Vol. 24 No. 20 - February 3, 2020

Students with an affinity for business can submit their ideas for the fifth-annual Bulldog B.I.T.E. elevator pitch contest until March 6.

An elevator pitch outlines the concept or idea for a product, service or project in a short period of time, typically from 30 seconds to three minutes. The length of the pitch mirrors the time spent waiting for and riding an elevator in a high-rise building. The purpose of the pitch is to spur the interest of a potential investor or financial backer.

Bulldog B.I.T.E., which stands for Business Innovation by Truman Entrepreneurs, is open to any student or team of students — up to three members — enrolled during the 2020 spring semester. A student or team may submit only one pitch concept for the contest. Participants may pitch a for-profit or not-for-profit concept.

Students will submit a concept or idea for a product, service or project in a video pitch no longer than two minutes by 10 p.m. March 6. The video should not include any props, except the product prototype, and should be one continuous shot. Students must also include an executive summary of their product. The executive summary must contain: name of the individual or team members; problem or issue being addressed by the concept; product description; target market; competitive advantage of the concept; value creation; and expected future use of prize money.

Judges will select six teams to attend the live pitch competition from 4-6 p.m. April 3 on campus to present their product to a panel. The top three finalists will receive cash awards: the cash prize for first place is $3,000; second place is $2,000; and third place is $1,000. Pitch participants, judges, alumni and audience members are then invited to a networking reception following the competition.

The Bulldog B.I.T.E. is sponsored by Villhard Growth Partners and is coordinated on campus by the Office of Advancement.

For complete details and entry information, visit bulldogbite.truman.edu.

Career and Grad School Week provides students opportunities to connect with recruiters and employers to help them find their next steps after Truman. During this week, there are activities leading up to the Graduate Expo and the Career and Internship Expo, such as Expo Bootcamp, a personal statement writing workshop and an etiquette dinner.
 
Monday, Feb. 24
Expo Bootcamp
6-8 p.m.
Feb. 24
Student Union Building 3201-3204
Learn the basics of working an expo, appropriate dress and resumes. Refine your 30-second commercial and learn how to find all of the registered attendees for the expos.

Personal Statement Writing Workshop
5-6 p.m.
Feb. 24
Student Union Building 3200 (Activities Room)
Dave Lusk will present on how to write a personal statement and get students started on their personal statements. Complete this brief form to help the Career Center prepare. Registration is not required.
 
Tuesday, Feb. 25
Etiquette Dinner
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Feb. 25
Student Union Building Georgian Room A
Enjoy hors d’oeuvres and a four-course meal while learning the dos and don’ts of a formal/professional dining experience. Register by completing the etiquette dinner form. Meals are $20 a person.

Wednesday, Feb. 26
Graduate and Professional School Expo
11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Feb. 26
Student Union Building Activities Room
Speak with recruiters from grad schools and learn about opportunities in your field.

Thursday, Feb. 27
Career and Internship Expo
11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Feb. 27
Student Union Building
Speak with recruiters from non-profit, for-profit and governmental agencies to learn about opportunities in your field.

Professional Photo Booth
11 a.m.-2p.m.
Feb. 27
Student Union Building 3204
Get a free professional photo taken by Tim Barcus, the University photographer.
Pre-Selected Employer Interviews
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Feb.28
Student Union Building

Beta Alpha Psi will host Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) sessions from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 8, Feb. 15, Feb. 22 and March 28 in Violette Hall 1424.

VITA offers free tax assistance for clients with low to moderate income levels filing simple tax returns. The tax assistance will be completed by IRS-certified volunteers and will also offer free electronic filing to receive a faster return.
 
Clients who come to VITA should bring: social security cards for spouses and dependents; bank routing numbers and bank account numbers for direct deposit; wage and earnings statements such as W-2, 1098T and 1099; and a copy of last year’s federal and state tax returns if available.
 
For more information, visit bap.truman.edu/vita.

During the week of Jan. 19-25, 34 students and three theatre faculty members went to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, Region 5, in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Truman students participated in numerous short workshops, intensive week-long workshops, performances and competitions during the week and walked away with a number of honors.

