Vol. 20 No. 16 - Jan. 11, 2016

More than 60 years have come and gone since the University’s namesake roamed the grounds of the White House, but in a roundabout way, his presence returned when three Truman students landed internships there last fall.

Renee Baharaeen, Elisabeth Blotevogel and Abby Wood earned positions with the White House and had the opportunity see how the government works from the highest post in the land. Even as interns, they were able to make real contributions during their time in Washington.

“I was sitting at my desk, and one of my bosses emailed me an assignment,” Baharaeen said. “At the end of the email she explained that what I was doing would be part of the information used to brief the president. It was such a cool opportunity, but I was also incredibly nervous.”

Only about 150 students from around the nation are picked for White House internships during each semester. The path to the White House for the three Truman representatives was paved by alumnus and administration official Corey Then (’02) who has worked as the Special Assistant to the President and Economics Team Lead for the Office of Presidential Personnel for the past year. He previously served as a Deputy Associate Counsel at the White House.

“I think the White House will benefit from having Truman students here because they are the type of intellectually curious, driven – but humble – people we need to have in government,” he said.

Then’s immense respect for the White House is fairly new compared to his admiration for Truman. Coming out of Iowa, he was the first person in his blue-collar family to attend college. During his senior year of high school his mother lost her job, making financing his education a difficult task. Fortunately, he earned a Pershing Scholarship through the University.

“Truman gave me an extraordinary education for free,” Then said. “It’s also where I met my wife and some of my best friends. There’s no real way I can ever pay all of that back, but I hope to help spread the word about what a great school Truman is wherever I can.”

Then is already returning the favor, as evidenced by the immediate influence his efforts had on the three interns. Although they worked under different offices, they each had similarly positive experiences.

“After this experience, I definitely want to continue to work in public service,” said Blotevogel, who interned for the Office of Presidential Correspondence. “It has been kind of inspiring to work with people who are passionate about helping others. I think that kind of drive only comes from understanding that one is here to serve the people. There are so many opportunities in government outside of policymaking that can have an impact.”

A recent graduate of Truman, Wood (’15) was inspired by her work in the Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs.

“I was constantly amazed by the people I worked with and the events that occurred each day,” she said. “It is a remarkable feeling to watch history being made and an even greater feeling to be a part of it.”

Wood plans to stay in Washington to pursue a master’s degree in public administration at American University. She would like eventually to work for a non-profit or think-tank.

Baharaeen interned for the management team in the Office of Presidential Personnel and now has her sights set on making strides in the education sector. She hopes to advocate for low-income students in terms of providing more support in the K-12 system, as well as strengthening access to higher education. Regardless of her specific role, she plans to serve her community, whether it is on the local, state or national level.

“I want to find ways to offset so much of the cynicism surrounding politics and motivate the public to take action on pressing issues,” she said.

Between the values instilled at Truman and the inspiration from working for one of the country’s most sacred institutions, Baharaeen, Blotevogel and Wood seem positioned to do great things in the future. Harry Truman once said, “America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.” Six decades may have passed, but his spirit is still alive and well at the White House.

Truman students Elisabeth Blotevogel, Renee Baharaeen and Abby Wood take a picture with alumnus and administration official Corey Then in front of the White House. The three students recently completed internships at the White House. Pictured, from left, Blotevogel, Baharaeen, Then and Wood.

The Bulldog Battalion’s Color Guard was invited to conduct the presentation of colors prior to the nationally televised NFL game Dec. 17 in St. Louis.

Marching to centerfield on the 40-yard line were cadets Kayla Thompson, Brianna McRoberts, Rachel DeMarcantonio, Calvin Colvis and Seth Kmetz to ceremoniously present the national and state flags for the playing of the national anthem by contemporary violinist Bobby Yang. It was a unique experience for the cadets who were invited onto the field to watch pre-game warm ups and take in the sights and sounds of Thursday Night Football. Before kickoff they met a few players and posed for pictures with former Rams Hall of Famer Aeneas Williams and Super Bowl champion Tory Holt. The cadets even had a run-in with comedian Kevin Hart and rapper/actor Ice Cube.

The contest between the St. Louis Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could possibly have been the last NFL football game the Rams will play in the Edward Jones Dome. It had a special significance to the people of St. Louis who have enjoyed the Ram’s presence since the team’s move from California prior to the 1995 season.  

Truman’s ROTC program, under the direction of Lt. Col. Dennis Utt, has been taking steps to increase the programs exposure and also provide cadets with unique opportunities. In mid-November, the Color Guard presented the colors for the St. Louis Blues at the Scottrade Center.

