Vol. 30 No. 36 - July 6, 2026

Features

Costa Unveils New “History of the Mafia” Course, Available In-Person and Online

Sal Costa will offer a brand-new course, “The History of the Mafia,” to all non-degree seeking students interested in taking it this fall.

For many years, Costa taught multiple unique courses at the University. Now retired, he has developed public, condensed versions of his most popular courses, including “Serial Killers” and “The Psychology of Abnormal Behavior.” This fall, Costa will unveil a new publicly available course, “The History of the Mafia.” Participants will be able to gain a wealth of knowledge, including about Sicilian and Italian customs.

Participants can experience the content in-person or online in real time (synchronously), or asynchronously by watching the lectures at their convenience. The online version of the course can be taken from anywhere in the United States.

A lecture-based course, Costa will provide new material each week. The eight-week course will begin Aug. 18 and run through Oct. 6. Classes will take place in-person and online from 6-8 p.m. every Tuesday. Soon after each class period, lectures will be available for viewing.

Registration can be completed online and is open to all non-degree seeking students. Anyone who takes the class – which is offered as a pass/fail option – will receive one hour of college credit.

More information about the course can be found online at institute.truman.edu under “Community Courses.” Cost is $65. Payment instructions will be sent after registration. For any questions about the course or registration, contact the Institute for Academic Outreach at 660.785.5384 or institute@truman.edu.
13 Teams Earn All-GLVC Academic Honors

Truman Athletics continued its strong tradition of academic success as 13 Bulldog programs earned Team Academic All-GLVC recognition for the 2025-26 academic year.

The Team Academic All-GLVC award is presented annually to programs that achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or higher during the academic year. Truman's 13 honored teams mark the highest total since the 2021-22 season and represent an increase of three programs from last year's total of 10.

Truman's honorees were led by women's cross country, which posted a team GPA of 3.75. Women's soccer followed at 3.69, while women's tennis recorded a 3.65 GPA and women's basketball came in at 3.63. Women's track and field (3.61) and men's cross country (3.60) also surpassed the 3.60 mark.

Additional Bulldog teams recognized included women's volleyball (3.58), softball (3.48), men's track and field (3.48), women's swimming (3.42), men's soccer (3.39), men's swimming (3.36) and women's golf (3.34).
All-GLVC Academic Honors Earned by 292 Bulldogs

Truman Athletics continued to demonstrate its commitment to academic excellence as 292 student-athletes were named Academic All-GLVC for the 2025-26 season.

The Academic All-GLVC honor is awarded to student-athletes who achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or higher over the course of the academic year. The 292 honorees mark an increase of 23 student-athletes from last year's total of 269, continuing an upward trend for the Bulldog program.

Truman's selections were part of a record-setting year for the GLVC, which saw 4,768 student-athletes recognized across the conference. Among full-time league members, 4,636 honorees averaged a conference-best 309 selections per institution.

The complete list of All-GLVC honorees is available here.
Balanced Man Scholarship Offered to New Students

Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp) is offering $3,000 in scholarships to incoming male students during the fall 2026 semester.

The Balanced Man Scholarship rewards students who have shown academic excellence, leadership skills and a commitment to their health and well-being. They are looking to help recognize men who are motivated, driven and demonstrate success, whether it be in leadership roles, academics, athletics or community involvement and service.

The scholarship does not require an active membership or intent to join Sigma Phi Epsilon. Applications are open now through Sept. 13. Additional information, as well as the scholarship application, are available at trumanstate.sigep.org/bms. Questions should be directed to Sal Costa, faculty advisor, at scosta@truman.edu or Jackson Budzinski, chapter president, at gh82536@truman.edu.
Printing and Mail Services Offered to Truman Affiliates

Printing and Mail Services would like to remind students, faculty and staff of their various services offered.

Printing Services creates items such as business cards, four-color posters, brochures, newsletters and booklets. They also produce course packets for professors, projects for students and department envelopes and notecards, just to name a few. Work orders can be placed as personal cash jobs, organization/group orders or orders to be charged to a department/foundation. Additional information about printing services offered, as well as work order and estimate request forms, can be found at printing.truman.edu.

Mail Services receives and distributes mail, UPS, FedEx and campus mail to students, faculty and staff. They have packaging supplies provided for each service. These include waybills, letter envelopes, certified/return receipts, postal insurance, postal customs forms and package envelopes. They do not sell stamps or postage for personal use, but stamps are available in McClain Hall 105 at the Business Office Cashier Window. Additional information about sending and receiving mail can be found at mailservices.truman.edu.

