombs, director of athletics. “Coach Worley brings a wealth of experience and success at various levels that transcends the basketball court. His incredible passion for coaching and developing student-athletes on the court, in the classroom, and personally and professionally was evident throughout the process. From competitive and academic accomplishments to his engagement with campus, alumni and communities, Coach Worley will be a tremendous addition to the Bulldog family and provide an unwavering commitment to the student-athlete experience. We welcome Coach, Sarah and their children Raeghan, Rachel, Drew and Nora Rose to the Bulldog community.”
     
    Worley is a graduate of the University of Denver, finishing his career with more than 1,100 points after playing at Denver, Creighton and Coffeyville Community College where he received the inaugural National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) David Rowlands Award as Male Athlete of the Year in 1993. He averaged more than 19 points per game in his first collegiate stop earning All-America, all conference and team captain accolades. Worley graduated from Denver with a Bachelor of Arts in communication in 1995 and a Master of Science in management/sports management in 1997.
     
    “I am beyond grateful to join Truman State University as the head men’s basketball coach,” Worley said. “Thank you to President Thomas, Signe Coombs and the search committee for the opportunity. Truman is an institution with national name recognition and a tradition of excellence. My wife Sarah and our four kids are excited to bring a winning attitude on and off the court to an already strong athletics brand that competes for championships.”
     
    From 2002-05, Worley served as the director of athletics at his alma mater Coffeyville Community College. The Red Ravens enjoyed broad success in fundraising, football and men’s basketball during his tenure as one of the youngest athletics directors in the country.
     
    Entering the coaching ranks in 2005, Worley assisted the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith to the NJCAA National Championship in 2006 after a 33-3 campaign. He spent the 2006-07 season as assistant coach with the Arkansas Aeros of the American Basketball Association (ABA) followed by the 2007-08 season with the Arkansas Impact of the Premier Basketball League (PBL). The Impact finished the season as Western Division Champions with a 14-10 mark, advancing to the league title game.
     
    Kilgore Community College was the next stop for Worley where he assisted in scouting, recruiting and on-the-floor coaching in addition to academic planning, travel planning and fundraising. The program saw improvements each season culminating in a 14-team Region XIV regular season title in his final year with the program in 2012-13.
     
    Since joining the Troy Trojans for the 2013-14 season, Worley assisted a program winning 20 games or more in five seasons, including the previous four dating back to 20-11, 10-6 Sun Belt Conference (SBC) marks in 2021-22.
     
    Worley was on the bench for two of the three times Troy earned a berth in March Madness. The 2024-25 squad finished the season 23-11 overall, 13-5 SBC, winning the 2025 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Championship after a 94-81 win over Arkansas State. The Trojans earned a No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament, falling to No. 3 Kentucky in a 76-57 opening round loss. In 2017, Troy defeated Texas State, 59-53, in the Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Championship and earned a first-round date against the Duke Blue Devils in the East Regional game, falling 87-65.
     
    Worley tallied 2,369 points – currently the fourth-highest point total in Colorado state history – at Swink High School in La Junta, Colo. The team won the Colorado 2A state title in 1990 during a career where Worley was named all-conference four times, three times all state and two-time 2A Player of the Year by the Denver Post.
     
    There will be an introductory press conference and meet and greet for Worley at 3 p.m. June 2 in the Student Union Building Alumni Room. The campus and Kirksville community are invited to hear his vision for Bulldog basketball. The press conference will also be streamed on Truman’s GLVC Sports Network, as well as Facebook Live on the Truman Athletics account.
  • Phi Beta Kappa Welcomes New Members

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    Truman’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa initiated 14 students, April 26. Pictured, front row, left to right: Nguyen Le, Daniel Beattie, Greta Hanson and Kacie Myers. Second row: Spencer Duffendack, Jonas Hammerschmidt, Julian Williams and Tucker Maxwell.

    The Delta of Missouri chapter of Phi Beta Kappa inducted 14 students as members, April 26.

    Founded on Dec. 5, 1776, Phi Beta Kappa is the nation’s oldest liberal arts and sciences honors society. Truman’s chapter was chartered in 2001 as the fourth granted to a Missouri institution of higher learning.

    2025 Phi Beta Kappa Inductees

    Emma Baierl
    Daniel Beattie
    Spencer Duffendack
    Jonas Hammerschmidt
    Greta Hanson
    Audrey Huffman
    Robin Kincaid
    Molly Laiben,
    Nguyen Le
    Tucker Maxwell
    Briggs Maynor
    Mohammadhossein Momeni
    Kacie Myers
    Julian Williams
  • Summer Projects Enhance Campus Infrastructure

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    During the summer months, several buildings will receive repairs, remodels or enhancements.

