Vol. 26 No. 13 - November 15, 2021

Two weeks into the semester, nursing students began helping local public health departments with annual flu vaccination campaigns and school health screenings. They assisted in numerous flu vaccination and COVID booster clinics for Adair, Knox, Lewis, Linn, Putnam, Schuyler and Sullivan counties, as well as the student health center on campus. The students also supported school health screenings in Scotland and Linn counties.

Earlier this year, the department was awarded the Nursing Education Incentive Program Grant from the Missouri State Board of Nursing. Part of that grant included the addition of a new clinical coordinator to the Nursing Department. Corie Pryor joined the department in August. In addition to renewing and strengthening many relationships with previous host sites for clinical experiences, she has also helped form new partnerships.

These new partnerships include placing senior students at Hospice of Northeast Missouri for clinical experience and participation in Project Northeast Missouri Connect where junior students from the “Adult Health” class also helped to provide blood pressure screenings at the event.

“Some clinical sites had suspended accepting students during 2020 and spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Nola Martz, assistant nursing professor. “Having Corie as a clinical coordinator devoted to making those connections and coordinating student placement has been instrumental for all of the clinical courses in the nursing program.”

Truman will celebrate Tag Day, Nov. 15.

The goal of Tag Day is to show appreciation to donors who have given back to the University, as well as to raise awareness of how they impact day-to-day life at Truman. Hundreds of items around campus will be marked with special purple tags highlighting the fact those items were made possible by a gift.

Donors have a measurable impact in tangible ways, including the Sandra K. Giachino Reavey Sesquicentennial Plaza and Fountain, Red Barn Pavilion and the Robison Planetarium. As well as tangible items, donors also provide support through scholarships and student learning experiences.

Hot chocolate will be provided from 12:30-2 p.m. on the plaza with an opportunity to get a picture taken with the bulldog statue. There will also be the chance to vote on which donor-funded gifts are favorites. For those who cannot make it to the plaza, the Alumni Office will be posting pictures of grateful members of the campus community all week on Truman social media platforms.

Dr. Aswath Damodaran, an expert on equity valuation and corporate finance, will take part in a virtual meeting and presentation for the Truman community from 5-6 p.m. Nov. 16.

Damodaran is the Kerschner Family Chair in Finance Education and a professor of finance at New York University Stern School of Business. He previously served as a visiting lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley.

Among his contributions to the field of finance, Damodaran has been the recipient of Giblin, Glucksman and Heyman fellowships, a David Margolis Teaching Excellence Fellowship, and the Richard L. Rosenthal Award for Innovation in Investment Management and Corporate Finance.

Due to his skill and enthusiasm in the classroom, Damodaran received the Schools of Business Excellence in Teaching Award in 1988 and the Distinguished Teaching award from NYU in 1990. He has been voted Professor of the Year by the graduating M.B.A. class nine times during his career at NYU, and Business Week named him one of the top 12 U.S. business school professors.

Damodaran earned an accounting degree from Madras University, along with a post-graduate diploma in management from the Indian Institute of Management. He has an M.B.A. and Ph.D., both in finance, from the University of California, Los Angeles. In addition to myriad publications in academic journals, Damodaran is the author of several highly regarded and widely used academic texts on valuation, corporate finance and investment management.

The virtual presentation will take place on Zoom from 5-6 p.m. Nov. 16 and can be accessed here.

Sarah Mohler, assistant professor of English and director of graduate studies, and Emily Long Olsen, assistant professor of linguistics, each earned the Spring 2021 Academic Innovation Award.

Senior Caitlin Smith has tried to make the most of every opportunity she’s had during her time at Truman. From serving as president of her sorority, to working as an orientation leader, the future music teacher has stayed active for four years. Smith plans to continue her time at Truman after graduation by participating in the Master of Arts in Education program. Learn more about her story here.

The inductees (left to right, top to bottom) are:

• MaKenna Carnes, music
• Me Crouch, computer science and theatre
• Megan Gentes, psychology
• Taylor Howard, music
• Joey Jolly, English
• Sara Jones, justice systems and sociology
• Christina Kabell, biology
• Lauri Klump, sociology
• Cheryl Lin, biochemistry and molecular biology
• Louisa Lopez, biology
• Caleb Martin, economics and business administration
• Seth Overall, psychology
• Samantha Pratt, psychology and music therapy
• Emma Richardson, economics
• Serena Taylor, justice systems
• Tori Taylor, political science
• Kate Teku, psychology

Students from Truman’s Forensics Union earned awards at two tournaments last week.

