Vol. 25 No. 24 - March 15, 2021

All events will take place in Pershing Arena, with ceremonies scheduled for 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. on May 7, followed by ceremonies at 9:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on May 8. Graduating students will be allowed two guests for their assigned ceremony, and all events will be livestreamed for those who are unable to attend in person. Seating at Pershing Arena will be socially distanced, and the campus mask policy will be in effect. The venue will be cleaned after each ceremony and before guests are permitted to reenter the building.

This commencement will be unlike any Truman has ever attempted, and it will require a lot of extra planning and preparation from University staff, faculty and administration. Since COVID-19 precautions have been taken into consideration, the best option to ensure an in-person ceremony for students and their families was to plan for multiple events across multiple days. An outdoor ceremony was not logistically feasible with a contingency plan in the event of inclement weather.

Specific details regarding each ceremony will be emailed to graduates and posted on truman.edu/registrar/commencement as they become available. All spring graduates must apply for graduation by April 1 to participate in the ceremony and be listed in the program. The Registrar’s Office will notify graduates which ceremony they must attend. That information will be available soon.

Graduates will receive their tickets during the graduation fair. Family and friends who are unable to attend the ceremony in person can watch live online at truman.edu/registrar/commencement/commencement-broadcast.

Additional questions regarding commencement can be directed to the Registrar’s Office at registrar@truman.edu or 660.785.4143.

The men’s and women’s basketball teams made the NCAA Division II tournament, and both squads notched victories in their opening games.

After winning against Northwood, March 12, the women’s team saw their season come to an end the next day with a loss to No. 2 Drury. The Bulldogs finish the abbreviated season with a 17-5 record.

Following a first-round bye as a No. 1 seed, the men’s team kept its season going with a win over Ashland in the round of 32. It marks Truman’s first win in the NCAA tournament since the 1999 Final Four run. The Bulldogs will play in the round of 16 at 7 p.m. March 16 against the winner of Michigan Tech and Southern Indiana.

The men’s team has had a stellar 2020-21, finishing the regular season at 18-1. Cade McKnight took home GLVC Player of the Year honors with a career-high 17.2 points per game. He is the second-straight Bulldog to win the award, following Brodric Thomas last year, and the third overall after Mike Carlson in 2014.

Masen Miller won Freshman of the Year, averaging 10.6 points per game and being named to the conference All-Defensive team.

Jeff Horner won Coach of the Year, leading his team to a second-straight regular season conference title.  

Truman fans can listen to Bulldog basketball locally on KRES 104.7 FM or online at CentralMoInfo.com.

Truman has recently partnered with a respected national exam preparation partner, Educational Testing Consultants, to provide online exam preparation courses as well as free online test strategy sessions for major national graduate and professional school examinations.

Preparation courses are non-credit bearing and are offered at a range of lengths, at a variety of times and dates, and various points throughout the year. Students who register at least 10 business days in advance of the course can secure discounts of between $50-$100 per course. Courses are priced to be competitive with other national providers.

For high school students, preparation courses for the ACT and SAT are also available.

For detailed descriptions of the available courses, and for more information on how to enroll, visit examprep.truman.edu.

Truman was honored with 2020 Tree Campus Higher Education recognition by the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to effective urban forest management.

The Tree Campus Higher Education program honors colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals. Truman achieved the title by meeting Tree Campus USA’s five standards, which include: maintaining a tree advisory committee; a campus tree-care plan; dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program; an Arbor Day observance; and student service-learning project.

Currently there are 403 campuses across the United States with this recognition. Truman has been recognized as a Tree Campus USA school since 2014.

The Arbor Day Foundation has helped campuses throughout the country plant thousands of trees, and Tree Campus USA colleges and universities invested more than $51 million in campus forest management last year. This work directly supports the Arbor Day Foundation’s Time for Trees initiative, an unprecedented effort to plant 100 million trees in forests and communities and inspire five million tree planters by 2022.

Last year, Tree Campus Higher Education schools collectively planted 39,178 trees and engaged 81,535 tree planters.

More information about the program is available at treecampushighered.org.

Under the CRRSAA, Truman has established student emergency funding to assist eligible students with “exceptional need” as it relates to a student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. A limited amount of funding is available for students who meet specific requirements. Money received through this fund does not need to be repaid, and this fund does not impact or replace any financial aid students may currently receive.

Grants can be applied to costs associated with: tuition; food; housing; books/supplies; transportation; personal expenses (clothing, personal items, laundry, etc.); health care; or child care.

Based on current Department of Education guidance, Pell Grant eligible students were automatically awarded a block grant amount if they did not fall into one of the following categories: not Title IV eligible due to satisfactory academic progress issue; unresolved C flag on 2020-2021 FAFSA; enrolled in less than six credit hours for spring 2021; withdrawn from spring 2021; or non-degree seeking.

