Vol. 24 No. 23 - February 24, 2020

All students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends are invited to Baldwin Hall Auditorium to see the unveiling of the University’s new brand, logo and tagline at 3 p.m. March 4.

Each person attending the launch event will receive a special commemorative gift.

For more than a year, the University has worked with SME, a creative agency branding firm, to help refresh Truman’s brand. The logo and many of the branding elements for the University have gone largely unchanged for more than 20 years.  

 
Grant Writing Across the Disciplines, PD 541/541G, is available for enrollment next fall for students, faculty and community members.

The primary objective of the course is to teach students about the process of writing successful grant proposals. As part of the course, students collaborate with the instructor on the development of grant proposals for submission. This is an excellent opportunity for students and professionals to develop a valuable skill.  

Sections are available at both the graduate and undergraduate level, and there are no prerequisites. The class meets live online Wednesday nights from 6:30-8:30 p.m. from Aug. 26 through Nov. 11.

Contact the Institute for Academic Outreach at institute@truman.edu or 660.785.5384 for more information.

The Economics Speaker Series will continue with “National Health Insurance: Costs and Benefits” at 7 p.m. March 23 in Baldwin Hall Little Theatre.

Dr. James Bailey, professor of economics at Providence College in Rhode Island, will be the featured speaker. He earned his Ph.D. from Temple University and specializes in health care economics, health insurance, labor economics, entrepreneurship and regulation.

During his presentation Bailey will explore questions like whether or not the increased cost of health care in America buys its citizens better care and what economic indicator comes the closest to explaining why the U.S. spends so much on health care.

The Economics Speakers Series is sponsored by the Department of Economics. It is designed to showcase a variety of opinions on important topics in the field and is presented for educational and civic purposes.

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

The event will consist of a screening and discussion of Ava DuVernay’s Academy Award winning film, “13th” which explores the intersection of race, justice and mass incarceration in the United States.

This screening is hosted in honor of Black History Month and is sponsored by the Center for Diversity and Inclusion. The event is free of charge and refreshments will be provided. All members of the campus community are invited to attend on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees should consider responding to the Facebook event. Any questions can be directed to sm4145@truman.edu.

In conjunction with the Career Fair, the Missouri State Highway Patrol will offer both the written and fitness examination for their trooper selection process, Feb. 27. Testing will start at 4 p.m. in Barnett Hall 2208. This is a great opportunity for graduating students considering a career with the Highway Patrol. If hired, the academy begins July 1, 2020. For more information, see Sgt. Robert Parr at the Career Fair or contact him at Robert.Parr@mshp.dps.mo.gov.

Master Class
The Showgirls are putting on a tryout master class from 1-4:15 p.m. March 21 in Pershing Arena. This is a great opportunity for anyone who loves to dance and wants to learn some technique and performance tips. Any high school or Truman students are welcome, but it will be especially beneficial for anyone looking to tryout for the team. The cost for this class is $30, which also covers the cost of tryouts in April.

Tryouts
Showgirls tryouts will take place the weekend of April 18-19. Both the clinic on Saturday from 3-6 p.m. and the tryouts on Sunday at 9 a.m. are mandatory and will take place in Pershing Small Gym. Dancers should email trumanstateshowgirls@gmail.com if a video tryout is needed. The cost of tryouts for dancers who did not attend the master class is $20.

Dancers can RSVP for both events at showgirls.truman.edu. Any questions can be directed to trumanstateshowgirls@gmail.com.

Alpha Phi Omega will offer Dino Chicken Nugget Delivery from 7 p.m.-12 a.m. Feb. 28. Cost is $4 for six nuggets or $7 for 12.

To order, text 316.765.5747 or 573.470.8277. To pay through Venmo: @apoepsilon. Cash is also accepted. All the money is going to APO philanthropies. Visit the APO Instagram, @apoepsilon, for more info.

National Pan-Hellenic Council is conducting a book drive for Black History Month. The organization is encouraging people to help purchase books to donate to local schools. The suggested books cover a variety of topics of inclusion and diversity. The book list can be found here or by scanning the QR code.

The monthlong TruCare service initiative will take place throughout March, giving everyone with a Truman connection an opportunity to show how dedicated the University is to service.

TruCare is an international service initiative where the Truman community volunteers locally to make a difference globally. Designed as a way for alumni and friends to share in the spirit of the Big Event, TruCare allows anyone with a Truman affiliation to count service hours completed from March 1 through midnight April 1 as part of a cumulative total.

Students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the University can participate by simply logging any service hours completed during that time on the TruCare website. Hours can be logged individually or by student organizations. Hours completed during the Big Event will also be counted. The grand total will be announced in April.

Last year’s campaign saw 1,059 members of the Truman community contribute 10,265.5 hours of service. Projects took place in 36 cities across 19 states and included serving at food pantries, animal sanctuaries, community kitchens, parades, resale shops and safe houses.  