The festival began with a ceremony honoring regional programs for their work during 2019. Assistant professor David Charles Goyette received a commendation for “Revisioning the Canon,” with his direction of “Macbeth” last fall. The spring 2019 production of “Love and Information” received four commendations: professor Dana Smith for direction; Angel Lee for projection design; professor emeritus Ron Rybkowski for scenic and lighting design; and Evan Brooks for sound design. Theatre’s production of “The Wolves” from February 2019 received three commendations: Rachel Seabaugh for scenic design; Natalie Cohen for dramaturgy; and Molly Garrison for lighting design.

Eight Truman students, nominated by regional respondents, competed in the Irene Ryan Acting Competition, a prestigious national scholarship program. Wyatt Hensel and his partner, Emma Haines, passed to the final round of the competition, a significant honor. Genesis Sanchez and her acting partner, Kameron Boucher, were selected for the semi-final round of the competition, as were Mandi Matteucci and her partner, Zac O’Keefe.  

Four students entered their work in the Design / Tech / Management Expo, and Angel Lee received an honorable mention for her publicity materials generated for the production of “The Wolves.” Truman Theatre was honored with an invitation to perform a scene from the fall production of “Macbeth” at the festival’s Showcase of Invited Scenes. The scene featured was performed by Max Richards (Lady Macbeth) and Courtney Klein (Macbeth). Ten students – Faith Locke, Rhi Conry, Brynn Yarham, Zexy Zhang, Regan Boyd, Angel Lee, Jacob Baxley, Adam Brehob, Sam Bowman and Wyatt Hensel – participated in the Devised Works Showcase, which featured short pieces written by the students themselves, involving some organic movement techniques.

Savannah Scarbrough also performed her own work as part of the showcase coming out of the “Lift Our Voices” intensive workshop, for the creation of work that focuses on students’ stories about LBGTQ+ and multicultural issues of identity. Faith Nagel was selected to perform with the Long Form Improvisation Intensive Workshop, and Courtney Kopp, Emma Haines and Savannah Scarbrough performed in the festival’s drag show.

Alpha Phi Omega will host a Red Cross blood drive from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 4-5 in the Student Union Building Georgian Rooms. All donors get a free shirt and food. Those who would like to make an appointment can visit redcrossblood.org.

Delta Sigma Pi is a professional business fraternity on campus open to all business, accounting and economics majors. Its core pillars are professionalism, brotherhood and service, and the organization offers lots of opportunities to grow in all those areas, both personally and professionally. Recruitment dates include:

Meet the Chapter
7-9 p.m.
Feb. 3
Newman Center

Trivia Night
7-9 p.m.
Feb. 4
Student Union Building 3200

Professional Night
7-9 p.m.
Feb. 5
Student Union Building 3200

The Office of Admissions is looking for enthusiastic student leaders with a passion for sharing their Truman experience.

Applications are open for student ambassadors for the 2020-21 academic year. Student ambassadors guide visiting students and their families on campus tours, assist in the recruitment of prospective students and positively represent the University.
 
Scholarship, work-study and volunteer opportunities are available. Institutional positions are available, but limited. Applications can be found online and are due by 8 p.m. Feb. 23. Questions should be directed to Shari Fieser, student ambassador adviser.

1) Female-identifying, agender or non-binary sophomore-level student (total of 60 hours by the end of spring semester)
2) Minimum cumulative Truman GPA of 3.25
3) $5 application fee (attach cash or check to application, all checks may be made out to Cardinal Key, Venmo: @cardinalkey_tsu)
4) Must be able to attend regular meetings on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.
5) Must have a desire and commitment to serve

Applicants should include a photo of themselves and a $5 rush fee with the application. All proceeds from the application go toward the She is Power foundation, which donates 100 percent of their proceeds to nonprofits that empower and serve women and girls. Turn in application to the Cardinal Key Mailbox in the CSI Complex (Student Union Building Basement) by 5 p.m. Feb. 7. Questions or concerns can be directed to Erin Hannegan McKee at ekh7356@truman.edu or 314.452.0982.
 
