Vol. 11 No. 5 - Sept. 26, 2006

Truman State University has gained another distinction among Missouri’s colleges and universities: being the only institution from the state whose department of mathematics was invited to participate in the Heartland Mathematics Partnership.

The project is initiated by the Department of Mathematics at the University of Iowa. The Partnership involves 12 regional liberal arts institutions: Bradley University, Central College, Clarke College, Coe College, Cornell College, Grinnell College, Loras College, Luther College, Truman State University, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse and Wartburg College.

The University of Iowa and the Partnership schools received formal notification in September 2006 that the Partnership has been awarded a prestigious five-year, $3 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant designed to increase the number of highly talented students from the United States who enter a career in the mathematical sciences. Called VIGRE (Vertical Integration of Research and Education), the project is one of only three such grants awarded each year across the country.

The NSF VIGRE grant will sponsor a number of Partnership activities: (1) Undergraduate and graduate students, as well as post-doctoral fellows will be supported in state-of-the-art mathematics research as part of teams with University of Iowa faculty. (2) An extensive Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) will be created at the University of Iowa, with preferential admission extended to undergraduates from the 12 Partnership schools. (3) Faculty exchange programs will be offered to faculty at Partnership schools whose research overlaps with that of University of Iowa mathematics faculty. (4) Some long-term research projects will be offered, where undergraduates continue to work with a professor at their home institution on a project initiated at the University of Iowa.

The Principal Investigator of the VIGRE grant is David Manderscheid, chair of the department of mathematics at the University of Iowa. Kevin Easley, professor of mathematics, represents Truman State University on the Heartland Mathematics Partnership.

The 2006-2007 Truman State University Kohlenberg Lyceum Series begins with the smooth sounds of the New Orleans based Preservation Hall Jazz Band at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3 in Baldwin Auditorium. They will also have a master class at 2 p.m. Oct. 2 in the Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall. Band members Carl LeBlanc, Walter Payton and Joseph Lastie will deliver the general lecture.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band is celebrating its 45th anniversary by touring worldwide in order to spread their mission to nurture and perpetuate the art form of New Orleans Jazz. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band previously performed at Truman in September 2000.

The band is lead by director Ben Jaffe. The band derives its name from Preservation Hall, the venerable music venue located in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter.

Founded in 1963, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band has produced seven albums in its 45 years of existence.

Tickets for the performance are free to all students, faculty and staff, and are available beginning Sept. 26. Tickets for faculty and staff are available in the Center for Student Involvement, and students may pick their tickets up in the Student Activities Board office.

  Dominic Armstrong

Already a distinguished opera singer and recitalist, Truman alumnus Dominic Armstrong (’02) is returning to his roots with his on campus performance of Johannnes Brahms’ “Romanzen aus Tiecks Magelone” (“Ballads from Tieck’s Magelone”). The recital is at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28 in the Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall. The recital will also feature Nancy Hueber, pianist and Adam Davis, narrator. Admission is free.

A native of Kirksville, Armstrong received his Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from Truman State University. While at Truman, Armstrong was an active performer, twice winning the Gold Medal Concerto/Aria competition. He performed such roles as Seymour in “Little Shop of Horrors,” the Padre in “Man of LaMancha,” Agwe in “Once on this Island” and L’Amante in “Amelia al ballo.”

Upon graduating from Truman, Armstrong attended the Juilliard School, where he received his Master of Music in vocal performance. He performed several recitals and opera roles at the Juilliard School, including Dr. Eisenstein in “Die Fledermaus,” and Ivan in Richard Wargo’s “The Music Shop.”

Armstrong is currently pursuing a second Master of Music degree in opera at the Curtis Institute of Music, studying with Marlena Kleinman Malas.
At the Curtis Institute of Music, Armstrong has appeared as Tamino in “Die Zauberflote,” Brighella in “Ariadne auf Naxos,” the fisherman in “Le Rossignol” and the Mayor in “Albert Herring.” He will also appear in “L’Ormindo,” “La Rondine” and “Postcards from Morocco.”

