Vol. 30 No. 21 - February 9, 2026

Students are invited to attend Spike’s Annual Pizza Bowl for free pizza and a chance to vote for the best pizza in town, Feb. 11.

The Truman Institute for Academic Outreach will host the new Truman Band Academy for high school students, June 7-11. 

Students will have the full campus experience, including staying in residence halls, enjoying campus dining and meeting fellow musicians from across the Midwest. Under the orchestration of Curran Prendergast, Truman’s director of bands, students will participate in daily full-band rehearsals, instrument sectionals led by University faculty and interactive electives designed to enhance musicianship and creativity. At the end of the week, students will perform a full-ensemble concert to showcase their work. 

Applications for the Academy are due March 15 and require two complete years of transcripts, contact information for an educator recommendation and a completed signature page. Applications are not completed until all materials are received. 

Tuition is $500 and includes housing and meals, all activities, a t-shirt and additional materials. Once acceptance is confirmed, $250 must be paid by April 16 to secure the student’s spot, with the remaining tuition being paid no later than May 14.

For additional information or questions, individuals should visit the Academy website, email bandacademy@truman.edu or call 660.785.5384.

The dance company Ailey II will be the next performance in the Kohlenberg Lyceum Series at 7 p.m. Feb. 23 in Baldwin Auditorium. 
 
Ailey II, the second company of the famed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, brings technical mastery and emotional depth to works by the most daring established and emerging choreographers.
 
In their performance at Truman, Ailey II will showcase “Down the Rabbit Hole” by Houston Thomas, as well as world premieres “Berry Dreamin’” by Chalvar Monteiro and “Third Person Point of View” by My’Kal Stromile. 
 
Tickets will be available starting Feb. 9 and can be picked up at any of three convenient campus locations: the Union and Involvement Office in the Student Union Building; the Advancement Office in McClain Hall 205; or the Admissions Office in the Ruth W. Towne Museum and Visitors Center. Tickets are also available off campus at the Kirksville Arts Association in downtown Kirksville. Any remaining tickets will be available at the ticket window in Baldwin Hall beginning 30 minutes before the performance. 
 
Tickets for the 2025-26 Kohlenberg Lyceum Series are provided free of charge thanks to the generous support of local sponsors, the Friends of the Lyceum program and the Truman State University Foundation.
 
For more information about the Kohlenberg Lyceum Series, visit lyceum.truman.edu or contact the Advancement Office at 660.785.4133.

The Truman State University Foundation 2026-27 Foundation Scholarship applications are now available.

Recipients must be enrolled full-time during the term of the scholarship to receive scholarship funds. Applications can be submitted and revised at any time prior to the March 6 deadline. To apply, log in to TruView, go to the Student Tab, Scholarships, Financial Aid & Loans then Foundation Scholarship Application.

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

The virtual panel “Marketing Careers in the Real World: Roles, Skills and Pathways” will take place at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 18 in Violette Hall 1010.

The panel will feature Tara Bloch and Marco Ilardi, business administration alumni, and Dave Collett and Justin Gioia, communications alumni. The alumni have all succeeded in marketing and will come together to share their experiences and expertise with current students.

Bloch graduated from Truman in 2012 and currently works as the marketing director for Diode Dynamics, L.L.C., based out of St. Charles, Missouri. In previous years, Bloch had positions at Target, Truman and Financial Planners of Missouri, where she continued to enhance her marketing, advertising and promotional skills. Additional information about Bloch can be found on her LinkedIn profile.

Ilardi graduated from Truman in 1999 and currently serves as a managing partner for V2 Ventures, based out of the Kansas City metropolitan area. Before working at V2 Ventures, Ilardi worked for Adknowledge, Fox Interactive Media and Intermix Media in various presidential, marketing and strategic positions. Additional information about Ilardi can be found on his LinkedIn profile.

Collett graduated from Truman in 1996 and is currently the executive vice president and global client leader of Weber Shandwick, based out of the greater St. Louis area. Between 1997 and 2004, he worked for Boeing as a communications specialist and Fleishman-Hillard as the vice president. While at Weber Shandwick, he also worked as an adjunct professor at Washington University in St. Louis from 2019-2025. Additional information about Collett can be found on his LinkedIn profile.

Gioia graduated from Truman in 1993 and currently works as the chief strategy officer and vice president of marketing for Jim’s Formal Wear, Inc., based out of Trenton, Illinois. Previously, he worked for J. Gioia Consulting, Scottrade, Spire, Monsanto, A.G. Edwards/Wachovia Securities, A.G. Edwards and Provident Counseling in various marketing, directorial and communications positions. Additional information about Gioia can be found on his LinkedIn profile.

Truman’s Three-Minute Thesis Competition will take place at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 27 in Violette Hall 1010, providing students an opportunity to highlight their graduate-level research. 

The University Art Gallery will feature “Creative Urges: The Paintings of Dorothy Wirtz” now through Feb. 27.

This retrospective of Wirtz's imaginative work has been cleaned, conserved and loaned to the University by alumnus Gordon Harrison ('08). It was curated and researched by students in spring 2025 Art 325: Modern Art and fall 2025 Art 326: Contemporary Art.

This event is organized and funded through School of Arts and Humanities Mission Enhancement Award to Amber Johnson, professor of anthropology, with the support of the faculty from the School of Arts and Humanities.

Feb. 20-March 18

Additional information about Jackson can be found in the Jan. 12 Truman Today newsletter.

The Funds Allotment Council (FAC) is currently recruiting members for the spring 2026 semester. Applications close Feb. 18. For additional information about FAC, visit fac.truman.edu or email fac@truman.edu.

Please note that the scoring rubric has been recently revised and there are a few new formatting rules. The revised rubric can be found here, along with revised formatting rules and guidelines here.

For more information, visit the Financial Aid Office website, call 660.785.4130 or email finaid@truman.edu.

Inquiries about the Student Research Conference should be directed to the Office of Student Research at osr@truman.edu. Email any questions to ewiles@truman.edu or osr@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 March 21. For more details about the application process and guidelines, visit the committee archives or reach out to Kara Sargent, committee chair, at kms5248@truman.edu.

The exhibition featuring pieces from Truman art club members will be on display in the library café now through May 8. 

University President Sue Thomas and a panel consisting of Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin; Associate Vice President for University Advancement Charles Hunsaker, and Student Government President Alex Peterson participated in an episode of The Missouri Times’ “This Week in Missouri Politics College Tour” hosted by Scott Faughn. In the episode, which aired Feb. 1 and can be found online, the value of a liberal arts education and the impact of Truman and the University’s alumni on the state and region were highlighted.