Rush Schedule
Application Due
Feb. 7

Rush Party 1
Feb. 16
Student Union Building Down Under
Last names A-M: 5:30-7 p.m.
Last names N-Z: 7:30-9 p.m.

Rush Party 2
Feb. 19
Student Union Building Georgian Room B
Last names A-M: 5:30-7 p.m.
Last names N-Z: 7:30-9 p.m.

Rush Party 3 (Invite Only)
1-3:30 p.m.
Feb. 23
Student Union Building Down Under

Students can now apply for the summer museum and archives internships.

Locations include the Harry Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Mo.; National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Mo.; Judicial Archives Project in Kirksville, Mo.; St. Joseph Museums in St. Joseph, Mo.; Field House Museum in St. Louis, Mo.; Missouri History Museum in St. Louis, Mo.; Mercantile Library in St. Louis, Mo.; and MSU Special Collections and Archive in Springfield, Mo.

The summer internships are open to all Truman students, but they are especially relevant to those considering careers in archives, museums, teaching and law. Contact Jason McDonald for more information.

Alpha Sigma Gamma is a non-selective service sorority that welcomes all undergrad students who identify as female to participate in the recruitment process. The organization will host its spring 2020 recruitment from 7-9 p.m. Feb. 11-13 in the Student Union Building Activities Room. Attendance is mandatory all three nights. Interested students who have a previously scheduled commitment or work can email asg.excuse@gmail.com. Questions regarding recruitment can be directed to asgducks@gmail.com.

 
The Office of Student Research is accepting TruScholars proposals for research and creative scholarship conducted during the eight-week summer term, June 1-July 24.

During the program, students should devote full-time effort to their project and faculty mentors should be continuously available for consultation and collaboration. Projects will be funded up to a maximum value of $5,750, including a $3,500 max student stipend and $1,750 max mentor stipend.

Complete guidelines for the TruScholars applications can be found at the Office of Student Research website. Applications are due Feb. 19. Questions can be directed to osr@truman.edu.

Has a professor or research mentor during your time at Truman been incredible? Reward their efforts and accomplishments by nominating them to be recognized at Truman’s annual Academic Accolades Banquet in April.

Every year, the student body selects one professor and one research mentor to receive the Educator of the Year Award and the Research Mentor of the Year Award, respectively. These awards were created to recognize the tremendous impact the recipients have on the classrooms and students they work with.

Has a professor showed a strong commitment to the wellness of their students? Show them your appreciation by nominating them for the Faculty Wellness Honoree of the Year Award. This award was created to recognize professors who are dedicated not only to education, but to aiding their students in one or more of the eight areas of wellness (emotional, financial, social, spiritual, occupational, physical, intellectual or environmental).

If you feel you have had one or more professors or research mentors deserving of any of these awards nominate them at senate.truman.edu/nominations by 11:59 p.m. Feb. 16 to reward all of their hard work and show your appreciation for their incredible guidance and inspiration. Contact jmg1286@truman.edu with any questions.

The Truman State University Board of Governors will meet at 1 p.m. Feb. 8 in the Student Union Building Conference Room.

Mike Ashcraft, professor of philosophy and religion, spoke to a faculty forum and in two classes at Loyola University New Orleans on Jan. 23 about his recent book, “A Historical Introduction to the Study of New Religious Movements” and related topics.
Brodric Thomas, men’s basketball, won this third GLVC Player of the Week award of the season for the week of Jan. 20-26. In three games he averaged 23.33 points per game, made five threes in the win at Quincy and set new season highs with eight assists and four steals in the win over McKendree. Thomas came one board short of a double-double against the Hawks, and with two blocks at Southern Indiana moved into eighth place in Truman history with 73 for his career; 14 on the season. Thomas also won the award for the weeks of Nov. 18-24 and Nov. 25-Dec. 1.

The Truman men’s and women’s cross country teams were recognized by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for their academic prowess in the classroom this past fall. Both teams earned the distinction of All-Academic by the USTFCCCA by having a minimum of a 3.0 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale and compiling a team score at the NCAA regional or championship meet. The Truman men posted a 3.28 GPA while the women had a 3.67 GPA. Both teams are coached by Tim Schwegler.