Vol. 31 No. 6 - September 21, 2026

This year’s fall Career, Internship and Graduate School Fair will take place from 12-4 p.m. Sept. 24 in the Student Union Building Georgian and Activities rooms.

The fair is open to students of all majors and academic levels. The event is hosted by the Career Center twice a year to help students prepare for graduate school, internships and job searches. The fair provides a chance for students to meet with many representatives from businesses, non-profits, government, and graduate and professional schools.

Through the fair, students have the opportunity to meet employers, explore career paths, learn about internships and full-time opportunities and connect with graduate schools. They do not need to have a job or internship search underway to attend. This is a great opportunity to practice networking and start building professional connections.

Students attending either fair can have professional portraits taken free of charge by the campus photographer during the event. These high-quality portraits are perfect for LinkedIn profiles, Handshake profiles and other professional materials.

New employers and graduate schools are being added daily to Handshake. To see which organizations will be attending the fair, log in and check regularly. Employers are posting a variety of internships and full-time positions, with many hiring for multiple roles across different fields. 

To learn more, or to register for this event, go to hiretruman.truman.edu then to Student/Alumni Login followed by events, career fairs and Fall 2026 Career, Internship and Graduate School Fair. Click on “Register” in the upper right corner of the page to formally register. For questions regarding times or function of the event, visit the Career Center website or email the Career Center at careers@truman.edu. These events will be accessed from #HireTruman.

“Life Goes On” is one of 10 films to be shown at the Del and Norma Robison Planetarium during the Manhattan Short 2026 festival. Admission is free, and attendees can vote for the best film and best actor.

The Del and Norma Robison Planetarium will participate in a global short-film festival that will allow attendees to vote for their favorite picture.

Manhattan Short 2026 will run simultaneously across the world for a one-week period. The planetarium is one of more than 500 locations around the world to participate in the screenings. The 10 films range in running time from three to 22 minutes. There will be four opportunities to watch, with the planetarium hosting screenings at 7 p.m. Sept. 25-26 and Oct. 2-3. There is no cost to attend the festival.

All 10 films will be screened at every showing, and attendees will be allowed to vote for Best Film and Best Actor. By virtue of their selection by Manhattan Short, each film is automatically Oscar-qualified.

The finalists hail from 10 countries with films from the United States, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Moldova, Russia, Cuba, Georgia and Mexico.

“Small Talk”
United States
In a neon-drenched future where AI has consumed nearly every profession, a weary cab driver preserves the last traces of humanity the only way he can... through small talk.

“Mary is Missing”
Ireland
When care worker Mary vanishes without a trace, Detective Foley arrives at the Yellow Tree Day Service, and investigations begin. As reports from the eyewitnesses become more and more confounding, viewers are asked to explore the reliability of truth, the strangeness of fiction and the people we choose to believe.

“Candy Bar”
Australia
A young girl thinks a man in the candy bar line looks like her dad.

“Vultures”
South Africa
In the volatile moments after a car crash, before the authorities arrive, a hot-headed yet desperate tow truck driver fiercely protects his tow. But the situation quickly spirals out of his control.

“Life Goes On”
United Kingdom
Bill is in end-of-life care waiting for the sweet release of death — but unfortunately for him, he's stuck in an infinite time loop, causing the day to restart the second his heart stops.

“Hai Davai”
Moldova
On the cusp of leaving her rural Moldovan village for a new life abroad, Nina is stopped, quite literally, by an old superstition: a black cat crosses the road. Citing bad luck, her worried grandmother refuses to let her pass.

“Pickup”
Russia
At a pickup workshop, every girl gets a mission — flirt, charm and win. For Di, the shyest one in the room, the task is simple: ask a guy to buy her coffee. Passing by her more confident “competitors,” she ends up on a rooftop smoking area, where she meets Alex — a man about to end his life.

“Norheimsund”
Cuba
A girl's long-distance romance with an older Norwegian man promises to pull her and her mother from their austere life in Cuba, but her dreams are shaken when she realizes he isn't as idyllic as he seems.

“When the Sea was Calm”
Georgia
A silent, hand-crafted Georgian animated short that transforms memories of pre-war Sokhumi into a poetic story of childhood, first love, exile and the dream of return.

“Never Give Up!”
Mexico
Alone in the desert, a young boy attempts to cross the U.S.—Mexico border guided only by his mother’s final words: “Never give up.” An unexpected source of hope leads him toward a twist that redefines survival.

Truman’s annual United Way campaign will kick off the week of Sept. 21.

The United Way of Northeast Missouri funds 10 agencies that directly serve the community. Donors should consider that 99% of every dollar stays local. Area partners include: Adair County 4-H; the Adair County Family YMCA; the Boy Scouts of America, Great Rivers Council; Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri; Hospice of Northeast Missouri; Macon Community Child Development Center; Macon Diversified Industries; NEMO Senior Citizens Services; Northeast Missouri Agency on Aging; and the Salvation Army.

There are several ways to contribute to the United Way Campaign. All faculty and staff members will receive information about the campaign through campus mail in the coming weeks and can complete the enclosed pledge form. For payroll deductions, employees should indicate both the total gift and the amount to be deducted each pay period.

Individuals who did not receive campaign information, or those who may have questions, should contact co-chairs Brian Snyder, associate professor of exercise sciences, or Dawn Howd, director of stewardship. For more information about the United Way of Northeast Missouri, or to donate online, visit liveunitednemo.org. Faculty and staff members who donate online are encouraged to return the white slip from their campaign information through campus mail in order to keep track of the amount raised from the Truman community.

More than one out of three people in the United Way of Northeast Missouri service area are touched by United Way agencies and programs. Without the support of the United Way, many of these agencies would not be able to continue providing theses essential programs.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be filed for the 2027-2028 school year at studentaid.gov beginning Oct. 1.