Outstanding academics and affordable costs helped move Truman up to the No. 15 spot for public schools in the Kiplinger’s Personal Finance rankings of best college values.

The publication’s recently released list of the “Top 300 Best College Values of 2016” placed Truman at No. 65 overall and No. 15 among public institutions, an improvement of four spots from the previous year’s ranking.

“College is one of the biggest investments many people will ever make; however, affordability should never come at the cost of academic excellence,” University President Troy D. Paino said. “Balancing those factors can be difficult, so to see Truman consistently excel at providing an excellent education at a reasonable price speaks to our commitment to students.”

In terms of affordability, Truman’s total cost per year is the sixth best among all of the schools in Kiplinger’s rankings. Among public institutions, Truman’s spot at No. 15 is enough to make it the highest-rated Missouri school on the list and the only university in the state to crack the top 50.

Kiplinger assesses value by measurable standards of academic quality and affordability. Quality measures include the admission rate, the percentage of students who return for sophomore year, the student-faculty ratio and four-year graduation rate. Cost criteria include sticker price, financial aid and average debt at graduation.

The complete rankings are available now online at kiplinger.com/links/college and appear in print in the February 2016 issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.

 
Michelle Blakely has been selected as the director of Disability Services.
 
Blakely has a Ph.D. in social and behavioral sciences and a M.Ed. in counseling from Auburn University. She graduated summa cum laude with Psychology Departmental honors from the University of South Alabama, and she is a National Certified Counselor. Blakely is an active scholar who continues to publish on a variety of subjects including her latest article, out this month in The Consultant Pharmacist, which deals with helping health care professionals form stronger partnerships with their patients.

Before arriving at Truman, Blakely was an assistant professor of social and administrative sciences at the University of Connecticut, School of Pharmacy. While at UConn, her fields of specialization included social and behavioral sciences, communications and patient health care. She is also an affiliate with the University of Connecticut’s Center for Health, Intervention and Prevention. This interdisciplinary center is designed specifically to help individuals achieve their maximum potential with regard to their physical and mental abilities.

In her new role at Truman, Blakely will provide and coordinate services that help students maximize their educational potential to ensure that they have the opportunity to participate in all aspects of the Truman experience. Before accepting this position, Blakely served as Truman’s student education and support coordinator in the Dean of Student Affairs Office.

Through the support of Truman’s education alumni and a generous estate gift, the James and Margaret Mudd Teacher Recognition Scholarship provides ongoing recognition of excellence in education.

This January, graduating students have the opportunity to recognize a high school educator/counselor who made a positive impact on their academic growth. The chosen teacher/counselor will then receive an invitation to be formally recognized and participate in Truman’s spring commencement. To further acknowledge the recipient, a $1,000 scholarship will be awarded in the recipient’s honor to an incoming Truman student from the teacher’s/counselor’s high school.

Since its origin as a normal school in 1867, Truman has been committed to providing a strong teacher education program. Over the years, more than 8,000 teachers have received preparation from the University, and the education program is deeply rooted in the University’s history.

Graduating seniors will receive an email this month with nomination process instructions. Anyone who wishes to donate to the Teacher Recognition Scholarship fund may do so by contacting the Office of Advancement at 660.785.4133.

The Office of Student Research will once again offer intensive summer TruScholars undergraduate research experiences.

The purpose of the TruScholars program is to foster collaborative faculty-student research and creative activities to enhance undergraduate student learning. Projects supported by this program should exhibit the potential for scholarly publication, presentation at a regional or national conference, public performance or a gallery showing.

The formal part of the 2016 TruScholars program will coincide with the eight-week summer semester, beginning June 6 and ending July 29. During this time, students should devote full-time effort to their projects and faculty mentors should be continuously available for consultation and collaboration. If student-faculty teams would like to begin their research earlier than June 6 because of the nature of the research or enthusiasm for the project, they are encouraged to do whatever is best for the project, understanding that there will be intense effort during the eight-week session.

Application guidelines, important dates and frequently asked questions can be found on the OSR website at osr.truman.edu/truscholars.

To optimize the quality of the TruScholars experience, there will be a number of required elements including an orientation during the spring semester, attendance at two of three professional development workshops during the eight-week summer semester, and presentation at the TruScholars Research Symposium Aug. 20. Specific dates are given at the OSR website. Faculty will be asked to attend the orientation and research symposium as well as either lead or attend two of the three workshops.

This application does include a project description among other components and therefore students are encouraged to identify a faculty mentor as early as possible.

Questions beyond the TruScholars frequently asked questions should be addressed via email to osr@truman.edu.