Debaters competed at Illinois State University at the Fall Red Bird. Freshman novice Megan Trent achieved second speaker, as well as tournament finalist, in Lincoln-Douglas Debate, earning a qualification to the national tournament in April. Sophomore Alicia Stout also got to the quarterfinals in Lincoln-Douglas Debate in the open division.

Speech competitors traveled to Peoria, Illinois, to the Norton Tournament at Bradley University. Senior Jackson Elder made it to the semifinals in impromptu speaking and achieved fourth place in extemporaneous speaking. Senior Kayla Gerlt came in fifth place in dramatic interpretation. Sophomore Ella Schnake made it to the semifinals in impromptu speaking, as well as prose interpretation and was the tournament champion in dramatic interpretation.

As a school, Truman earned enough sweepstakes points to outscore teams from Purdue University, Ohio University and Illinois State. In December, the team will travel to Webster University for the Gateway Swing and debate will compete virtually at University of Nebraska-Lincoln for the Fall Finale debate tournament.

Any students interested in joining the Forensics Union should contact Craig Hennigan at chennigan@truman.edu or Ben Davis at bdavis@truman.edu.

International speaker and author Dr. Howard E. Fields III will present a two-part conversation focusing on equity in higher education, Nov. 16.

Fields currently serves as an assistant superintendent of human resources and adjunct professor at Harris-Stowe State University. He is the author of the new book, “How to Achieve Educational Equity,” co-founder of Black Males in Education St. Louis (BMESTL) and EduOpenings.com. His perspective and focus on remaining student-centered, yet equity-focused, along with the ability to create and implement strategic solutions for organizations, has made him a sought-out speaker, writer and consultant. More information about Fields can be found here. Copies of his book will also be available at the event.
 
This two-part conversation will include an interactive workshop focused on “A Practical Approach and Discussion on Educational Equity” from 3-4:30 p.m. with registration required. Following the workshop, an open seat presentation titled “How to Achieve Educational Equity” will take place from 6:30-8 p.m. Both sessions will be in the Student Union Building Alumni Room.

This event is sponsored by Center for Diversity and Inclusion, the Education Department and Truman’s chapter of the National Education Association.

Junior and senior students could win up to $250 from Truman, and $10,000 nationally, through the Robert L. Gould Scholastic Award competition.

SS&C, a financial technology company, sponsors the annual Robert L. Gould Scholastic Award to recognize outstanding university students who produce academic papers on topics related to investment management strategies, theories and trends. The concept for this year is related to gamification and investments. As technology is explored in everyday lives, how could gamification impact or encourage appropriate investing behaviors and what are the real or potential positive and negative consequences of using gamification in this environment?  

In addition to the national award, the University will offer cash prizes to the top three papers from Truman students. Locally, first place will earn $250, second place will receive $150 and third place will get $100. All three will be submitted to the SS&C for the national competition.

Papers should be submitted to Chuck Boughton, instructor in business administration, at boughton@truman.edu by Jan. 14. Submissions should be in Word format only. Local awards will be announced after the Jan. 31 submission to the Gould judges. For more information email boughton@truman.edu.

The Truman State University Foundation Spring 2022 Foundation Scholarship applications are now available. To apply, log in to TruView, go to the Student Tab, Student Tools, Scholarships, Financial Aid & Loans then Foundation Scholarship Application. Students can submit and revise their application online at any time prior to the deadline of Nov. 23. These scholarships are available thanks to the private gifts of alumni and friends of the University.

Now until Dec. 31 the University Bookstore is offering a one-time deal of 30% off entire apparel or gift purchase. Stop by the bookstore and show a Truman ID when checking out. Valid in-stores one time only.

To ensure the bookstore is meeting the needs as the official campus store and textbook provider they would appreciate feedback by completing a survey that can be found here.

Truman now offers test preparation classes to help students of all ages reach their academic goals.

With courses for the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, Praxis Core, SAT and ACT, Truman is northeast Missouri’s leading test prep solution. The University has partnered with 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.

“Truman partnered with ETC because of its established reputation for improving student performance on standardized exams,” said Kevin Minch, associate provost. “Many colleges and universities nationwide are using ETC, including some of our Missouri peers.”

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.

The test preparation classes were designed by a team of former standardized-test-item writers and test-preparation experts. All classes include: extensive instruction; experienced, dedicated instructors; comprehensive preparation materials, including actual questions and practice tests from the test-makers; thorough presentations and explanations; flexible schedule options; and access to online support resources.

