Vol. 25 No. 6 - September 21, 2020

Truman will host in-person commencement ceremonies Nov. 21 for students scheduled to graduate at the conclusion of the fall semester.

Due to restrictions on large gatherings, no guests will be in attendance, only the graduates and a small delegation of University representatives on the stage. Graduates will receive a diploma cover at the event and will get the opportunity to walk across the stage while their name is read aloud. As with the Aug. 1 ceremony, the event will air live on YouTube so family and friends can watch in real time.   

To safely accommodate the graduating class while social distancing, there will be two ceremonies in Pershing Arena. The first will take place at 10 a.m. for all Bachelor of Science candidates. After the venue is sanitized, a second ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m. for all candidates receiving a master’s degree or a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Commencement was moved up from its originally scheduled date of Dec. 12 for the convenience of the graduates and the general safety and well-being of the entire community. Since in-person classes will conclude before Thanksgiving Break, by hosting the event early, graduating students and their families will not have to return later in the year. This also limits the number of people traveling to and from Kirksville, lessening the possibility of exposure to and spread of the coronavirus.

Graduates will receive regular emails from the Registrar’s Office regarding the commencement ceremony, and details will be posted to registrar.truman.edu under commencement ceremony as they become available.

Truman students, employees, alumni, parents and friends of the University will have a new way to show their support to one another as campus nears the halfway point of an unusual semester.

“Build Up Bulldogs” is a way for anyone to publicly share a positive, uplifting message. Starting Sept. 21, words of encouragement can be shared by tagging @TrumanState on Facebook or by using the hashtag #BuildUpBulldogs on Instagram and Twitter. Messages can also be submitted online here.

Messages can be general in nature, or can highlight the positive work of a department, employee, organization or student. Positive messages will be shared on the Truman social media wall, available at social.truman.edu. From Oct. 5-8, messages will also be projected onto the north side of the clock tower from 7-10 p.m.

Truman has again been recognized by Washington Monthly as one of the top master’s universities in the nation, coming in at No. 12 on the publication’s 2020 college rankings.

Of the 614 institutions included on the Master’s University rankings, Truman was the only Missouri school in the top 185 spots.

On the “Best Bang for the Buck” list included in Washington Monthly’s college rankings, Truman is No. 14 overall in the Midwest region, an improvement of 12 places compared to last year’s spot.

The Washington Monthly rankings are unique in that they place an importance on social mobility, research, and community and national service. Along with traditional benchmarks such as graduation rates and costs, schools are rewarded for criteria including the number of first-generation students enrolled and the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants or participating in ROTC. Of all the Show-Me State schools on the list, Truman received the highest marks, by far, for promoting social mobility and research.

The college guide and rankings appear in the magazine’s September/October issue and can be found online.

While there may not be football this fall, the Statesmen Marching Band and the Showgirls are doing their part to bring the pageantry and atmosphere of game day to campus.

The Statesmen will perform an exciting new halftime show beginning at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 25 on the quad. The 35-minute performance will feature a Showgirls dance routine and renditions of game day favorites, including “Shenandoah.” The band will be staged north of Kirk Memorial.

Wind Symphony I and II will also make use of the quad during a performance featuring movie scores, transcriptions, marches and more starting at 2 p.m. Sept. 27. The band will be staged outside of Baldwin Hall. Click here for the concert program.

For both performances, guests are invited to bring chairs or blankets to the quad, and reminded to maintain physical distance and wear a mask. Seating may be limited to accommodate safety protocols.

Scott Alberts, professor of statistics, and Nancy Daley-Moore, assistant professor of health and exercise sciences, recently discussed Truman’s numbers through Sept. 15. Both instructors are members of the Faculty Senate COVID-19 Working Group, and Daley-Moore is one of the coordinators of the University’s contact tracing program. A recording of their discussion is available here.

Sept. 26 was scheduled to be Family Day, a time when Truman students are able to celebrate and share their Truman experience with those closest to them. Although the coronavirus has led to the cancellation of in-person festivities, campus and area businesses have joined together to help family members show support for their students. Family Day special deals can now be found online here.

Trusisters is an organization with a mission to provide a safe space for women of color on campus. Canvas painting is a fun activity event that Trusisters collaborated with Ka-La to create and connect a community with women of color or any minorities. Spots are limited. Sign up here.

Canvas Painting on the Quad
6-8 p.m.
Sept. 23
Outside Baldwin

Alpha Kappa Psi is a professional business fraternity that is co-ed and open to ALL majors. AKPsi offers a unique opportunity to attain the critical professional skills necessary to land the next internship or job interview. Aside from professional development, the organization has fun brotherhood events, service and leadership opportunities. Contact vprecruitment.tauup@gmail.com for more information.