Vol. 14, No. 22 - Feb. 23, 2010

Three Truman faculty members, Maria Nagan, John Quinn and Jeffrey Vittengl, have been honored with the Walker and Doris Allen Fellowship. President Darrell W. Krueger, along with Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Troy Paino, surprised the faculty members Feb. 16.

The $10,000 Walker and Doris Allen Fellowship recognizes outstanding faculty members who have greatly contributed to the success of the University and its students.

Maria Nagan began teaching at Truman in the fall of 2000 as a lecturer. The following year she was promoted to assistant professor of chemistry and then associate professor of chemistry in 2006.


She has a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, with specialty areas of biology and physical chemistry. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College in Iowa. Her research interests include molecular dynamics simulations of RNA and protein-RNA complexes, particularly those containing modified nucleic acid bases.

John Quinn has been at Truman since the fall of 1996. He majored in history and English at St. Vincent College (Latrobe, Pa.) and obtained his master’s and Ph.D. in political science from UCLA.

In addition to his time at Truman, Quinn also taught at the University of Ghana-Legion for a semester and spent three years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo. His primary research agenda centers on the political and economic effects of majority state ownership of industry, mining or oil in Africa.


Quinn is the author of “The Road Oft Traveled: Development Politics and Majority State Ownership of Industry in Africa.” He also has published articles in such journals as International Interactions, Party Politics and International Politics.

Jeffrey Vittengl, associate professor of psychology, has been at Truman since 2001. In addition to a bachelor’s and master’s in psychology, he earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of Iowa. His research interests include assessment and psychometrics, social-interpersonal functioning in anxiety and depression and treatment of depression.


Besides teaching courses in abnormal psychology, behavior modification, elementary psychology, experimental psychology, introduction to clinical psychology and personality psychology, Vittengl served as the director of the Student Interview Project from 2004-2009.

He is a member of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Midwestern Psychological Association and Sigma Xi.

Alumni Walker and Doris Allen established the Fellowship nine years ago with one of the largest outright gifts ever made to the Truman State University Foundation.

Walker W. Allen graduated from Truman (then Northeast Missouri State Teacher’s College) in 1939 with a bachelor’s degree in business education.

Award-winning music will fill Baldwin Auditorium during Phi Mu Alpha’s 42nd Annual Jazz Festival.

Jazz tenor saxophonist Donny McCaslin will perform with the Truman Jazz Ensemble at 8 p.m. Feb. 27 in Baldwin Auditorium.

McCaslin is one of New York’s most in-demand tenor saxophonists. On his latest Arabesque release, “The Way Through,” the Brooklyn-based artist continues to defy labels, proving he can unearth musical truth in any medium.

The recording earned critical praise in JAZZTIMES, which called it McCaslin’s “most fully realized project to date ... McCaslin blends his inside and outside sensibilities into one sumptuous and satisfying package.

“McCaslin stands poised to be one of the flame bearers of jazz in the twenty-first century. A well-equipped, immensely talented musician with seemingly limitless technical expertise, he consistently proves himself to be much more than merely a gifted technician.”

Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance by contacting Michael at 630.303.3537 or mak6447@truman.edu.

Students can now apply for new grants to help sponsor events on campus. New Student Programs, through these grants, is looking to bolster three specific types of campus programming.
 
The overall goal of the grants is to increase the quality and quantity of the events in each of the three areas.

One fund will support events that bring together faculty and students.

A second fund will work with programs that celebrate diversity on campus.

The third fund is dedicated to supporting student initiated events that are not being sponsored by a student organization or University office.

These three areas cover a wide range of possible events and activities.

To apply for funding, students need to submit a grant application, which can be found at the New Student Programs website, http://newstudents.truman.edu.

The three funds are being administered by teams of New Student Programs academic advisers and Residence Life hall directors. These teams will review the forms on a rolling deadline and get back to students regarding the status of their applications.

New Student Programs serves the academic needs of first-year and transfer students as well as on-campus residents engaged in cocurricular learning. Their services include academic advising, tutoring, study skills development and specialized courses.

New Student Programs is funded through academic tuition and an annual allocation from Residence Life.

A $2,500 scholarship commemorating the life of Anna Catherine Brown Motter has been awarded at Truman.