All students in need of financial assistance are encouraged to complete the FAFSA. Federal Student Aid is the largest provider of financial aid for college students in the United States.

Even though a student may not qualify for grants or work-study, all students are considered for the Federal Direct Loan (no co-signer required). Filing the FAFSA does not commit students to taking a loan, but it does allow for more options.

The 2027-2028 FAFSA will use 2025 tax year information with a priority deadline of Feb. 1, 2027, for Missouri residents. It is strongly recommended to apply or renew before Feb. 1 Details about the FAFSA can be found online at studentaid.gov.

For more information, contact the Financial Aid Office at 660.785.4130 or finaid@truman.edu. The Financial Aid Office website also has a variety of helpful resources for students and their families.

The Office of Community Enrichment will host an International Day of Peace table from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 21 in the Student Union Building. Students are invited to stop by for peace-themed giveaways.

Reception attendees can enjoy light refreshments and participate in voting for the Best in Show People's Choice Award. The exhibit is on display now through Dec. 14 and is free to view for all Truman students, faculty and staff, as well as the community.

Truman’s heritage is built upon fascinating, inspiring, wacky and even bizarre tales throughout its history. Join Zac Burden, director of citizenship and conduct, as he leads two night tours of campus to share many of these stories while developing a greater connection to Truman. Tours will take place at 7 p.m. Sept. 24 and Oct. 5, both meeting at the Bell Wall.

Open hours for Pickler Memorial Library can be found at library.truman.edu/library-hours.

The Office of Community Enrichment will honor Hispanic Heritage Month with a Talavera-inspired event from 2:30-5 p.m. Sept. 29 on the Quad. Students are invited to stop by, learn about the Mexican Talavera art style and try their hand at painting their own drink coaster.

Students from ECON 486: Readings in Economics, taught by Yasemin Akcan Barto, will showcase various world currencies in Pickler Memorial Library, beginning Sept. 30. The display will feature vintage coins from the U.S., Great Britain, East Asia, South America and more.

Pickler Memorial Library will offer Zotero workshops for students and faculty from 3-4:15 p.m. Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 in the Innovation Lab. Registration is available here. Questions should be directed to Matt Sharp, research and instruction librarian, at msharp@truman.edu.

The Office of Community Enrichment will host a First-Gen Café from 3-5 p.m. Oct. 1 in the Pickler Memorial Library Café. Event staff will be giving away drink coupons, as well as having discussions and building community among first-generation students on campus.

Students enrolled in 12-16 credit hours can take CML 200 at no additional cost. For more information or an override to enroll in this course, contact Zhijun “David” Wen, assistant professor of Chinese, at zwen@truman.edu or in McClain Hall 313.

The Chinese Language and Cultural Association will host the annual Mid-Autumn Moon Festival at 5 p.m. Oct. 3 in the Student Union Building Georgian Rooms. The event will feature live performances, mooncakes, a raffle and dinner at no cost. Tickets are required and can be obtained here.

Most students will be asked to complete a survey on experiences with student organizations, teams and activities Sept. 21-Oct. 11. Students living on campus will then be asked to complete a different survey beginning Oct. 12 about their experiences living in the residence halls and University apartments. Completing each of these surveys helps to improve Truman and enters participants into drawings for rewards.

Meal swipes will now be accepted at Mein Bowl, allowing students to extend the use of their meal plans. Dining services will also continue to offer a weekly rotation of assorted dining options — such as barbecue, wings and burgers — every Wednesday at Tres Habaneros, with the addition of free drink refills within Mainstreet Food Court. Drinks can be refilled at any soft drink fountain, excluding specialty drinks such as lemonades and teas from Chick-fil-A.

Additional information and organization signups are available here. Questions should be directed to Zac Burden, director of citizenship and conduct, at zburden@truman.edu.

Applications for positions on AFAC are available at senate.truman.edu/application. Questions should be directed to studentgovernment@truman.edu.

Students who may be interested in sharing their Truman experiences should fill out this form.

Truman was recognized as one of 15 institutions where students can get an excellent degree while keeping their total annual cost under $30,000. The financial website MoneyLion examined SmartAsset’s comprehensive analysis of more than 1,000 small colleges in the U.S. to find schools that offer a quality education at an affordable price.

Marc Becker, professor of history, recently published two essays on Ecuadorian-Cuban diplomatic relations drawing on research he conducted with the support of a sabbatical research leave, a Faculty Scholarship Grant and a School of Arts and Humanities International Travel Grant: “Ecuador y las relaciones diplomáticas por la paz en el conflicto Cuba–Estados Unidos,” Andares: Revista de Derechos Humanos y de la Naturaleza and “Los misiles de octubre en Ecuador” in “A instantes de la destrucción. La Guerra Fría latinoamericana y la crisis de los misiles en Cuba.” Becker also published “Las escuelas sindicales de Cayambe en la encrucijada entre educación y política” and was recently interviewed on the community radio station WORT in Madison, Wisconsin, on his research on Cuba, which can be found at wortfm.com.

Stacy Davis, associate professor of Spanish, used her School of Arts and Humanities International Travel Grant funds to travel to Salamanca, Spain, with Truman alumna Kathleen Placke (’20, ’22). The two presented a workshop titled, “Repensar la evaluación en ELE: La Evaluación Integrada del Desempeño llevada a la educación superior,” as part of the session on innovative pedagogy at the LXII Congreso de la Asociación Canadiense de Hispanistas at the University of Salamanca, one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions in Spain.

Applications are now open for Spring 2027 Foundation Scholarships available through the Truman State University Foundation.

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 Oct. 16 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.