    The most notable summer projects will be to Chick-fil-A in the Student Union Building and the dining area in Ryle Hall. Chick-fil-A will be expanded from an express to a full-scale restaurant with an expanded menu including kale chips and mac and cheese. After the reopen in August, all purchases for Chick-fil-A will be made at the Chick-fil-A counter.

    In Ryle Hall, the dining and services spaces will see new paint, lighting and ceilings, along with potential changes to the booths. The food service area will have refreshed solid surface tray areas and sneeze guards. Planned upgrades in the kitchen area include new warmers, reach-in coolers, steamers, dish machine, milk machines, soft serve ice cream machine and a hard ice cream chest/freezer.

    McClain Hall, Pickler Memorial Library and Magruder Hall will all receive roof work, as will the west main entry to Missouri Hall. There may be occasional constructions traffic in these areas until August. 

    Mechanical work will take place in Pershing Building with the addition of air conditioning in the arena. Magruder Hall and Pickler Memorial Library will also see some mechanical work during the summer.

    The parking lot behind Barnett Hall will be used for boiler work in that building.

    Areas around Blanton-Nason-Brewer Hall and the McKinney Center will be inaccessible for parts of the summer. The annex on the north side of BNB will be removed, as will the McKinney Center. The grass area and walks from the south entrance of the Kirk Building to the walk on the north side of Violette Hall will be closed off most of the summer.

    The east-west walk between McKinney Center and Kirk Building and Kirk Memorial will be removed and replaced. The north-south walk on the east side of McKinney Center and Kirk Building should remain open but will see occasional construction traffic from the Dobson Hall parking lot. The area of demo for the BNB annex will be contained to the area between the walk and BNB, as much as possible.

Announcements

  • Volunteers Needed for State Special Olympics

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    Kirksville will be the site of the 2025 Special Olympics Missouri State Summer Games, May 30-June 1, and the Truman campus will host all the events.
     
    Volunteers are a crucial component of making the games a special event for athletes, families and spectators. There are more than 300 volunteer opportunities available during the event, from help at the athletic competitions to many of the support efforts. In addition to assistance for swimming, track and field, and powerlifting, volunteers will be needed for the opening ceremony, the Healthy Athletes stations, move in, bingo, crafts, photography and more.
     
    Individuals and organizations can sign up for multiple volunteer opportunities as long as there is no time conflict between events. A complete list of volunteer needs can be found online.  
     
    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.
  • Food Packs Available for Students During Summer Break

    The SERVE Center will be available for food packs during the summer. Pre-made pack requests will not be available and workers will not be in the pantry. Students in need of food packs can visit the Union and Involvement office to ask a worker to accompany them to the food pantry to build their own pack.

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  • Next Issue

    The next issue of the Truman Today will be available June 9.

Notables

  • Hirsch Contributes to Roundtable

    Jerrold Hirsch, professor emeritus of history, contributed to an American Literature Association Roundtable, “Recasting American Literature through the Federal Writers’ Project” in Boston, Massachusetts, May 22. His focus was on his recent research, “Bread and Song: The FWP and Labor Lore.”

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Scholarship Opportunities

  • Nationally Competitive Scholarships and Fellowships

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    Each year Truman nominates students who have shown outstanding academic performance and exceptional service accomplishments for national fellowship opportunities. The application process is very rigorous and highly competitive, but the University provides support as students prepare for and then apply to these prestigious scholarships. Many deadlines occur early in the fall semester, so it is important interested students attend the meeting.

    Listed below are several of the major national fellowships and their websites. More information about these fellowships is available at truman.edu/majors-programs/more-learning-opportunities/fellowships.


    Fellowships For Study in the United States
    (campus nomination required)

    Carnegie Endowment
    for undergraduates and graduates
    Awarded to graduating seniors or individuals who have graduated within the past academic year. Applicants must be nominated by the Truman State University nominating official. This fellowship is designed to provide a substantive work experience for students who have a serious career interest in the area of international affairs. Eleven to 13 students will be hired to work at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington, D.C., on a full-time basis for a period of one year. Application deadline is Nov. 17, 2025.

    Goldwater Scholarship
    for undergraduates only
    Awarded to sophomore or junior math or science majors who have one or two full years of undergraduate study remaining. Each scholarship covers tuition, fees, books, and room and board. To be eligible, a student must have at least a 3.0 GPA, be a United States citizen and demonstrate a potential for and commitment to a career in research in mathematics or natural sciences. Deadline to declare intent to apply is Oct. 27, 2025.