This past summer, Armstrong sang with the Opera Theatre of St. Louis as a Gerdine Young Artist, and sang for the second season with Chautauqua Opera where he appeared as Alfredo in “La Traviata” and won the SAI Vocal Competition. At the end of October, he will perform as tenor soloist in Mozart’s “Requiem” with the Kansas City Symphony.

Truman State University nursing students who traveled to the Philippines last summer for a professional and cultural immersion, will share their experiences with both the University community and Kirksville at 8 p.m. Oct. 3 in the Student Union Building Alumni Room.
 
Nursing students will present posters, visual technologies and oral accounts of their discoveries in the Philippines. Refreshments will be provided by the Center for International Education Abroad. The public is invited to the event.

Eight senior nursing students from Truman spent three weeks from May 26-June 18, 2006, interacting with professional staff and patients in the Philippines.

Truman students Ashley Carter, Jessica Corwin, Melissa Maloney, Christine Motte, Jaime O’Sullivan, Melody Turner, Ashley Walker and Christine Williamson traveled to the Asian country to participate in this unique study abroad/professional immersion experience. Two senior nursing students from Blessing-Rieman School of Nursing in Quincy, Ill., Amy Curran and Lora Schiedeskamp, also traveled with the group.

Kit Hadwiger, assistant professor of nursing, was the faculty coordinator of the Nursing Transcultural Program in the Philippines. Stephen Hadwiger, associate professor of nursing, was the faculty assistant for this previous summer’s program.

Students spent their first week in Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, the national government flagship hospital in Manila, working primarily in obstetrical and pediatric settings. Their experiences were not limited to just those two settings, however, as students got the chance to soak up a breadth of different clinical experiences.
 
During their final two weeks, students were paired with Filipino nursing students through West Visayas State University College of Nursing and learned about cultural influences in diverse clinical settings. They made home visits in barrios, examined commercial sex workers in the social hygiene clinic, interviewed people with leprosy at the Santa Barbara Sanitarium, assessed pregnant women in a prenatal care clinic and cared for patients in medical/surgical hospital wards. Nursing students also conducted cultural assessments, and examined influencing factors on health care, such as economics, culture, politics and gender.

This past summer, Truman State University students were presented with a unique way to take their Junior Interdisciplinary Seminar (JINS) course, as well as to experience the sites and sounds of the original British rock and roll invasion, via a study abroad course. The Rock Generation, a summer JINS course, traveled to London and Liverpool, England. The course was offered as part of the study abroad London Program.

The course, which was created by Gregory Jones, professor of music, in 1997, combines the study of the British Invasion of rock and roll music in the 1960s, with live performances at Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club, and the Nothin’ But the Blues Bar in London. Tours of famous British music landmarks were also a part of the course, including such historic sites in London as the Abbey Road Studios and Soho. Historical sites in Liverpool included Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, the Cavern Club and the boyhood homes of the Beatles.

This unique summer course united Truman students with students from other universities in Missouri and the eastern United States.

Black alumni will celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Black Alumni Reunion at Homecoming. In honor of this anniversary, they have established the Black Alumni & Attendees Scholarship to benefit black students attending Truman. To date, they have raised more than $7,000, thanks to the generosity of Truman’s black alumni and attendee community. However, they haven’t reached their goal yet.

In order to reach the goal of raising $10,000 by  Homecoming, the Black Alumni & Attendees Scholarship Committee launched the first ever Black Student Organization Challenge to alumni and attendees who are members of Greek organizations. The goal is to see which black organization can raise the most money that will benefit the Truman Black Alumni and Attendees Scholarship. The winners will be announced at this year’s Homecoming, Oct. 20-21. In addition, the winners of the challenge will receive a special recognition and the name of their organization will be placed on a plaque that will be displayed at the Multicultural Affairs Office.

They have extended this challenge to the students. Jars with each organization’s name will be placed in the Multicultural Office for student donations. The student fund-raising effort will be tracked with a “barometer of giving.” The goal is for each organization to raise $75. The student organization that raises the most money will be individually recognized during the Black Alumni Reunion celebration.