 
Truman’s Multicultural Affairs Center will host the 8th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Collegiate Challenge Jan. 18.

The goal this year is to help 150 student volunteers make it a day ON, not a day OFF. These students will be divided into teams and go out into the local community and help community partners with projects or “challenges” that they may or may not have the time or resources to complete. The challenges require students to use critical thinking, problem solving and other skills as they address social issues and help the greater Kirksville community. In addition to unifying diverse participants around a service project, students will have the opportunity to reflect upon, honor and celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King.

Register online for this event at truservice.truman.edu. For more information, contact Shelby Sims, Center for Student Involvement program advisor, by email or at 660.785.4222.

Informational meetings for the May 2016 Europe in Transition study abroad program will take place at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 13 and Jan. 14 in Violette Hall 1400.

Students participating in this trip, sponsored by Truman, will experience Brussels, Paris, Rome, Florence, Assisi, Venice and more. Scholarship money is available. Details about the program can be found at truman.edu/majors-programs/academic-departments/about-school-of-business/business-school-study-abroad.

For more information, contact Jason Lin at jlin@truman.edu.

Truman has been named one of the 50 Safest Colleges in America by BackgroundChecks.org. The website is devoted to public safety and knowledge. For this study, researchers created the ranking using publicly available safety data for schools with at least 5,000 students. The listing can be found at backgroundchecks.org/50-safest-colleges-in-america.html.

As part of the School of Health Sciences and Education’s ongoing commitment to help with the issue of food insecurity in the northeast Missouri area, the Nursing Department challenged all departments in the SHSE to raise money for Hope’s Kitchen. Each department in SHSE collected signatures and donations and collectively raised $1,058.54 for Hope’s Kitchen. The soup kitchen operates out of Mary Immaculate Catholic Church and serves about 200 meals every third and fourth Saturday from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., in addition to delivering meals to homebound and disabled residents.

Curtis Blakely, associate professor in justice systems, had his article, “What Podolsky, Einstein and Others Have Taught Me about Greatness,” published in the December 2015 edition of Socrates, a multi-lingual, interdisciplinary journal. The article details Blakely’s efforts to catalogue and preserve the lectures, letters, scientific papers and books of several noted physicists.

Jesse Krebs, associate professor of music, will give a guest clinic at this year’s Arkansas Clarinet Day, Jan. 19, at the University of Central Arkansas. His presentation, “Teaching Clarinet Using Analogies and Similes,” will focus on ways to use mental imagery and visualizations to teach clarinet technique and musicianship. He also will serve as the guest conductor for the Eastern Missouri Conference Honor Band in Bowling Green, Mo., Feb. 3, and he will be featured as the guest artist at this year’s Eastern Kentucky University Clarinet Festival, April 2, in Richmond, Ky., where he will be performing a clarinet recital and giving a master class.

Clara Grace Miller-Broomfield, a senior romance language major, had her paper, “A Lexical Analysis of an Obscure Pharmaceutical Term from a Fifteenth Century Spanish Apothecaries’ Manual: ‘Secaniabin,’” from the 2015 National Conference of Undergraduate Research, published.

John James Quinn, professor of political science, had his book, “Global Geopolitical Power and African Political and Economic Institutions: When Elephants Fight,” published by Lexington Books. It seeks to examine and explain two periods of significant and region-wide changes of African political and economic institutions and practices. These two regional shifts can be linked to two prior geopolitical shifts in power: the end of WWII with the Cold War structure, and the immediate post-Cold War period, with American primacy. The economic and political institutions of Africa that emerged in each period did so as a result of a complex mix of contending domestic, regional and international forces (material, ideological and intellectual) — all which were themselves greatly impacted in the wake of these two global geopolitical realignments.

Jack Winstead, assistant professor of accounting, and his co-author Mitch Wenger, had their manuscript entitled, “Skills vs. Concepts? A Comparison of Practitioners’ and Educators’ Preferences for Accounting Information Systems Proficiencies,” accepted for publication in forthcoming issues of the AIS Educators Journal.

Truman voice majors Monica King, Katie Ewalt and Cady Thomas participated in the National Association of Teachers of Singing regional auditions Nov. 12-14 at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill. Ewalt advanced to the semi-final round, and Thomas won first place in the Sophomore Women’s Division. King is a student of Tom Hueber, and Ewalt and Thomas are students of Jacqueline Collett.