A longtime area schoolteacher and mother of four, Catherine Motter passed away March 19, 2009 at the age of 99. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Education in 1934 from the University, then known as Northeast Missouri State Teachers College, at a time when women obtained only about five percent of college degrees awarded.

Motter paid for her own education by working her way through college by teaching in Audrain County Missouri rural schools at a time when a teaching degree was not required.  

Many of her years of post degree teaching were in the rural schools of Adair County as well as three years in the Novinger, Mo., elementary school.

Throughout her life, Motter’s interests were her family, music, traveling, church, reading and the beauty of nature. Those who knew her remember her as a positive person who looked for and found the best in people. Motter and her husband, Marion Motter, made sure their four children received college degrees.

In her honor, her four children have awarded the Anna Catherine Brown Motter scholarship in the amount of $2,500. The scholarship requires the recipient be a fifth-year student at Truman studying in the Master of Arts in Education program. They must also be a Missouri resident with a grade point average of 3.0 or better and have significant financial need.

The Anna Catherine Brown Motter scholarship recently was awarded to Clare Cummings, of Kansas City, Mo. An education and psychology major, Cummings plans to teach elementary education in the future.

During her time as a student at Truman, Cummings has volunteered as a Girl Scout Troop Co-Leader for third grade Brownies and has worked at the Kirksville Day Care Center.

Area grade school children will have the opportunity for some interactive learning at Truman during the “Science on Saturday” program Feb. 27.

“Science on Saturday” is a free program targeted to children in grades 2-5 with the goal of expanding their knowledge at a young age by providing fun ways to learn.

Students participating in “Science on Saturday” will get the opportunity to participate in interactive learning environments that explore the different facets of science.

Members of Truman’s national biological honor society Beta Beta Beta will be conducting two sessions in Magruder Hall: one from 9-11:30 a.m., for second and third grade students; followed by another session from 1-4 p.m., for fourth and fifth grade students. To participate, students must have signed permission slips from their parents. Permission slips have been distributed in local schools. To request additional permission slips e-mail cpl4241@truman.edu.

Truman’s Kohlenberg Lyceum Series will feature a performance by dance company Ailey II at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23 in Baldwin Hall Auditorium.

Ailey II is an exceptional company that merges the spirit and energy of the country’s best young dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s most outstanding emerging choreographers.

Ailey II’s performance is sponsored by the Truman Bookstore.


Students can pick up their free ticket by presenting a Truman ID at the Student Activities Board Box Office, located in the lower level of the Student Union Building. Faculty and staff can receive their free tickets by showing their Truman ID at the Information Center in the Student Union Building.

General admission tickets cost $7 for adults and $4 for those 18 and under and are available at the Truman Cashiers Window in McClain Hall or downtown at Edna Campbells.

Ailey II began in 1974 as the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble when choreographer Alvin Ailey initiated a workshop composed of the most promising scholarship students from the Ailey School in New York City. Ailey handpicked the original members of the Company from among that group.

Ailey II embodies Alvin Ailey’s pioneering mission to establish an extended cultural community that provides dance performances, training and community programs for all people. Today, it has become one of the most popular dance companies in the United States.

The next event in the Center for Teaching and Learning’s Global Issues Colloquium will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 25 in Magruder Hall 2001.

Sylvia Macauley, associate professor of history, will present “No Justice, No Peace: the Elusive Search for Justice and Reconciliation in Post-Conflict Sierra Leone.”

Macauley will examine and assess the wisdom behind the government of Sierra Leone’s establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in 2000 and the Special Court in 2002 to help end the fighting and consolidate the peace after years of civil war.

Macauley will also discuss the efficacy of these two mechanisms of transitional justice in the context of past and present realities in Sierra Leone.

On Feb. 1, 2010, Truman’s Rho Rho Chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, was named co-recipient of this year’s Frida Kahlo Award by the Society’s Executive Council.
 
Founded in 2006 and named after a renowned 20th Century Mexican artist, the Frida Kahlo Award is presented annually to a chapter for its outstanding website. Selection is based upon the website’s content, navigability, appearance, innovation and current maintenance. There are currently 567 chapters of Sigma Delta Pi.

Truman’s achievement comes under the direction of its Sigma Delta Pi chapter adviser, Lucy Lee, professor of Spanish, along with the web design expertise of Becky Jackson.