Free design services are also available through the Office of Publications. Any University office, school or department should work with the Office of Publications for their design needs to ensure the University brand is being followed. Services include the design of materials used for recruiting and the advancement of the University, as well as publications promoting events, programs, courses and much more. Additional information and work order forms can be found at publications.truman.edu or by emailing publications@truman.edu.

Announcements

Student Recreation Center Summer Hours
9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Monday-Thursday
Through July 31
McHugh Selected as Alumni and Friends Guest Author
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.
Student Orgs Reminded to Submit Updated Information Forms
Student organizations must submit an updated information form to Union and Involvement Services if they have recently changed officers/contacts.

To complete the information form, members will need to know the names, emails and Banner ID numbers for the three required officers: the primary contact or president, finance officer or treasurer and risk officer. Updated information forms can be completed here. The form is also available at involvement.truman.edu.

If the primary contact/president is transitioning, they must fill out the Student Organization Recognition Agreement and submit a signed copy here. Questions should be directed to orgs@truman.edu.
Leadership Master’s Now Available Fully Online
Truman is offering a restructured, entirely online Master of Arts in Leadership program beginning in the Fall 2026 semester.

The 30-credit hour program connects students with faculty who are industry leaders and consultants in multiple fields. The for-profit and not-for-profits fields include health care, government, education, human services, management and more.

Tuition for the 2026-27 academic year is $571 per credit hour. Students who enroll in six credit hours are considered half-time and may be eligible for loans by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students are encouraged to apply for the Fall 2026 semester at apply.truman.edu. Applications should be submitted by Aug. 1 in preparation for the first day of classes, Aug. 17. As this program is fully online, international students holding an F-1 Visa are not eligible to participate.

A full list of graduate programs offered is available at truman.edu/majors-programs/graduate-studies. Questions should be directed to Gabrielle Squires, graduate admissions counselor, at gradinfo@truman.edu or 660.785.7398.
Fraternity and Sorority Sign-ups Now Open
Sign-ups for Truman’s Fraternity and Sorority Life Recruitment is open and will remain open until the first week of September.

Panhellenic Welcome and Meet the Chapters will take place Sept. 3, with sorority recruitment taking place Sept. 8-13. Registration is open now and closes Sept. 11. Recruitment sign-up can be found here. The cost of Panhellenic Recruitment is $5, and additional information can be found at each chapter’s social media or the Panhellenic website. Questions about the formal recruitment process should be directed to panhellenic@truman.edu.

Fraternity Meet the Chapters Assemblies will take place Sept. 3, with recruitment taking place Sept. 11-18. Registration is open now and recruitment sign-ups can be found here. If a potential member is in their first semester at Truman, they cannot accept a bid via Open Recruitment until after the conclusion of Formal Recruitment. Questions about the IFC recruitment process should be directed to ifc@truman.edu. Additional information can be found on the Interfraternity Council website.

Those interested in joining a National Pan-Hellenic Council organization are encouraged to attend NPHC chapter-specific Informational Meetings that will be publicized as they are scheduled. Potential members are advised to directly contact the appropriate chapter president for more information.

Questions regarding recruitment can be emailed to fsl@truman.edu. More information can also be found by following @trumanfsl on Instagram.
Volunteers Needed for Move-In Day
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.
Next Issue
The next issue of the Truman Today will be available July 20.

Notables

Truman Ranked Among Best Values in America

Truman has been ranked No. 21 on SmartAsset’s list of America’s Best Value Small Colleges and Universities.

SmartAsset, an online resource for financial information and advice, evaluated more than 1,000 U.S. colleges and universities with undergraduate enrollments of fewer than 5,000 students to identify the best values among small schools. Rankings are based on a composite score derived from graduation rates and median alumni earnings of these institutions.

Out of the 75 schools named best-value small colleges, Truman surpassed more than two-thirds of the field to rank No. 21 overall. When considering only public colleges and universities, Truman’s ranking moves up to No. 11 on the list. Furthermore, limiting the list to public and private schools located strictly in the Midwest would place Truman even higher, with a No. 5 ranking across the region.

The full list of schools, including average costs, graduation rates and median earnings, can be found here.

Scholarship Opportunities

Fraternity Offers Freshman Scholarships for Fall 2026

Delta Chi fraternity is offering two $500 scholarships to full-time male Truman students for the fall 2026 semester.

Named in honor of the date of their founding, the 1890 Scholarship is awarded to freshmen who show motivation, character and integrity. Applicants are awarded based on exemplification of Delta Chi’s pillars of friendship, character, justice and education. The scholarship is open to all majors and does not require an essay submission.

Applications are available here. Questions should be directed to Brody Douglas, recruitment chair, at jc22571@truman.edu.