Additionally, non-Pell Grant eligible students with a valid 2020-2021 FAFSA on file with unmet need of $100 or more were determined to be eligible for emergency CRRSAA grant funds if they did not fall into one of the previous categories. All eligible students will be emailed instructions on how to apply online via TruView.

Truman received a limited amount of grant funding. Grant amounts will be determined based on the number of applications received and the specific needs presented in the applications. The grant amount will need to fit within the cost of attendance for eligible students who are required to submit an application. The University cannot guarantee that all applications submitted will be eligible for funding.


Students who are not eligible, or attempt to apply but do not receive a CRRSAA grant and still have financial need, should contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@truman.edu or at 660.785.4130. Students can also find financial aid information online at financialaid.truman.edu.

The Truman Bookstore is taking orders for caps, gowns, diploma frames, nursing pins and graduation announcements for spring commencement. Orders can be placed online through the bookstore’s official vendor, Herff Jones. Students can also come to the bookstore for grad gear as well.

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars is hosting a basket raffle with all proceeds going toward the Alzheimer’s Association. The Golden Movie Ticket Basket is worth more than $100 and will include items such as movies, candy and popcorn along with other goodies. The price is $1 per raffle ticket and there is no limit to how many raffle tickets a person can buy.

Raffle tickets can be purchased online from March 15-26. The winner will be contacted on March 26 and will have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Any questions can be directed via email to trumans.nscs@gmail.com.

The 2021 Student Research Conference will take place April 22 as a hybrid event. Asynchronous virtual oral, poster, performance art and studio art presentations, as well as a limited number of face-to-face oral presentations, will be facilitated. This conference is a University-wide celebration of student research, scholarship and creative achievement. Both undergraduate and graduate students are invited to submit abstracts.

Complete abstract guidelines can be found on the Office of Student Research website. All abstracts need to be sponsored by a Truman faculty or staff member. Students should work with their faculty mentor before submitting the abstract. For any questions about the Student Research Conference email osr@truman.edu.

The Student Recreation Center Fitness-Wellness program will be hosting open slacklining from 3:30-5 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday on the quad, weather permitting, beginning March 16.

Balance is a critical component of daily life. Slacklining not only builds physical balance by strengthening legs and core, but can also help balance personal life by enhancing focus and concentration, relieving stress and improving posture. Come slackline to experience the lasting benefits of more balance. All fitness levels are welcome.

Student Government is hosting the fourth annual Women’s Leadership Conference from 12-6:30 p.m. March 20 in the Student Union Building. All sessions will also be available via Zoom.

This year’s conference will feature Nicole Galloway, state auditor, as the keynote speaker. There will be two panels: women of color in the workforce and a career panel with professionals from various fields sharing their experiences. Workshops include financial planning, virtual networking and bullet journaling. Registration can be found here. Zoom links will be forwarded closer to the event.

Living on campus provides easy access to campus amenities, as well as built-in fun and friendship. Researchers have found living on campus improves the likelihood a student will persist in college and go on to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Residence Life has several options for students who want to live on campus including single residence hall rooms, apartments and suites for up to four roommates. Spaces are available in Blanton-Nason-Brewer Hall as well as Centennial, Dobson, Missouri and Ryle halls. West Campus Suites and Campbell Apartments are also available, and Truman will once again offer pet-friendly housing in Dobson Hall.

Housing renewal applications are currently open on TruView. Under the “Student” tab, click on “Housing Portal.” Some scholarships can be put toward the cost of living on-campus. For questions about the housing renewal process visit truman.edu/residence-life or contact Residence Life at 660.785.4227 or reslife@truman.edu.

The Student Recreation Center will host two informational meetings for students to learn more about job opportunities for the upcoming summer and fall semesters. Applications will be available for pickup at either meeting. Scholarship, work-study and institutional hours are available. For more information visit recreation.truman.edu.

Brian Katcher, Stonewall Award-winning author and media specialist, will give a virtual presentation at 7 p.m. March 23 via Zoom. Katcher will talk about his experiences as a young adult literature author and answer any questions during this one-hour period. This event is free of charge and sponsored by the Child Studies Minor Committee and The Office of Interdisciplinary Studies. Check the Child Studies blackboard or email Sara Day for the Zoom link.

The Student Recreation Center is offering free body composition testing from 5-7 p.m. March 24 and 2-4:30 p.m. March 25 in room 218. Participants are eligible for a blood pressure reading, body mass index and three-site skinfold measurements. Participants can sign up for a 15-minute appointment at the weight room desk or by emailing dreamweaver@truman.edu.

This presentation will feature Dr. Amy Cooper, assistant professor of anthropology, at Saint Louis University. Cooper will discuss her in-depth research on one of the most important shifts in Venezuelan society, the transformation of its health care system. From her research, Cooper published the book “State of Health: Pleasure and Politics in Venezuelan Health Care under Chávez” which is based on ethnographic study conducted in Caracas between 2006-2009.

