Vol. 24 No. 33 - May 26, 2020

Students who received a grade point average of 3.5 or better during the spring semester can now find their honor roll information posted online.

The President’s List, for students with a perfect 4.0 grade point average, can be accessed at truman.edu/honors/spring-2020-presidents-list. The Vice President for Academic Affairs’ List, featuring students with a grade point average between 3.50-3.99, can be found at truman.edu/honors/spring-2020-vice-president-for-academic-affairs-list. To qualify for either list, a student must be an undergraduate and complete at least 12 hours of credit during the semester.

Social media buttons on both pages make it easy for students and parents to share this accomplishment with friends and family.

Students who have requested a directory hold on their information will not be included on a list. Any questions regarding student eligibility for either list can be directed to the Academic Affairs Office at 660.785.4105.

Under the recently enacted Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Truman has received funds to provide emergency grants to students with unforeseen emergency expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19.  

A limited amount of funding is available for students who meet specific requirements. Grant amounts will be determined based on the specific needs of the student. Truman cannot guarantee all applications submitted will be eligible for funding.

The following is a list of expenses that can be considered for grant assistance if they were incurred in “direct relation to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus”:  

•    Food                
•    Housing
•    Course materials
•    Health care
•    Child care
•    Technology-related expense

CARES grant eligibility is set by current guidance provided by the Department of Education. This guidance is evolving and is subject to change. Therefore, student eligibility may change if/when the department issues further directives.  

Eligible students should have received an email from the Financial Aid Office with details on how to apply. Applications will be reviewed and, if approved, grant funds will be disbursed to student accounts. Students should have signed up for direct deposit of refunds to receive the funds as quickly as possible. The full amount of the grant awarded will be deposited. Any outstanding balance owed to the University will remain the responsibility of the student.

For questions or additional information, visit the Frequently Asked Questions page or contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@truman.edu or at 660.785.4130.

The athletics “T-Dog” has been updated to fit in with Truman’s new branding guidelines.

A new logo and tagline were introduced on campus in March. In an effort to refresh and modernize the Bulldogs brand identity to allow for greater flexibility and ease of use, the T-Dog was updated as well.

SME, the same creative agency branding firm that developed the logo and tagline, also worked on the athletics logo. Several focus groups participated, with members including students, faculty, staff and alumni.

When developing the new athletics logo, SME sought to create a look that captured the Truman’s rich history in a contemporary collegiate aesthetic.

A large portion of the funding for the new branding elements was donated by an alumnus, along with private support through the University Foundation that was earmarked specifically for marketing. This has allowed Truman to make an investment in recruiting new students while not adversely affecting the funding of other vital aspects of the University.

The next edition of Bulldog Break, a webinar series sponsored by the Office of Advancement, will look at the work of the Education Department and MAE interns during the time of COVID-19.

Wendy Miner, chair of education, along with a few of the University’s recent MAE interns, will be the featured guests.  

This one-hour webinar will showcase how Truman responded to support MAE interns as they were suddenly forced to modify their educational delivery and hear firsthand how the interns navigated the choppy waters of delivering meaningful content through online instruction.

Bulldog Break will take place at 1:30 p.m. June 4 via Zoom. To register for one of the free 100 spots, click here. For more information, email bulldogforever@truman.edu.

Regular visitors to the Truman website may have noticed a new look recently.  

In keeping with the University’s refreshed brand guidelines, Truman webpages are in the process of being updated with a new look. The University rolled out the first phase of changes the week of May 18 when the homepage and top-level pages were converted to a newly refreshed design that reflects the University’s new visual brand and a contemporary look.

Working closely with SME, the branding firm Truman has collaborated with throughout the process, a team composed of members from ITS, admissions, marketing and public relations spent several months planning the new website design.

With a trend toward the primary use of mobile devices, the new design was developed to adapt to tablets and phones with the same functionality available on a desktop. It also represents a large step forward in the University’s ongoing efforts to make the website accessible to everyone. All of the previous resources are still available on the updated pages.

This summer, the rollout plan for the website design will continue with the second phase which includes transitioning additional sites to the new look and updating content and visuals. The goal is to provide a consistent look and feel as users navigate through all Truman websites.

If visitors find any issues on the website they would like to report, or have suggestions, use the Website Feedback Form.

Union & Involvement Services Awards
Athletic Leadership Award
Katie Alexander
Renata Thoeny

Excellence in Diversity (Student)
Shania Montufar

Outstanding President (Small)
Deanna Schmidt

Outstanding President (Large)
Adam Miesner

Outstanding Student Worker
Ally Holloway
Anna Livingstone
Samantha Mitchell

Senior Leadership
Sophia Gao
Deanna Schmidt
Youxing Yang

Student Excellence Award
Hailee Baer
Haley Bylina

New Student Leader Award
Kiren MacLeod

Creative Campaign Award
Delta Sigma Pi

Excellence in Diversity (Organization)
Student Government

Outstanding Entertainment Event
SAB

Outstanding Educational Event
Women’s Leadership Conference

Outstanding Organization (Small)
Student Government

Outstanding Organization (Large)
Alpha Sigma Gamma

E.M. Violette Award
Adam McMichael
Jenni Nuhn

TLC Pass It Along Award
Kylie Ostermeyer
Emily Rembush


Center for Diversity & Inclusion Awards
Outstanding Advocate Award
Shania Montufar


Residence Life Awards
Outstanding Residence Leader
Cole Kieper


Greek Life Awards
Academic Excellence Award
Beta Theta Pi
Sigma Sigma Sigma

Brotherhood of the Year Award
Delta Chi

Sisterhood of the Year Award
Sigma Sigma Sigma

Emerging Greek Leader Award
Matt Johnson, Tau Kappa Epsilon
Grace Rowley, Delta Zeta

Chapter of the Year Award
Delta Chi
Delta Zeta

IFC’s Greek Man of the Year
Patrick Lucitt, Pi Kappa Phi

NPC’s Greek Woman of the Year
Carlie Burns, Sigma Sigma Sigma

Although the building remains closed, library staff are available by phone, chat, email or Zoom consultations. Service hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and the library website is always available at library.truman.edu.
 