If you have any questions, please contact Jamie Hansen, Office of Advancement & Alumni Relations, 800.452.6678.

Social fraternity Beta Theta Pi was honored with several awards at the fraternity’s 167th General Convention in July in Toronto, Canada.

The chapter’s accomplishments include winning the Francis H. Sisson Award, Outstanding Recruitment Program Award, Virginia Tech Award (for academics), Excellence in Risk Management Award and Campus Involvement Award.

This is the chapter’s seventh Sisson Award for such accomplishments as hosting an annual highway cleanup and the Beta Theta Spike volleyball tournament. The chapter earned a campus involvement award for outstanding involvement in campus life, student organizations and leadership positions.

On an individual basis, Matt Brawner, a senior biology major from Omaha, Neb., was honored with the Jerry M. Blesch General Secretary’s Leadership Award at an evening celebration held in conjunction with the fraternity’s national convention on June 29.

The Blesch Award recognizes an outstanding chapter leader whose vision, leadership and execution have significantly improved his chapter and its brotherhood. Brawner is a former president of Truman’s chapter of Beta Theta Pi.

Randall Smith, professor of saxophone, and the Truman Wind Symphony, Daniel Peterson conductor, will give the world premiere performance of “Fantasia for Alto Saxophone and Band” at 3 p.m. Sept. 30 in Baldwin Auditorium.

The concert is free, and the public is invited to this historic event. For questions, contact Smith at 785.4440 or rsmith@truman.edu.

Applications for the 2006-2007 Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges Award, are available in the Dean of Student Affairs Office in Kirk Building 112.

Faculty and staff are also invited to nominate students for this prestigious award.

Nominations are due Sept. 29 in the Student Affairs Office. To qualify, students should be active in campus and community activities, have a 2.75 cumulative grade point average and be a senior eligible for graduation in December, May or August of the 2006-2007 academic year.

Completed student applications need to be returned to the Student Affairs Office by Oct. 27. For more information, visit http://saffairs.truman.edu, stop by Kirk Building 112, or call 785.4111.

Brian Keck, president and Chief Operating Officer of Macy’s Midwest, will be speaking from 7-8 p.m. Sept. 26 in Violette Hall 1000.

Keck will be giving advice on managing a job search and becoming successful in today’s corporate world.

5:30 p.m. • Sept. 28
Baldwin Hall 100
Pizza will be provided.

The internship is paid, and students who are selected to participate in the program spend a semester working in Jefferson City with a state senator or representative.

Interested students can contact Candy Young at 785.4650 or Heidi Templeton at 785.4016 for more information.

Truman alumnus Chuck Woods (’86, ’95) will give two presentations.

“The Firm and its Stakeholders - A Leadership Perspective - Customers”
3:30-5 p.m.
Oct. 2
Violette Hall 1000

“The Firm and its Stakeholders - A Leadership Perspective - Shareholders”
7-8:30 p.m.
Oct. 2
Student Union Building Activities Room

The presentations are free and open to the public.

4-6 p.m. • Sept. 27
University Quadrangle

All Truman students, faculty and staff are invited to attend.
Student organizations will compete to raise funds in their self-decorated money jars at the Fest. There will be live music from 5-6 p.m.

Departments are encouraged to participate by either donating or participating in the Kickoff Fest or the upcoming FoodFast. View more information here.

Contact Teresa Heckert at 785.7530 for more information about Truman’s fund-raising drive for the United Way.

The University Career Center, along with the McNair Foundation, is sponsoring Graduate School Week.
This week is designed to provide students information in their graduate school aspirations from writing their personal statements to allocating funds and scholarships.  

Oct. 2
Graduate School Fair
1-5 p.m. • SUB Activities Room
For information on Graduate programs attending, visit the Career Center’s Web site at http://career.truman.edu.