    Harry S. Truman Scholarship
    for undergraduates only
    Awarded to outstanding junior students who intend to pursue careers in public service. Each Harry S. Truman Scholarship covers tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $30,000 over a period of up to four years (i.e., one year of college and three years of graduate school). To be eligible, a student must have selected an undergraduate field of study that will permit admission to a graduate program leading to a career in public service. Campus deadline is Nov. 17, 2025.

    Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation
    for undergraduates only
    The Morris K. Udall Scholarship Program was created to encourage outstanding students to pursue careers related to environmental public policy and to encourage outstanding Native American and Alaska native students to pursue careers related to health care and tribal public policy. Requirements include sophomore or junior standing with at least a 3.0 GPA and ranking in the top quarter of a student’s class. Each scholarship covers eligible expenses for tuition, fees, books, and room and board, up to a maximum of $7,000, and expenses for a Udall Scholars Orientation. Deadline for applications is Jan. 5, 2026.


    Fellowships for Experiences Abroad
    (campus nomination required)

    British Marshall Scholarship
    for undergraduates and graduates
    Awarded to exceptional seniors or recent graduates who wish to study for two years in a British university. It is meant to further the education of young people of distinguished intellect and character who can be expected to make a significant contribution to society. To be eligible, applicants must have a 3.7 GPA, be a United States citizen and earn a bachelor’s degree before the scholarship takes effect. Applications must be completed by Aug. 15, 2025.

    Fulbright Grant

    for undergraduates and graduates
    Awarded to seniors and graduate students. Grants range from a full grant – which covers one year of tuition, books and maintenance in one foreign country – to a variety of partial grants, which cover transportation costs only and/or supplement the applicant’s own personal funds. Teaching assistantships in English in selected countries are also available under the Fulbright program. To be eligible for any of the Fulbright grants, an applicant must be a United States citizen at the time of application and hold a bachelor’s degree by the beginning date of the grant. Creative and performing artists are not required to have a bachelor’s degree, but must have four years of relevant training or study. All applicants are required to have sufficient proficiency in the language of the host country to carry out their proposed study or research. Applications must be completed by Sept. 1, 2025.

    Fulbright Grant: U.K. Summer Institute Award
    for undergraduates
    Awarded to freshman or sophomore students from all areas of study with a high level of academic achievement. Each program offers students full immersion in the study of British academia and culture. Students will partake in cultural events, research, collaboration and presentation at one of nine summer institutes. The award will cover the majority of all costs incurred, including flights to and from the U.K., university fees, and room and board at the hosting U.K. university. Applicants must be U.S. citizens who reside anywhere except the U.K., be at least 18 years old and have completed no more than two years of university study. Applications must be completed by Jan. 5, 2026.

    Mitchell Scholarship
    for undergraduates and graduates
    Awarded to seniors or recent graduates who wish to pursue graduate study or research in either the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. Mitchell Scholarships provide tuition and housing, as well as living and travel stipends. Applicants must complete a bachelor’s degree before taking up the award. Applications must be completed by Aug. 15, 2025.

    Boren Scholarship and Fellowship
    for undergraduates and graduates
    NOTE: The graduate fellowship does not require campus nomination.
    Designed to provide U.S. undergraduates and graduates with the resources and encouragement they need to acquire skills and experience in countries and areas of the world critical to the future security of the nation. Boren Scholarships/Fellowships are designed to support students who will make a commitment to federal service. All recipients incur a requirement to enter into an agreement, in order of priority, to work for an agency of the federal government with national security responsibilities or to work in the field of higher education in the area of study for which the scholarship was awarded. Maximum awards are $10,000 for a semester and $20,000 for a full year of study abroad. Campus deadline for scholarships (undergraduate) is Jan. 1, 2026. Campus deadline for fellowships (graduate) is Dec. 29, 2025.

    Rhodes Scholarship
    for undergraduates only
    Awarded to exceptional seniors who wish to pursue two or three years of study at Oxford University. The Rhodes Scholarship covers all tuition costs and provides a maintenance allowance. To be eligible a senior must be under 24 years of age, be a citizen of the United States and complete a bachelor’s degree before Oct. 1. There are only 32 scholarships assigned to the United States and applicants must have proven intellectual and academic achievement of a high standard, integrity of character, interest in and respect for their fellow human beings, the ability to lead and the energy to use their talents to the fullest. The last of these qualities is usually, though not exclusively, demonstrated by participation and success in sports. Rhodes Scholarship applications must be completed by Sept. 1, 2025. Read about Truman’s first Rhodes Scholarship recipient, Andrew McCall, who provides helpful advice for Rhodes Scholar applicants.