Requesting Library Materials for Front Door Pick-up:
For people in Kirksville, items can be requested using the library catalog, and staff will have them ready for pick up by 10 a.m. the following business day. Details can be found on the library’s COVID-19 Response page, along with other library information.
 
Quick Contacts:
Circulation Department
660.785.4533

Reserves
Contact Lena Reardon at 660.785.4533 or lreardon@truman.edu.

Special Collections and Museums
660.785.4537 or speccoll@truman.edu
 
More Questions?
Call 660.785.4051

The next issue of the Truman Today will be available June 8.

Cassidy Dobson, assistant professor of chemistry, was accepted into the PKAL STEM Leadership Institute. The program empowers individuals in fully understanding and implementing the theory and practice of navigating the politics of change, addressing inter- and intra-personal conflicts, and re-structuring the institutional systems that limit the capacity for global competitiveness in science and technology. Designed for early- and mid-career STEM faculty, principal investigators and administrators, the Institute awakens and sensitizes its participants to the systems, structures, and influences of power and privilege within higher education, equipping them with the tools and skills needed to bring about social change in STEM.

Meghan Gasper, volleyball, and Quinn Miller, men’s cross country, have been named the recipients of the James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award for the 2019-20 school year. Each Great Lakes Valley Conference institution – through the head coach – names one award honoree at the end of their respective sports season who distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. The student-athlete must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. With their sport recognition, the honorees became eligible for the overall James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award, where each institution selects one male and one female student-athlete from its season-long list of honorees to be named as James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Individual Award winners.

Huping Ling, professor of history, along with Christopher Gordon, director of the Missouri Historical Society Library and Collections, presented “Myth & Reality of ‘Hop Alley’ the Chinese American Community in St. Louis” online May 26. They traced the history of Chinese Americans in St. Louis from the historical Chinatown in “Hop Alley” to the present. They shared this story through the lens of traditional Chinese businesses with a particular focus the Sam Wah Laundry. A recording of the presentation is available on YouTube. Much of the presentation was derived from Ling’s books, “Chinese St. Louis: From Enclave to Cultural Community” and “Chinese in St. Louis: 1857-2007.” Ling has authored 29 books and more than hundred articles.

Daniel Mandell, professor of history, wrote a piece for the Washington Post using material from his new book to provide historical perspective on some modern-day economic issues facing the country as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Mandell will also be discussing the idea of equality in American history with Heather Cox Richardson, author of “How the South Won the Civil War.” The conversation will be hosted by Liz Covart with the Omohundro Institute of Early American History & Culture. The discussion will take place at 4:30 p.m. June 10, and free online registration can be completed here.

Jordan Shroyer received the Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Award medal for undergraduate students at the 235th American Astronomical Society meeting, which took place in Hawaii earlier this year. Shroyer presented work she completed last summer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Maryland. This year, only 15 students are awarded a Chambliss medal out of 355 entrants.

Lauren Wacker and Brodric Thomas have been named the Truman Outstanding Student Athletes for the 2019-20 school year. Wacker was named first team All-GLVC at libero for the volleyball team. She played four years with the Bulldogs, and cemented her place as one of the top defenders in program history. She finishes her career second in program history in digs with 2,326, first in digs per set with 5.05 and sixth in service aces with 142. Her 2019 season set all kinds of records, including four 30 dig matches – giving her seven for her career which tied for the most in program history. Wacker led the GLVC in digs per set in 2019 with 5.85, which was 13th in the nation. She was named Academic All-GLVC her freshman, sophomore and junior years. Thomas earned GLVC Player of the Year in men’s basketball, first team All-Conference for the third-straight year and was named first team All-Defense in the GLVC. He finishes his career as one of the top players in the history of the men’s basketball program with 1,500 points and 18.8 points per game – both marks fifth in program history. In addition, Thomas led the Bulldogs in rebounds with 224 (7.2 per game) and in steals with 55. His 2019-20 season was one for the record books as he racked up award after award. Along with his GLVC awards he was named to the GLVC Tournament Team and Tournament Most Outstanding Player, the NABC All-District Team and the D2CCA All-Midwest Region Team. His 666 points were the most in an individual season in Truman history, and his 21.5 point scoring average was sixth-most in a single season. Both his overall scoring and points per game average led the GLVC. It was the third-straight year Thomas was named first team All-GLVC and first team All-Defense.

Truman volleyball won the James R. Spalding Team Sportsmanship Award for volleyball from the GLVC for 2019-20 team. Each GLVC institution’s coach ranks the top-three teams within the sport that best displayed good sportsmanship throughout the season. The team with the highest point total is then named that sport’s James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Team Award winner. 

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.