“Writing the Personal Statement”
Presented by Associate Professor Royce Kallerud
5:30-7 p.m. SUB Alumni Room

Oct. 3
Walk-in Graduate School Assistance
2:30-4:30 p.m. • Career Center

“Show Me the Money!”
Learn how to find funding for graduate school through nationally competitive scholarships, financial aid and departmental funding
Presented by Professor Adam Davis
6-7:30 p.m. • Violette Hall 1000

Oct. 4
Walk-in Graduate School Assistance
noon-2 p.m. • Career Center

“Bound for Graduate School?”
Strategies to Gain Admission to Highly Competitive Graduate Programs
Presented by Donald Asher
4:30-5:30 p.m. • Violette Hall 1000

9-11:40 a.m. and 2-4 p.m. • Sept. 27 • Violette Hall 1000

Go to http://mcnair.truman.edu for the presentation schedule and abstracts.

Beginning Oct. 1, the Truman State University Recycling Center will only accept public drop-off items
from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, and from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

The University Recycling Center will be closed on all holidays.

The Center does not accept old appliances or trash. To view a list of what is accepted for recycling, visit the University Recyling Center Web site at http://recycle.truman.edu/recycle.htm.

Contact Howard Worcester at 785.7672 for more information.

"Mojados: Through the Night"  ("Wetback: Through the Night")
Sponsored by Sigma Lambda Gamma and HALO
8 p.m.
Sept. 28
Violette Hall1000

Dinner and Discussion of Film w/ Special Guest Speaker John Fraire, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management
Sponsored by Sigma Lambda Gamma and MAC
8 p.m.
Oct. 3
West Campus Suite Main Lounge

Latin Dance Fiesta! 
Live music by a Latin band
Sponsored by MAC and HALO
8:30 p.m.-midnight
Oct. 6
West Campus Suites Main Lounge

Contact Nohemi Alvarez at na301@truman.edu or at 816.588.2808 for more information.

"Bras on the Quad"
People are encouraged to stop by the tables and vote on their favorite decorated bra, buy T-shirts to support breast cancer research, and get more information on Breast Cancer Awareness.

10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Oct. 2-6
Quadrangle

Speaker
Deb Bollman from the Young Survivor's Coalition will speak about her experiences with breast cancer
7 p.m.
Oct. 3
Magruder Hall 2001

Vigil
A vigil in rememberance of the victims of breast cancer
8-9 p.m.
Oct. 5
Flame to the Second Century

Contact Nadia Mozaffar at 785.5059 or at nsm352@truman.edu for more information about these events.

Marijke Breuning, associate professor of political science, and John Ishiyama, professor of political science and director of the Robert E. McNair Program, had their article “Marketing the International Studies Major: Claims and Content of Programs at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions in the Midwest” accepted for publication in the May 2007 issue of International Studies Perspectives.

Mark Spitzer, assistant professor of English, recently had his essay “Necrophilia: An Exquisite Experience with The Exquisite Corpse (Journal)” accepted for publication in the University of Nebraska Press’ upcoming anthology, Exquisite Corpse: Collaboration, Creativity and the World’s Most Popular Parlor Game (Kanta Kochhar-Lindren, Davis Schneiderman, and Tom Denlinger, eds.).

The following faculty presented at the Missouri Campus Compact Annual Conference Sept. 16 at the Tan-Tar-A resort in Osage Beach, Mo.: Steve Carroll, associate professor of biology, presented “Planting the Seeds of Service-Learning in a Campus Clock Garden;” Roberta Donahue, assistant professor of health and exercise science, presented “Striking a Balance: Community Needs, Discipline Demands and Student Preferences in an After-School Service-Learning Program;” Teri Heckert, associate professor of psychology, presented “Service-Learning Opportunities in Smaller Communities: Variations on the Theme;” and Todd Hammond, associate professor of mathematics, and Wendy Miner, assistant professor in education, presented “Deepening College and Community Connections: A Math Service-Learning Project.”

Brenda Wheeler, assistant professor of nursing, Stephanie Powelson, nursing program director and associate professor of nursing, and Ju-hyung Kim (’06) have had their manuscript, “Interdisciplinary Clinical Education: Implementing a Gerontological Home Visiting Program,” accepted for publication in Nurse Educator in summer 2007. Submission was also accepted for an oral paper presentation at the 11th Annual Nursing & Health Professions Educator Conference on Oct. 18 at the University of Southern Indiana.