    Other Fellowships
    (no campus nomination required)

    The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship
    for college graduates and graduate students
    A highly competitive national program that provides college and graduate school graduates the opportunity to work in Washington, D.C., with one of more than two dozen participating public-interest organizations focusing on international security issues. The program is offered twice yearly, in the spring and fall. It lasts from six to nine months and provides a salary, health insurance and travel costs to Washington.

    The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship
    for undergraduates and graduates
    The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship is designed to attract outstanding individuals from all ethnic, racial and social backgrounds who have an interest in pursuing a foreign service career with the U.S. Department of State. The programs provide academic and professional preparation for outstanding candidates to enter the U.S. Department of State Foreign Service, representing America’s interests abroad.

    Amgen Scholars Program
    for undergraduates only
    The Amgen Scholars Program provides hundreds of undergraduate students with the opportunity to engage in a hands-on summer research experience at some of the world’s leading institutions.

    Ford Diversity Fellowships Program

    for seniors and graduates only
    Through its fellowship programs, the Ford Foundation seeks to increase the diversity of the nation’s college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, to maximize the educational benefits of diversity, and to increase the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.

    NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
    for graduates only
    The GRFP is a prestigious, nationally competitive fellowship offered by the National Science Foundation that provides three years of financial support for beginning graduate study leading to a research-based degree in the STEM disciplines.

    Gates Cambridge Scholarship
    for undergraduates and graduates
    Awarded to students of exceptional academic achievement and scholarly promise for whom advanced study at Cambridge would be particularly appropriate. Successful applicants will have the ability to make a significant contribution to their discipline while in Cambridge, with a strong aptitude for research, analysis and a creative approach to defining and solving problems. Awarded only to students who gain admission to Cambridge through the regular procedures. Covers the full cost of study at Cambridge for a single person. Applications should be completed by Sept. 12, 2025.

    Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows
    for undergraduates
    The Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows offers rising college juniors opportunities in leadership development programs inspired by the life and legacy of George Washington and today’s foremost leaders. This residential summer fellowship is designed to create the next generation of the nation’s top leaders.

    John Lewis Fellowship

    for undergraduates
    The John Lewis Fellowship honors U.S. Representative John Lewis, an icon of the Civil Rights Movement. The program explores the history of the Civil Rights Movement, diversity and minority rights in the United States, with a particular focus on Atlanta. Key areas of inquiry include race and racism, immigration, national identity, Native American issues and the relationship between civil rights and human rights. The fellowship will also discuss contemporary racial and diversity issues.

    Humanity in Action Fellowship
    for undergraduates
    The Humanity in Action Fellowship brings together international groups of college students and recent graduates to explore national histories of injustice and resistance as they affect different minority groups today.

    Fund for Education Abroad

    for undergraduates
    The Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) addresses the need for an independent study abroad scholarship provider. FEA is expanding access to study abroad by raising awareness of its benefits to the individual and value to the collective, and by granting scholarships of up to $10,000.

    Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program
    for undergraduates
    The Gilman International Scholarship Program is a Congressionally funded program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and is administered by the Institute of International Education. The Gilman Scholarship Program offers grants of up to $5,000 to U.S. undergraduate students of high financial need participating in a credit-bearing study abroad program or international internship eligible. Students studying a critical need language could be eligible to receive a grant of up to $8,000. The Gilman Program aims to diversify the kinds of students who study and intern abroad and the countries and regions where they go by supporting U.S. undergraduates who might otherwise not consider these unique and valuable opportunities due to financial constraints.

    U.S. Teaching Assistantship Program in Austria

    The U.S. Teaching Assistantship Program in Austria provides U.S. college and university graduates with opportunities to work at secondary schools throughout Austria as teaching assistants.

    Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA)
    The Freeman Foundation’s generous support for the relaunch of Freeman-ASIA builds on prior grants to IIE that funded more than 4,500 American undergraduates in Asia from 2001 to 2014. The newly available awards will advance the Institute of International Education’s Generation Study Abroad, a five-year initiative aiming to double the number of U.S. students abroad by the end of the decade, by mobilizing resources and commitments across the higher education, philanthropy and corporate sectors.

    Schwarzman Scholars

    Designed to prepare the next generation of global leaders, Schwarzman Scholars is the first scholarship created to respond to the geopolitical landscape of the 21st Century. Whether in politics, business or science, the success of future leaders around the world will depend upon an understanding of China’s role in global trends. Students will live and study together on the campus of Schwarzman College, where all classes are taught in English. Students will pursue master’s degrees in one of three disciplines: public policy, economics and business, or international studies. Applications must be completed by Aug. 15, 2025.