Established in 1919 at the University of California, Berkeley, Sigma Delta Pi honors those who have completed three years of study of college-level Spanish, including at least three semester hours of a course in Hispanic literature or Hispanic culture and civilization with a minimal grade point average of 3.0 in all Spanish courses taken.

Candidates must also rank in the upper 35 percent of their class - sophomore, junior, or senior - and must have completed at least three semesters or five quarters of college work. Graduate students can also be elected to membership upon completion of two graduate courses in Spanish with an average which, if continued, will make them eligible for a graduate degree.

With its national office at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C., Sigma Delta Pi is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies, the nation’s only certifying agency for college and university honor societies. 

Truman State University Foundation scholarship applications for Truman students in the 2010-2011 academic year are now available. Applications are online and are due by midnight March 5. To learn more, go to https://secure.truman.edu/isupport-s/.

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF), the nation’s leading organization supporting Hispanic higher education, is currently taking applications for the 2010 scholarship. The scholarship is available to permanent residents of the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan area defined as Clay, Jackson, Wyandotte and Johnson counties. For more information, visit http://www.hispanicdevelopmentfund.org or call 816.701.8308. A limited number of applications are also available in the Financial Aid Office in McClain Hall 103. Applications are due March 1.

The Missouri Travel Council will offer two $1,000 scholarships to currently enrolled sophomores, juniors or seniors in an accredited college or university in the state of Missouri. Applicants must be pursuing a hospitality-related major such as hotel/restaurant management, parks and recreation, etc., must be a current resident of Missouri and must have a grade point average of at least 3.0. For more information, visit http://www.missouritravel.com. The deadline for applications is March 2.

The Missouri Insurance Education Foundation will award scholarships to deserving students attending Missouri colleges or universities in a program that could lead to positions in the insurance industry in Missouri. The $2,500 C. Lawrence Leggett Scholarship is awarded to a junior or senior Missouri resident majoring in insurance or a related area of study in a Missouri college or university. In addition to the Leggett Scholarship, the foundation has made an additional scholarship available in the amount of $2,000. Applications are available on their website at http://www.mief.org and due March 31.

The Foundation of the Stadium Managers Association (SMA) offers its student scholarship to provide tuition assistance and an opportunity for outstanding students currently enrolled in an accredited Sports Management and Sports Administration programs with an emphasis on facility and/or event management to learn more about the professions through networking with leaders in the field in an educational, and information setting. This $2,500 annual scholarship award includes student membership in the SMA. For an application and more information regarding this scholarship go to http://www.stadiummanagers.org, click on Foundation. Application deadline is April 15. 

The John Gyles Education Awards are available each year to students in both Canada and the United States. They are the result of a private, benevolent endeavor established in 1990. Full Canadian or American citizenship is a requirement. Awards are available to both male and female students for all areas of post secondary study. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. Criteria other than strictly academic ability and financial need are considered in the selection process. Selected students will receive up to $3,000. The filing date for mailing applications is May 1. Applications are available online at http://www.johngyleseducationcenter.com.

The BigSun Organization is proud to be able to continue to help young athletes succeed in their academic pursuits by offering a $500 scholarship. All student athletes are eligible for this award, regardless of the sport. Deadline for submission is June 24. Visit http://www.bigsunathletics.com to learn how to apply.

Help Truman boost international student recruitment: make a YouTube video that promotes the University to potential international students.

The video that receives the most views in a two-week period of time wins $400 with second and third place winning $200 and $100, respectively.

All videos must be submitted to iso01@truman.edu by March 19. E-mail Wilson Zhang at zz8224@truman.edu for guidelines or with questions.

All students are encouraged to file the 2010-2011 FAFSA located at http://www.fafsa.gov. It is important to apply before April 1 to be considered for all available funding. Questions should be directed to the Financial Aid Office, McClain Hall 103, 785.4130.