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

The Institute for Academic Outreach is seeking applications for the following academies:

• Joseph Baldwin Academy (June 8-July 3 and/or July 6-31)
• JBA Junior (July 10-15)
• ATSU-Truman Healthcare Academy (June 9-18)

Each academy is in search of preceptors for programs ranging from one to three weeks during June and July. Stipends vary based in the length of the program and nature of the work.

To be eligible as a preceptor, applicants must be a Truman student or a May 2022 graduate, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and not be enrolled in summer classes while working in the program. Individuals hired for these programs will also be required to complete a criminal background check, pre-academy trainings and pre-academy orientations.
 
Applications are currently being accepted and will continue until the positions are filled. Information about each available position can be accessed at tiacademies.truman.edu/employment or by emailing Michelle Wilson at mwwilson@truman.edu.

 

• Independence: Harry Truman Presidential Library (full-time, 9 credits)
• Kansas City: National World War I Museum (part-time, 4 credits)
• Kirksville: Judicial Archives Project (part-time, 4 credits)
• St. Joseph: St. Joseph Museums (part-time, 4 credits)
• St. Louis: Field House Museum (part-time, 4 credits), Missouri History Museum (part-time, 4 credits), Mercantile Library (part-time, 4 credits)
• Springfield: MSU Special Collections and Archive (part-time, 4 credits)

The summer internships are open to all Truman students, but they are especially relevant for those considering careers in archives, museums and teaching.
 
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until all positions are filled.
 
To find out what the internships entail and how to apply, direct enquiries to: Jason McDonald, Baldwin Hall 226, 660.785.7575, jasonmcd@truman.edu.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be filed now for the 2022-2023 school year at studentaid.gov.

Even though a student may not qualify for grants or work-study, all students are considered for the Federal Direct Loan (no co-signer required). Filing the FAFSA does not commit students to taking a loan, but it does allow for more options.

The 2022-2023 FAFSA requires students to report income and tax information from an earlier tax year. For the 2022-2023 FAFSA students will use their 2020 tax information.

It is strongly recommended to apply or renew before Feb. 1, 2022.

The next issue of the Truman Today will be available Nov. 29.

Nine clarinetists and five saxophonists competed this year at the statewide Missouri Music Teachers Association Collegiate Woodwinds Competition, Nov. 11. These students each prepared three contrasting solos and performed for a judge who provided them with feedback as they competed against their peers from other universities throughout the state including the University of Missouri, Missouri State University, University of Central Missouri, University of Missouri-Kansas City and Southeast Missouri State University. The following students received awards.

Lower Division
Winner
Brett Barger, clarinet

Honorable Mentions
Connor McLaughlin, saxophone
Trystan Lickteig, clarinet
 
Upper Division
Winner
Sam Weaver, saxophone

Runner-up
Lucas Shroyer, clarinet
 
Graduate Division
Winner
Yang Zhou, saxophone

Runner-up
Haozhe Shi, saxophone

Honorable Mentions
Jessica Alvarado, clarinet

The Missouri Folklore Society’s annual meeting took place online, Nov. 4-6. Amy Norgard, associate professor of classics, gave the keynote talk, “A Woman Scorned: Hera in Film, Television, and Video Games.” Alumnus Dr. Nathaniel Williams, now associate professor of English at the University of Califorinia-Davis, gave the second plenary, “Mark Twain and the Science Fiction of his Era.”

Betsy Delmonico, professor emerita of English, gave a reading from a folklore-based novel, “Goods and Effects,” by Al Schnupp. This novel is newly published by Golden Antelope, the press Delmonico runs with her husband Neal.

Alumnus Joe Slama presented on the particularities of Cherokee Catholicism. Alumna Taylor Libbert, active in the preservation of Missouri’s PawPaw French dialect, performed a field-collected folktale in that language. Mika Zans’ capstone project for the folklore minor was a computer program deploying choose-your-own adventure structures to gamify the motif-based variation of traditional folktales.

The Truman State University Foundation Spring 2022 Foundation Scholarship applications are now available. To apply, log in to TruView, go to the Student Tab, Student Tools, Scholarships, Financial Aid & Loans then Foundation Scholarship Application. Students can submit and revise their application online at any time prior to the deadline of Nov. 23. These scholarships are available thanks to the private gifts of alumni and friends of the University.