TruCare is sponsored by the Truman Alumni Association. For questions about the program, contact Stacy Tucker-Potter, director of engagement.

The Golden Dragon Acrobats will return to Kirksville at 7:30 p.m. March 2 in Baldwin Auditorium as part of the Kohlenberg Lyceum Series.

The Broadway veterans hail from Cangzhou, Hebei, province in China and have toured the United States continuously since 1978. Representing a time-honored tradition that began more than 25 centuries ago, the Golden Dragons utilize award-winning acrobatics, traditional dance, spectacular costumes, ancient and contemporary music and theatrical techniques to present a show of breathtaking skill and beauty.

Tickets cost $10 and are available now. They can be purchased online at lyceum.truman.edu, at the cashier window in McClain Hall or at the Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce. If there are tickets available the day of the performance they can be purchased at the Baldwin Auditorium ticket window 30 minutes before the event.

Questions regarding the Kohlenberg Lyceum Series can be directed to lyceumseries@truman.edu or 660.785.4128. More information on the Golden Dragon Acrobats is available at goldendragonacrobats.com.

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.

Drawstring packs of food are now available for Truman students experiencing food insecurity. Any student limiting their food intake due to cost is eligible to receive a pack. This semester, food packs will be slightly larger than in the past and will offer students more food options from which to choose.

Packs can be picked up with a Truman ID at the SERVE Center located in Student Union Building 1105 between 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Food is provided by Pantry for Adair County in partnership with the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri and from generous donations from the Truman community.

The online submission site for the Student Research Conference is now open and accepting abstracts until 11:59 p.m. March 4.

The 2020 Student Research Conference will take place April 16. This conference is a University-wide celebration of student research, scholarship and creative achievements. Both undergraduate and graduate students are invited to submit abstracts.

Abstracts need to be sponsored by a Truman faculty or staff member. A copy of the information submitted will be sent electronically to the student’s mentor for approval. Students should work with the faculty mentor before submitting the abstract.

To request a special session designation to ensure student groups present together, email osr@truman.edu by Feb. 26. Faculty-requested special sessions will be included in the discipline options for students to select during abstract submission.

Complete guidelines for the Student Research Conference abstracts and presentations can be found at the SRC website. For any questions about the Student Research Conference email osr@truman.edu.

The Center for Diversity and Inclusion will host its Annual Diversity Retreat from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 21 in the Student Union Building Activities Room.

This is a daylong retreat where students will be challenged to engage in a critical reflection of their personal identities and how it impacts their actions and experiences.

The event is free. Lunch will be provided. An RSVP is required by March 18. For more information, visit diversity.truman.edu.

Beta Alpha Psi will host a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) session from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. 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.

March 6
7:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

March 7-8
Closed

March 9-13
7:30 a.m.-9 p.m.

March 14
Closed

March 15
3-10 p.m.

March 16
7:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
Regular hours resume

In case of an emergency, call 9-1-1. To have an officer dispatched for a non-emergency, call 660.665.5621.

The Truman State University Foundation has applications for 2020-21 Foundation Scholarships available now. There is more than $750,000 that will be awarded to current students at Truman. These are scholarships established by generous alumni and friends of the University. Recipients must be enrolled full time during the term of the scholarship to receive the full amount. To apply, log in to TruView, go to the Student Tab, Student Finances, Foundation Scholarship Application. There are typically some scholarships with no applicants. Students can submit and revise their application online at any time prior to the deadline of March 6.

In honor of Financial Aid Awareness Month, students are encouraged to check out many of the options they have to support their education.

•    Information about external scholarships can be found online.

•    Students will also be receiving an email regarding Truman State University Foundation Scholarships, and details on how to apply can also be found in the Truman Today.

•    FAFSA applications can be filed for 2020-21.

•    Students are always welcome to visit the Financial Aid Office in McClain Hall 103 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, go online to financialaid.truman.edu, email finaid@truman.edu or call 660.785.4130.

The Missouri Scholarship and Loan Foundation will offer the Purdy Emerging Leaders Scholarship, named in honor of Allan Walker Purdy.

Purdy was born in 1914 on a farm near Macon and was the first in his family to attend a four-year college. He worked in the University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture before becoming the campus’s first director of scholarships and student financial aid.

The scholarship is designed to provide merit-based scholarships to emerging leaders who are outstanding students and who have a need for additional resources for higher education. The scholarship amount can vary based on an applicant’s circumstances. The general range will be $1,000-$5,000 based on expected family contribution (EFC), unmet need and other factors.

Applicants must be a Missouri resident, typically a 2.5 or higher cumulative GPA, a U.S. Citizen, attending a Missouri public four-year university or the State Technical College of Missouri, and be a sophomore, junior or senior in college. Deadline to apply is June 30, 2020. Applications should be submitted online through Scholarship Central at moslf.org. To access more information about this scholarship, click here, or contact the Financial Aid Office at 660.785.4130.