The Morris K. Udall Foundation awards undergraduate scholarships to sophomore or junior students who have demonstrated leadership and commitment to public service in areas related to environmental issues on a local, national or global scale. The campus deadline for this nationally competitive scholarship is Jan. 29. To apply, contact Truman’s representative, Maria C. Di Stefano mdistefa@truman.edu. For further information, visit the Udall website.

Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri Scholarships
Scholarships are available through Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri, Inc., for the 2015-2016 academic year. Last year they awarded more than $14,000 in scholarships to Missouri students. Two students selected by the Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri will be submitted to Central Region as an applicant and to National Garden Clubs Inc. as a Missouri applicant, and will compete for a Central Region and National Scholarship. The scholarship application is available online at gardenclub.org/scholarships. The deadline to apply is Feb. 1.

Greater Kansas City Community Foundation
The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation has more than 100 scholarship funds available to students living in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The purpose of the scholarship funds housed at the Community Foundation vary widely from providing aid to students demonstrating financial need to those intending to major in a specific field of study. Students are encouraged to apply in January after fall transcripts are available. Most application deadlines occur between February and April.  For more information, go to www.growyourgiving.org/scholarships.

Rover Scholarship
Rover.com is a one-stop shop for loving and trustworthy dog sitters. Rover connects pet parents with loving dog sitters across the country. This would not be possible without the rapid growth of the sharing economy. Take a survey and submit a 400- to 500-word essay discussing the emergence of a sharing economy in the next five years. For more information on how to apply, click here.

Seed Grand Project Application
The IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (ASG) is a network of more than 500 of the world’s leading amphibian experts providing scientific guidance to enable conservation actions to be prioritized and implemented by the Amphibian Survival Alliance (ASA), a partnership of more than 100 organizations committed to amphibian conservation worldwide. Seed grants are normally provided in amounts ranging from $500-$1,000 and are designed to help kickstart projects or allow teams to try new innovative approaches to address conservation, research and education challenges. For more information, click here. 

B. Davis Scholarship
The creators of the “Student Award Search Aid” website are offering a B. Davis Scholarship for $1000 scholarship for 2016. Visit their website at www.studentawardsearch.com/scholarships.htm to read more about how to apply for this scholarship and browse through the rest of their site to learn about applying for other scholarships. The deadline to submit an application for the B. Davis Scholarship is May 23.

Personality Type Scholarship 2015
Typology Central, a personality type indicator community, is offering a scholarship to both graduate and undergraduate Truman students. The scholarship was created to provide educational opportunities for individuals interested in the study of personality type theory and practical application of those systems. The deadline is June 3. For more information, click here.

Diabetes Scholarship
This $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to undergraduate and graduate students who have been diagnosed with any type of diabetes with a 3.0 GPA. Deadline for application is June 15. Click here for details.

Leukemia Scholarship
This $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to one college student who has battled leukemia, or whose life has been affected by it. Deadline for application is June 15. Click here for details.

Scholarships Available for Veterans
To learn more about scholarships offered to veterans, click here.

The U.S.-U.K. Fulbright Commission has opened their applications for the U.K. Summer Institute Award Programs for U.S. undergraduates. 

The Fulbright U.K. Summer Institute Programs offer students a fantastic opportunity to be immersed in the study of British academics and culture. Students will take part in research, collaboration, presentation and cultural events at an esteemed British university. They will enhance their leadership skills, develop knowledge and understanding of new subjects, and become ambassadors for the United Kingdom and the United States.  

Students from all areas of study are encouraged to apply. Each summer institute will cover a different theme such as acting at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the history of the slave trade in England, or the political, social and economic relationships of Northern Ireland. These institutes include:

AIFS Summer Institute at Shakespeare’s Globe

Durham University Summer Institute

King’s College London Summer Institute

University of Bristol Summer Institute

University of Exeter Summer Institute

Queen’s University Belfast

Scotland Summer Institute

Wales Summer Institute

To meet the minimum eligibility, applicants must:
•    be a U.S. citizen and possess a U.S. passport;
•    be at least 18 years old;
•    have a high level of academic achievement with a minimum GPA of 3.7 (confirmed by academic marks, awards and references);
•    have at least two years of university study upon their return (i.e. applicants should currently be a freshman or sophomore in college/university)
•    be mature, responsible, independent and open-minded

The awards will cover the majority of all costs incurred, including flights to and from the U.K., university fees and room and board at the host university.

There have been two changes made to this year’s application process. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.7 and all references must be submitted online. Applicants should direct their references to the webpage of their selected institute where they can find the online reference letter form.

Deadlines for 2016 are Feb. 23 or Feb. 26, depending on the institute. Each program also varies in duration, from three to six weeks. Be sure to check the specific institute page for the particular deadline.