The Mostly Live Composers Society will present its Fall 2006 concert at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 26 in the OP Performance Hall. The concert will feature premieres of chamber works by Truman student composers as well as a performance of a conceptual piece. The event is free and open to the public.

DEPThS will meet at 8 p.m. Sept. 26 in BH 249. There will be a presentation on Mehr Baba. Contact Dan Johnson at dmj736@truman.edu for more information.

The Weekly Lunch Series for faculty and teaching staff will have a session from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 27 in the SUB Alumni Room. Truman’s support offices and programs will be on display for faculty and teaching staff to learn more about. Sign the sheet at checkout to receive up to $3.00 toward your Sodexho meal.

Applications for Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) national leadership fraternity are due by Sept. 27 in the Student Affairs Office in Kirk Building 112, or in the ODK mailbox in the Center for Student Involvement in the Student Union Building. Contact JoAnn Jorgovan at joann@truman.edu for more information.

“An Introduction to Relativistic Hamiltonian Dynamics,” a Physics Colloquium, will be presented by Peter Rolnick, professor of physics, at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 27 in MG 2001.

The Liberal Studies Roundtable Lunch Series will meet from 12:15-1:15 p.m. Sept. 28 in Pickler Memorial Library 205. The series is sponsored by the Undergraduate Council to give colleagues a chance to discuss curriculum issues. R.S.V.P. to the Center for Teaching and Learning at ctl@truman.edu or by phone at 785.4391 to order a complimentary boxed lunch for the event.

The Truman Biology Seminar Series will present “Investigative Case Based Learning: Contexts for Active Students Engaged in Science” from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Sept. 28 in MG 2001. The lecture will be given by Margaret Waterman, professor of biology at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Tony Weisstein, assistant professor of biology, will host the event. Refreshments will be served at 12:15 p.m.

A modified supplemental retirement plan meeting will take place at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 28 in the SUB Alumni Room. R.S.V.P. by visiting http://hr.truman.edu/register/.

The Next STEP will have a student workshop from 5:30-7 p.m. Sept. 28 in MG 1090. Students may join students and faculty for a panel discussion about how they can set themselves up for success while majoring in science, math and computer science. Dinner will be served starting at 5:15 p.m. Contact Jennifer Thompson at 785.7252 for more information.

The Nursing Program will have its Welcome Windup from 6:30-8 p.m. Sept. 28 in the SUB Lounge. The event will allow nursing students to gather to welcome each other back to campus. Contact Meredith McCannon at nursing@truman.edu or by phone at 785.4557 for more information.

The Tournée Film Festival will be showing “La Femme de Gilles” at 7 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Downtown Cinema 8 movie theater. The film is free to Truman students, faculty and staff. All films are in French with English subtitles. The Tournée Film Festival is sponsored by the Truman State University Divisions of Fine Arts, Language and Literature, Social Science and Education, and the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

An Archaeology Symposium will take place from 7-9 p.m. Sept. 28 in the SUB Alumni Room. Truman students and faculty will present on archaeological field experiences and research projects. Refreshments will be served. Contact Amber Johnson at ajohnson@truman.edu for more information.

The Truman Optimist Club will meet at 7 p.m. Sept. 28 in BH 303. Lt. Gov. of Missouri Optimist Erwin Neighbors will speak. Contact Steve Pennington at 785.4211 for more information.

Sacred Sites in Greece, a six credit hour summer 2007 study abroad class, will have its informational meeting at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28 in the SUB Activities Room and at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 2 in the SUB Conference Room. Slides from previous trips, a discussion of ways to finance the program and a discussion of the next class, planned for May 8-30, 2007 will take place. Contact M. Lynn Rose at lynnrose@truman.edu or Steven Reschly at sdr@truman.edu for more information.