Activity: BAGGO
Division: Open/Org/Greek
Deadline: Feb. 23
Captains’ Meeting: E-mail
Play Begins: Feb. 28

Activity: NCAA March Madness
Division: Open
Deadline: First of March
Captains’ Meeting: NA
Play Begins: First of March

Activity: Volleyball
Division: Open/Org/Greek
Deadline: Mar. 2
Captains’ Meeting: Mar. 3
Play Begins: Mar. 15

Activity: Co-Rec Volleyball
Division: Open
Deadline: Mar. 2
Captains’ Meeting: Mar. 3
Play Begins: Mar. 15

Activity: Closest to the Pin
Division: Open/Org/Greek
Deadline: Mar. 16
Captains’ Meeting: E-mail
Play Begins: TBA

Activity: Indoor Soccer
Division: Open/Org/Greek
Deadline: Mar. 16
Captains’ Meeting: Mar. 18
Play Begins: Mar. 22

Activity: Co-Rec Indoor Soccer
Division: Open
Deadline: Mar. 16
Captains’ Meeting: Mar. 18
Play Begins: Mar. 22

Activity: Swim Meet
Division: Open/Org/Greek
Deadline: Apr. 6
Captains’ Meeting: E-mail
Play Begins: Apr. 8

Activity: Ultimate Frisbee
Division: Open
Deadline: Apr. 13
Captains’ Meeting: E-mail
Play Begins: Apr. 17 & 18

Activity: Punt Pass & Kick
Division: Open/Org/Greek
Deadline: Apr. 13
Captains’ Meeting: Apr. 15
Play Begins: Apr. 22

Activity: Track Meet
Division: Open/Org/Greek
Deadline: Apr. 13
Captains’ Meeting: Apr. 15
Play Begins: Apr. 22

Activity: T-Shirt Design Contest
Division: Open
Deadline: Apr. 29
Captains’ Meeting: NA
Play Begins: NA

Activity: Wrap Up Meeting
Division: Open
Deadline: NA
Captains’ Meeting: Apr. 29
Play Begins: NA

All information, rules and registration requirements are online at http://recreation.truman.edu/intramuralrec.asp, or contact the Intramural Office at 785.4467. Captains’ Meeting is at 4:30 p.m. in the SRC Conference Room.

The Weekly Lunch Series continues at 12:30 p.m. Feb. 24 in the Student Union Building Spanish Room. James Guffey will present different techniques for keeping students focused in class in his presentation “Keep Your Eye on the Ball.”

The Center for Student Involvement presents “Pizza and Publicity” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24 in the CSI complex to review the University posting policy and discuss publicity ideas and available CSI resources for publicity. There will also be free pizza and door prizes.  

The next Global Issues Colloquium is scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 25 in Magruder 2001. Sylvia Macauley, associate professor of history, will present “No Justice, No Peace: the Elusive Search for Justice and Reconciliation in Post-Conflict Sierra Leone.”

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. is hosting “Operation Save Haiti” Variety Show at 8:20 p.m. Feb. 25 in the Student Union Building Alumni Room. Enjoy performances by True Men, Minor Detail and more. Cost for the show is $1 with proceeds going to the American Red Cross for Haiti relief funds.

The Residence Hall Association will host “Closing the Circle,” an interactive program about diversity and self awareness at 7 p.m. Feb. 26 in the Missouri Hall Sheridan Room.

An Honors Scholar Program informational reception will take place at 4:30 p.m. March 1 in the Student Union Building Alumni Room. Students can learn more about the program, previously General Honors, and speak with current Honors Scholar students about their experiences.

SAB presents "Poker Night" at 7 p.m. March 2 in the Student Union Building Down Under. Come to the Down Under for Texas Hold 'Em Poker, free food and door prizes. Put on your poker face.

The Career Center will present “Job Searching” at 6 p.m. March 3 in the Career Center. Find out how to conduct a successful job search by utilizing traditional forms as well as maximizing social networking. Register at http://pdi.truman.edu.

Register today to volunteer with “The Big Event” starting at 9 a.m. March 20. Registration is open to students, faculty and staff until March 5. Register at http://serve.truman.edu/bigevent/index.html.

May 2010 graduates can begin ordering graduation items at http://www1.herffjones.com/college/graduation/index.cfm or stop by the Truman Bookstore for details. Orders are due March 5. Mark your calendars for the graduation fair April 20-21 in the Student Union Building.

Funds Allotment Council funding applications for fall 2010 are now available outside the FAC Office in Student Union Building 1116 or at http://fac.truman.edu. Applications are due at 4 p.m. March 17.