Vol. 30 No. 35 - June 22, 2026

The 2026 Bulldog Nation Road Show will begin in Kirksville, with its first show from 7-9 p.m. June 30 at Red Barn Park.

Attendees can enjoy root beer floats, funnel cakes, yard games, live music by Matt Kennedy and a special appearance by Spike the bulldog. They will also have the opportunity to learn more about the Northeast Missouri chapter of the Truman Alumni Association and how to stay connected with Truman throughout the year. 

The Bulldog Nation Road Show is a great opportunity to connect with fellow bulldogs, Kirksville community members and current faculty and staff. 

Registration is $5 per person and should be completed by June 23. A $20 option is also available, which includes a Truman quarter zip pullover. Children 12 and under may attend for free and do not need to be pre-registered. The Road Show will also visit Des Moines, Iowa, July 14 and Chicago, Illinois, July 23.

Kirksville’s Red, White and Blue Festival will take place July 3-4. 

The festival will start off with a community band concert from 5-6 p.m. July 3 on the downtown square. A Summer on the Square concert featuring The Aaron Russell Band will follow from 7-8:30 p.m. People can drop off pies for the United Way Pie Sale and Silent Auction between 4-5 p.m., and the auction will take place between music sets. To pair with the pie, barbeque options will also be available from 5-7 p.m.

The morning of July 4 will kick off with several events on the square. From 7-11 a.m. the pancake breakfast will take place in the courthouse’s north parking lot. The Kiwanis Farmers’ Market will also be open from 7 a.m.-12 p.m. on the downtown square. The classic car show will take place from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. near the southside of the courthouse. The 9th annual FLATS Uncle Sam 5K Run and 1.5 Mile Walk will start at 8:30 a.m. at Dukum Inn. People interested in participating can visit kvflats.org/events to register. The Red, White and Blue Parade will begin at 10 a.m. at the intersection of N. Franklin and Missouri streets going south. Cemetery Theatre presentations will take place at 2 p.m. at the Forest Llewellyn Cemetery.
 
Nighttime festivities will begin at 5 p.m. with a block party event featuring games for kids and food trucks at North Park. Food trucks will begin serving at 5 p.m. followed by live entertainment by the Travis Curtman Band from 5:30-9:30 p.m. The festival will end with the community fireworks display at 9:30 p.m. at North Park with a rain date of July 5.

Nominations are now being accepted for the faculty and staff awards.

The Dr. Herman P. Wilson Distinguished Faculty-Staff Award honors a faculty or staff member at Truman that exemplifies the exceptional qualities demonstrated by Wilson in his interactions with students, colleagues and friends. The award includes a cash honorarium of $1,500.

The Mark and Robin Gambaiana Purple Pride Award is a cash award that recognizes Truman’s dedicated, non-exempt administrative assistants for exemplary service to their departments and to the University.

The Points of Excellence Award recognizes Truman staff members that go above and beyond while fulfilling their duties.

The Bulldog Award recognizes shared team achievement for outstanding customer service practices and honors individual departments that consistently strive to excel.

Created in 2023, the Points of Light Award is a recognition program for community members and organizations that have shown invaluable support and contribution to the University.

More information about each award can be found hr.truman.edu/awards-recognition. Nominations will remain open until June 30. The winners will be recognized during the University Opening Ceremony in August.

During orientation days Einstein’s will be open from 9:45 a.m.-3 p.m. and Starbucks will be open from 1-5 p.m. Upcoming orientation days are June 24 and 29.

The textbook program, First Day Complete, may only be used for fall and spring semesters. Summer and winter interim courses are not included the program, meaning students must secure any necessary textbooks for their courses individually. The bookstore is available to assist all students with purchasing their summer books, but the First Day Complete program option will not be available. For more information about how to order books, visit truman.edu/student-life/university-bookstore/how-to-order-books.

As part of the 2026 Alumni and Friends Book Club, author and Truman alumna Laura McHugh (’96) will host a discussion of her book, “What’s Done in Darkness,” at 12 p.m. July 8 via Zoom. A limited number of free books are available in the Advancement Office for those who wish to participate. Registration is available here.

Move-In Day will take place between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 12. Those who volunteer will help new students move their belongings from their car to their respective rooms, direct traffic at essential locations and guide families to long-term parking. Sign up is available here.

Meredith Hoerner and Andrea Richards, sister and advisor of Truman’s Sigma Sigma Sigma chapter (Tri Sigma), have received recognition from the sorority’s national council. 

Hoerner, a 2026 graduate, was selected for the Dixie Cremeans Shelton Scholarship. This $2,500 scholarship, endowed in 2012 by Dixie Cremeans Shelton, member for the Alpha Alpha Chapter at Concord University as well as the Houston Alumnae Chapter, goes to a member of Tri Sigma who is studying to become a child life or play therapist. 

Richards, a recently retired faculty in communication disorders, was selected as a recipient of the Outstanding Advisor Award for 2025. She was recognized for her steady and compassionate leadership as the chapter advisory board chair for the Mu Chapter at Truman.