The Observatory will be open to the public, weather permitting, from 8-10 p.m. Sept. 28 at the University Farm. Go to http://observatory.truman.edu for additional information.

Timothy Safranski of the department of animal science at the University of Missouri-Columbia will be giving a talk for the Agricultural Seminar Series, titled “Evaluation of Intrauterine Insemination and Selection for Placental Efficiency in Swine” at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 29 in MG 2001.

Lambda Chi Alpha will have its Miss Watermelon Pageant at 7 p.m. Sept. 29 in the Baldwin Auditorium. Cost to attend is $3, with all proceeds going toward purchasing canned food items for the Adair County Food Pantry. Contact Blake Eyres at bte338@truman.edu for more information.

Nominations for the 2007 Walker and Doris Allen Fellowship for Faculty Excellence are due to the Vice President’s Office, McClain 203, by 5 p.m. Sept. 29. Eligible faculty may be nominated by Truman faculty colleagues only. Please see http://www.truman.edu/pages/125.asp for nomination guidelines.

Campus deadline for 2007-2008 Fulbright Grants for Graduate Study, Research or Teaching Assistantships abroad is Sept. 29. Contact Maria C. Di Stefano, Fulbright program adviser, at mdistefa@truman.edu for more information.

The Monitor is asking all students to submit essays, news stories, reviews, comics and photos. Send poetry to aHugeManatee@gmail.com, and all other material to monitortrm@hotmail.com by Sept. 30.

Echo yearbook will be taking pictures for the 2006-2007 yearbook from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 2-5 in MG 2100. All students, faculty and staff may have their pictures taken. Pictures are free for individuals, and $25 for organizations. Contact Evangeline McMullen, Echo yearbook managing editor, at echo@truman.edu or 785.4450 for more information.

The Pickler Memorial Library catalog will be unavailable beginning at 8 a.m. Oct. 3 due to a major system upgrade. The catalog should be back online within 24 hours. During this period, MOBIUS searches to find items in Pickler Memorial Library will be available, but patrons will be unable to place requests through the MOBIUS system.

The Center for Teaching and Learning will conduct a “Teaching for Critical Thinking” session from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Oct. 4 in the SUB Alumni Room. Julie Lochbaum, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, will share several ideas from Elder and Paul’s Ideas teacher’s guide.

Omicron Delta Kappa will sponsor a peer-advising barbecue from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Oct. 4 on the Quadrangle. The event will provide an opportunity for younger students to seek the advice of older students in their major. All majors will be represented. Free food will be provided.

National Depression Screening Day will be from 1-4 p.m. Oct. 5 in the Student Union Building. The event is sponsored by the University Counseling Services. Free screenings will be available, and a counselor will privately provide treatment and referral recommendations if needed.

A General Honors informational meeting will take place at 4:45 p.m. Oct. 5 in the Violette Hall Commons. The General Honors Committee and the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs are sponsoring this event. Call 785.4109 or e-mail Patricia Burton at ss84@truman.edu for more information.

An Archaeology Open House will take place from 1-5 p.m. Oct. 8 in the SUB Activities Room. Exhibits, photographs and artifacts from various field experiences and excavations will be on display. Refreshments will be served. Contact Amber Johnson at ajohnson@truman.edu for more information.

Two scholarships for $200 each are available to Truman students from the Student Alumni Association. An application or further information can be obtained from the Web site http://saa.truman.edu or pick up an application in person at the Office of Advancement, McClain Hall 100. The application deadline is 5 p.m. Oct. 9 in the Office of Advancement or e-mail your application to saa@truman.edu.

In celebration of National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11 and to show support for Truman’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community, Lambda invites people to add their name to the 2006 GLBT Support List that will appear in the Oct. 12 issue of the Index. For more information and instructions on adding a name to the list, please go to http://www2.truman.edu/~martye/GLBTSupportListFall2006.htm.

Van driving classes are scheduled for 3 p.m. Oct. 11 and 12 in the Public Saftey Building. Class sizes are limited. People may reserve a space by calling 785.4177. Please allow a minimum of two hours for this class.