Vol. 24 No. 13 - November 11, 2019

Truman alumnus Nathan Rueckert (’03) and his business, Baseball Seams Company, have donated four pieces of his work to be auctioned off by sealed bid.

The proceeds from the auction will benefit the baseball program at Truman. Each piece of art is made with actual used baseballs. Prospective bidders can view the artwork in Pickler Memorial Library. Bids for artwork can be submitted online via bidding form. Bidding will end at 1 p.m. Dec. 2 and the winning bidders will be notified after 4 p.m. Payment may be made by check, cash or debit/credit card. Any amount paid above the item’s market value will be considered a gift to Truman. It is the responsibility of the bidder to pick up the items or arrange for shipment within 10 days of closing of bids.

To view all auction items, visit truman.edu/giving/baseball-seams-auction/. For more information, contact Marie Murphree.

The Foundation for Economic Education’s (FEE) weekly “Words & Numbers” podcast, co-hosted by economist Dr. Antony Davies and political scientist Dr. James R. Harrigan, will record live at Truman, Nov. 16.

Davies is the Milton Friedman Distinguished Fellow at FEE and associate professor at Duquesne University. He authors monthly columns on economics and public policy for the Philadelphia Inquirer and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He wrote a book on understanding statistics that was published by the Cato Institute and has co-authored hundreds of op-eds for the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times and Washington Post. His YouTube videos on economics, government and policy have garnered millions of views.

In addition to his academic work, Davies was associate producer at the Moving Pictures Institute, chief financial officer at Parabon Computation and founded several technology companies. He is co-founder and chief academic officer at Freedom Trust, where he lectures on economics for high school students across the country.

Harrigan is managing director of the Center for Philosophy of Freedom at the University of Arizona and the F.A. Hayek Distinguished Fellow at the FEE. He was previously dean of the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani and later served as director of academic programs at the Institute for Humane Studies and Strata, where he was also a senior research fellow. He has written extensively for the popular press with articles appearing in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, U.S. News and World Report and a host of other outlets. His current work focuses on the intersections between political economy, public policy and political philosophy.

The recording will take place at 11 a.m. in Baldwin Hall Little Theatre. The topic is being determined with student input, but they are almost always controversial and Davies and Harrigan often disagree. Extended Q&A about all topics will follow. Lunch will be provided.

This event is hosted by the Economics Department and is free to the public.

The second production of the 2019-20 Truman Theatre season is “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare.

This classic tragedy delivers witches, sword play, murder, revenge and madness. Truman’s production mixes Elizabethan and 21st century imagery for an updated approach to the familiar tale, and audiences will also see some gender-bending in the cast of characters.

Under the direction of David Charles Goyette, assistant professor of theatre, “Macbeth” will feature spectacular scenic, sound, video and projection effects designed by Brad Carlson, assistant professor of theatre, as well as lighting by senior Molly Garrison.

“Macbeth” runs at 8 p.m. Nov. 13-16 in the Severns Theatre in Ophelia Parrish. Tickets are available at the Theatre Box Office from 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. in the main lobby of Ophelia Parrish. They are $6 when purchased with cash or check, $7 with a credit or debit card, and must be purchased in advance. Out-of-town guests can call 660.785.4515 to reserve tickets. The box office is also open at 7 p.m. on show nights.

The Economics Department Speaker Series will host guest speaker Romina Boccia, who will present on socialism and the national debt.

Boccia directs the Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., whose budget analysts and economists cover taxes, labor policy, pensions, appropriations, infrastructure and transportation. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from George Mason University. A member of the Foundation for Economics Education alumni board, she has appeared before live audiences across the globe.

Boccia will present on the allure of socialism in a class at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 18 in McClain Hall 208. Her talk will address the philosophy and workings behind socialism and capitalism and explore which economic system is best at promoting human flourishing.

Later in the evening in a free event open to the public, Boccia will speak on the national deficit and debt at 7 p.m. in Baldwin Hall Little Theater. She will explore the driving forces behind the growing debt and its impact on the economy and financial future.

These events are hosted by the Economics Department.

A Strategic Planning Town Hall will take place from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Nov. 11 in Violette Hall 1000. This meeting will begin the process of creating the University’s next strategic plan. The current strategic plan concludes at the end of June 2020, and a final 2021-2025 plan must be presented to the Board of Governors for their approval no later than the June 2020 meeting. Those not able to attend can view the town hall meeting and access the strategic planning materials on the strategic plan website.

The University will celebrate donors with its annual Tag Day event, Nov. 18. The goal of Tag Day is to show appreciation to donors who have given back to the University, as well as to raise awareness of how they impact day-to-day life at Truman. Hundreds of items will be marked with special purple tags highlighting the fact those items were made possible by a gift.

This year’s Tag Day will feature an interactive component where students have the opportunity to win prizes. Details on the contest will be included in next week's Truman Today and posted to University social media platforms.

Auditions for a fundraiser cabaret benefitting the Truman Theatre Department will take place from 6-9 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Black Box Theatre.

Anyone wanting to perform should prepare a song, preferably a musical theatre piece, that is no longer than four minutes. Performers will need to provide their own music. Performances can be solo, duet or groups.

The cabaret performance will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 7 in Severns Theatre. All proceeds will go to funding the theatre department’s trip to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in January. The department is taking 34 students to Sioux Falls, S.D., for the festival.

The Truman Public Relations Office is now accepting applications for the spring 2020 internship.

Interns work approximately 32 hours per week and can choose to receive between six to nine credit hours. To maintain full-time student status, interns take two three-credit classes in addition to the internship credit hours. A small stipend is also included.

Primary responsibilities of the intern include assisting with the production of the University’s online weekly newsletter, as well as contributing to the Truman Review alumni magazine. The intern will also help with special events throughout the semester, write press releases and fulfill other office tasks.

Applicants should have a strong background in writing and editing. Communication majors are encouraged to apply, with special consideration given to candidates with knowledge of Associated Press Style. Applicants must have the flexibility to work 32 hours a week.

To apply, send a resume, an advising transcript, two writing samples and contact information for two on-campus references to the Public Relations Office, McClain Hall 202, no later than Nov. 22. For questions about the internship, contact Travis Miles.

The Orientation Committee is seeking enthusiastic, friendly and dedicated students to welcome the Class of 2024 to the bulldog community through summer orientation.

During summer orientation, all first-year students and their families are welcomed to Truman during sessions in April, June and a late session in August. Summer orientation leaders have access to benefits including an impactful professional experience, a deeper understanding of the University, provided room and board if needed and around a $1,500 taxable stipend.

Applications are due Dec. 14. To read the full job description, and to apply, visit truman.edu/ol. Contact Evie Clark, orientation leader coordinator, with an questions.

Nov. 22
7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Nov. 23-24
Closed

Nov. 25-26
7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Nov. 27-30
Closed

Dec. 1
3-10 p.m.

Dec. 2
Resume Regular Hours
7:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

The following employees started during the month of October:

David Boughton, West Campus Suites director
Chelli Cima, housekeeper
Zoran Cunningham, Missouri Hall director
Stephanie Dunton, Centennial Hall director
Ka-La Harris, Blanton-Nason-Brewer Hall director
Zoe Estelle Hitzel, Ofstad Writer-in-Residence
Bryce Kober, assistant swimming coach
David Mandell, biology lab technician I
Kelly O’Laughlin, RPDC district continuous improvement consultant
Amber Robbins, housekeeper
Kevin Sallee, housekeeper
Bridget Titus, cashier/ITS office assistant II