For further information visit the Global Colloquium’s webpage at globalissues.truman.edu.

In addition to campus-wide recognition at the Strategic Planning and Assessment Workshop in August, the awardee receives a $1,000 grant to be used for the enhancement of student advising.  

To make a nomination for the William O’Donnell Lee Advising Award, complete the online nomination form. Nomination deadline is 5 p.m. March 31.

Students interested in health care can consider a career in athletic training, which encompasses injury evaluation, rehabilitation and treatment, as well as program administration. Athletic training works closely with medical professionals to provide overall care and treatment to a variety of physically active individuals.

For more information contact Brandy Schneider or visit truman.edu/mat. Application deadline is April 1.

Antonio Scuderi, professor of Italian, has been invited to participate in “Writing Orality,” a webinar on written and oral traditions by Early Text Cultures at the University of Oxford, March 31.

Candy Young, professor of political science, is Truman’s nominee for the 2021 COPLAC Dunn Award. The COPLAC award recognizes a faculty member whose commitment to student success goes beyond the traditional roles of teacher, academic advisor and mentor. Each academic school was asked to nominate one faculty member to be considered and Young was selected as Truman’s nominee.

The Truman delegation earned multiple honors, as well as first place school in sweepstakes overall points, during the Good Life Forensics Tournament at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. For more information about the Truman Forensics Union contact Craig Hennigan, director of forensics, at chennigan@truman.edu.  


Kayla Gerlt

Megan Ford
Second Place - Communication Analysis
Audrey Baker, senior

Mark Franz, senior, will represent the men in 100 breaststroke with a selected time of 53.61. At the GLVC Championships he clocked in at 54.75.

Natalie Galluzzo, senior, qualified for nationals for the fourth consecutive year as she will represent Truman in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. Her selected times were 1:02.51 and 2:17.62, respectively. She tied for second at the GLVC Championships with a time of 1:02.51, earning a B Cut.

Ginny Schranck, senior, will also represent Truman in the 200 breaststroke. Schranck qualified with a selected time of 2:17.32. Both Galluzzo and Schranck earned B Cuts in the 200 as they finished third and fourth at the GLVC Championships. Galluzzo had a final time of 2:17.62 and Schranck 2:17.76.

As COVID-19 vaccines become more available in the area, these are some local providers that will be able to administer it. Although guidelines suggest a tiered system in order to reach the most vulnerable populations first, most providers maintain a waitlist and will administer doses more freely in instances where it can eliminate waste. Those who would like to be vaccinated are encouraged to contact providers and inquire about being waitlisted.

Adair County Health Department
Call 660.665.8491 to be added to a waitlist.
Click here for information about vaccine clinics.

Hy-Vee

Vaccine Navigator
Register at covidvaccine.mo.gov/navigator to get notifications and figure out eligibility. 

Walgreens

Walmart

Scotland County Hospital will host a first-dose vaccine clinic from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. March 17. The clinic is open to all Tier 3 Missouri residents. To make an appointment, call 660.349.6295.

The Adair County Health Department will be conducting a clinic from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. March 25 at The Crossing, 810 E. Shepherd Ave., in Kirksvile for individuals who received their first shot Feb. 25. Participants are asked to keep the same appointment time that they received their original shot. Those with Medicare cards should bring them to the event.

The Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, based in Columbia, Mo., will conduct a COVID-19 vaccination clinic April 10 in Kirksville for veterans who are eligible for VA health care. Vaccinations will be administered by appointment. To schedule an appointment, call 660.627.8387.

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 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, and a sophomore, junior or senior attending a Missouri public four-year university or the State Technical College of Missouri. Deadline to apply is June 30, 2021. 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.

 
Listed below are several of the major national fellowships and their websites. More information about these fellowships is available at www.truman.edu/majors-programs/more-learning-opportunities/fellowships.

For Graduate Studies
Fulbright Grants
Research grants and teaching assistantships for a year abroad

Rhodes Scholarships
Grants for two years of study at Oxford University

Marshall Scholarships
Awards for two years of study in any British university

Mitchell Scholarships
One year of graduate study or research in Ireland or Northern Ireland

Gates Cambridge Scholarships
Awards for an advanced degree or second bachelor’s degree at the University of Cambridge
 
For Undergraduate Studies
Goldwater Scholarships
Up to $7,500 annually for tuition, fees, books, room and board for science and mathematics majors

Harry S. Truman Scholarships
For senior year and post-graduate study leading to a career in public service

Udall Scholarships
For students interested in careers related to environmental issues or for Native Americans and Alaskans interested in careers related to health care and tribal public policy

Carnegie Endowment Junior Fellowships
For students interested in international affairs to work as research assistants to the Endowment’s senior associates in Washington, D.C. for a full year

Boren Scholarships
To study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests