Vol. 27 No. 22 - February 20, 2023

Truman’s chapter of Kappa Delta Pi international honor society for education was recently recognized for reaching its 100th anniversary on campus.

Founded nationally in 1911, KDP was one of the first discipline-specific honor societies. It was established to foster excellence in education and promote fellowship among those dedicated to teaching. More than 1.2 million students and professionals belong to KDP. Truman’s Tau chapter typically has approximately 50 members and it boasts thousands of University alumni.

KDP will host an organizational meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 28 in Violette Hall for those interested in joining. Benefits include: support for new teachers as they transition from campus to their own classrooms; access to Teaching Channel; member-only scholarships; certification assistance; networking; 24-hour online support; and up to $1 million in free professional liability insurance coverage.

Membership in KDP is limited to the top 20% of those entering the field of education. Students with any undergraduate major and a desire to enter the field of education may apply. KDP takes a new member class once a semester.

Qualifications for undergraduates include: at least 60 semester hours; a cumulative grade point average at least 3.0; completion of ED 389; completion or current enrollment in ED 393; and at least 12 semester hours of professional education courses programmed, in progress or completed.

For graduate students, qualifications include: graduate admission status in a degree program within the Master of Arts in Education program; completion of six or more semester hours of graduate work applicable to the degree program in which the student is enrolled; at least 12 semester hours of professional education courses programmed, in progress or completed; a cumulative ranking on all graduate work undertaken of at least 3.25; and a cumulative ranking on all graduate work undertaken of at least 3.25 out of 4.0.

Many students received individual honors based on their speeches, debates and performances. All 13 students in attendance performed well enough to be recognized at the tournament awards ceremony, due to 36 of the 46 total speeches and debates the team entered making it to final rounds. Students who entered into at least five speech categories across two or more speech genres were entered into a special pentathlon sweepstakes, and those who competed in at least one debate event and had eligibility in pentathlon sweepstakes were also entered into the overall forensicator sweepstakes.

The team also qualified for the Director’s Award, given to the team with the highest point accumulation over time, and earned second place for the Quality Award based on the percentage of students in outrounds/finals compared to the number of total slots the team entered at the tournament.

In open parliamentary debate:

•    Juniors Ella Schnake and Megan Ford finished second and were the state champions. Schnake also earned third place speaker.

•    Freshman Alex Peterson was named second place speaker.

In NFA-Lincoln Douglas debate:

•    Junior Elijah Baum made it to the quarterfinals.

•    Sophomore Eli Bartz made it to the semifinals, results pending, and was third speaker.

•    Freshman Aiden Breesawitz also made it to semifinals, results pending, and earned fourth place speaker.

In novice IPDA:

•    Freshman Briggs Maynor was the state champion and earned seventh place speaker.

•    Freshman Anna Hans was the first place speaker.

•    Freshman Daniel Nzoiwu earned third place speaker.

From the speech team, varsity members performed exceptionally well:

•    Junior Jillian Humke earned second place in after-dinner speaking and sixth in program oral interpretation.

•    Junior Lucah McCullough finished fifth in original oratory and sixth in after-dinner speaking.

•    Ford was the state champion in original oratory, earned third in after-dinner speaking and fourth place in both communication analysis and prose. She received fourth place in pentathlon and was second in the overall forensicator sweepstakes.

•    Schnake was the state champion in communication analysis, prose, poetry and duo with Briggs Maynor. She also received second in dramatic interpretation and impromptu speaking. She earned the state champion title in both pentathlon and the overall forensicator sweepstakes.

•    Senior Maya Krump finished fourth in both informative speaking and original oratory.

The novice/freshmen speech team also had a strong showing:

•    Hans earned top novice and third place in dramatic interpretation, fourth in persuasion and sixth in poetry.

•    Brynna Seim received fourth place in after-dinner speaking and sixth in informative.

•    Jessie Philips finished third in poetry and second in both prose and duo, in which she also received top novice with Maynor.

•    Maynor was awarded fifth place in dramatic interpretation, fourth and top novice in program oral interpretation, third place in poetry, top novice and second place in duo with Phillips and was also state champions in duo with Schnake. He received third place in pentathlon.

•    Alex Peterson was the state champion and top novice in both after-dinner speaking and impromptu, receiving first place in each. They also earned top novice and second place in both original oratory and prose. Peterson placed second in pentathlon at the tournament.

In total, the team earned 14 state champion titles. New qualifications to the NFA national competition in April include Hans in dramatic interpretation and poetry, Bartz in extemporaneous, Seim in informative speaking and Philips in prose. The team currently has a total of 35 individual events and four Lincoln-Douglas debaters qualified to go to NFA, rising above their previous entry of 31 total slots at last year’s national tournament.

The Ofstad Reading Series will host scholar Kyle Eveleth at 4 p.m. March 2 in Baldwin Little Theater.

Eveleth is the writing services and tutoring coordinator at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio. He has a Ph.D. in contemporary literature and children’s literature from the University of Kentucky. He has been a Ronald E. McNair postbaccalaureate fellow, King/Chavez/Parks future faculty fellow and Dartmouth University Futures of American Studies institute fellow. Eveleth has published widely on video games, graphic narrative and children’s literature. His most recent book, “The Artistry of Neil Gaiman: Finding Light in the Shadows,” co-edited with Joseph Michael Sommers, is available from the University Press of Mississippi. Outside academia, Eveleth enjoys birdwatching, hiking, foraging and amateur game development.

In his lecture, Eveleth will discuss what it means to play a game and how that meaning is tied to both the instructions of the game as well as its actual execution. Play is crucial to the human intellectual enterprise, and no less worthy of scholarly inquiry than any other mode of expression. Like all other expressive media, iterations of play are cultural artifacts, ripe for interpretation, like any novel, poem, film or scientific discovery. Because games communicate, they can be understood via semiotics, the study of meaning making.

This special long-form lecture will begin with an exemplary form of play: the social deduction game. Eveleth will discuss the semiotics of the game, meaning its signs and signifieds. He will also discuss the motivations, styles and values the rules of the game favor. The audience can expect to participate, whether in play or in evaluation of strategy, to better understand how players uncover information and partake in the game.

Truman’s Theatre Department will perform “The Mousetrap” by Agatha Christie at 7:30 p.m. March 1-3 and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. March 4 in the Black Box Theatre in Ophelia Parrish.

“The Mousetrap” is a record-breaking murder mystery that features a brilliant surprise finish from Agatha Christie, the foremost mystery writer of her time. It tells the story about how the guests and staff at Monkswell Manor find themselves stranded during a snowstorm after a local woman is murdered. It becomes clear that the killer is among them, and the seven strangers grow increasingly suspicious of one another. A police detective, arriving on skis, interrogates the suspects — the newlyweds running the house, a spinster with a curious background, an architect who seems better equipped to be a chef, a retired Army major, a strange little man who claims his car has overturned in a drift and a jurist who makes life miserable for everyone. When a second murder takes place, tensions and fears escalate.  

This play is directed by Randall Bame and is appropriate for ages 10 and up. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased at boxoffice.truman.edu. For more information, contact the Truman Theatre Box Office at 660.785.4515 between 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

This year’s Annual Juried Student Exhibition will open March 21, with a reception from 5-6 p.m, and run through the Student Research Conference, April 27.

Students may submit up to three artworks to be featured in the exhibition. An online submission for each artwork must be filled out by March 4. Students must drop off their works between 3-6 p.m. March 5 and 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. March 6 in the University Gallery. Artwork submitted will be entered for jurors’ awards with cash prizes. Two works will be purchased by the Student Union Building at $250 each to enter their permanent collection.

This year’s guest juror is artist Madeleine LeMieux, arts on the move coordinator and instructor at the University of Missouri. Her exhibition “Home/Body” is currently on display in the University Art Gallery through March 3.

Rules for art work and additional dates are on the online entry form. For more information email hcook@truman.edu.

Reagan Bohanon, theatre major, was the event coordinator and Kayla Cotter, theatre major, the assistant coordinator. Theatre Department faculty and staff included Cat Gleason, assistant professor of theatre, Brad Carlson, technical director/design, and Tristan Baro, costume shop manager, also helped.

This year’s Polar Plunge for Special Olympics of Missouri will take place in Kirksville Feb. 25, and all members of the campus community are welcome to participate with the University team.

This “unbearable” event is a unique opportunity for participants to show their bravery as they support local Special Olympics athletes by walking, running or crawling into the frigid winter waters Missouri has to offer. Kirksville’s Polar Plunge will take place at the Thousand Hills State Park beach area.

President Sue Thomas will be taking the plunge and leading the team. All students, faculty, staff and friends of the University are invited to participate. To register for the Truman team, click here. In keeping with this year’s theme, the Truman team name is the Disco Dogs. Participants must be at least 10 years old and raise a minimum of $75 each by event day. Those who wish to donate to the cause without taking the plunge can do so. Contributing may also help make it possible for students to be able to participate without having to worry about the signing fee.

Proceeds benefit Special Olympics Missouri’s year-round program of sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

The expo is open to students of all majors and academic levels. This event gives students the opportunity to participate in a variety of professional development activities.

To learn more, or to register for these events, go to hiretruman.truman.edu then to Student/Alumni Login followed by events, career fairs and select career fair of choice. Click on attend in the upper right corner of the page to formally sign up. With any questions regarding times or function of the event, go to career.truman.edu/career-grad-school-week/schedule-of-events or email the Career Center at ucc3@truman.edu. These events will be accessed from #HireTruman.

Feb. 28
President Sue Thomas will give an address at 3 p.m., followed by Mini Strategic Planning and Assessment Workshop (SPAW) session. The Mini SPAW will include the annual All-University Address, this year entitled “A Tale of Tails,” which will be followed by a hot-takes session focusing on strategic plan and key University initiative updates.

The School of Business will host its inaugural Tru-Biz Forum from 3:30-5 p.m. Feb. 23 in Violette Hall 1000.

The Tru-Biz Forum invites business leaders in a variety of fields to share their expertise and insights. The upcoming forum focuses on international business-related topics with renowned international business experts, including Dr. William Newburry (’87), Ryder Eminent Scholar of Global Business at Florida International University, Robert Madigan, Jr. (’02), senior director supply chain for Boeing Defense and Space, and Ryan Murphy, CFO at Nidec Americas Holding Corporation. The event moderator will be Truman student Amanda Smith, an international business and Spanish major.

Murphy is a native of Kirksville and established the Ryan Murphy Accounting Scholarship. He currently works at Nidec, a Japanese global company with about 300 subsidiaries across the world. He oversees all facets of the corporate tax, accounting and treasury functions and leads financial planning efforts surrounding complex corporate transactions.

Madigan has been with The Boeing Company since 2005. For more than 17 years, he served as supply chain director for the T-7A RedHawk. He began his career as retail associate buyer for Famous Barr Department Stores in St. Louis, Missouri. Madigan earned a degree in business administration in 2002 and was a member of Pi Kappa Phi and the Newman Center.

Newburry is a chair of the Department of International Business and is also a non-resident senior research fellow at the Nanyang Business School Center for Emerging Markets and a fellow of the Academy of International Business. His research focuses on how multinational corporations manage and relate to subsidiaries and other local stakeholders when they invest in foreign countries, with a particular emphasis on reputation issues.

All students, faculty, staff and local business people are welcome for inspiration and learning with the renowned speakers. Networking will follow the forum. On Feb. 24, panelists will meet students and present to classes.

Phi Sigma Pi is a gender inclusive, national honor fraternity.

Info Night
7:30 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.
Feb. 20
Magruder Hall 2050

Fellowship Night
7:30 p.m.
Feb. 21
Magruder 2050

Scholarship Night
7:30 p.m.
Feb. 22
Magruder Hall 2090

Leadership Night (Invite only)
7:30 p.m.
Feb. 23
Magruder Hall 2090

Game Night (Invite only)
7:30 p.m.
Feb. 24
Magruder Hall 2090

Beta Alpha Psi will host Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) sessions from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 25 and March 25 in Violette Hall 1424.

Clients who come to VITA should bring: social security cards for spouses and dependents; bank routing numbers and bank account numbers for direct deposit; wage and earnings statements such as W-2, 1098T and 1099; and a copy of last year’s federal and state tax returns if available. VITA services will be completed by IRS-certified volunteers and will also offer free electronic filing to receive a faster return.

Appointments are required. Call 660.785.6064 to schedule. For more information, visit bap.truman.edu/vita.

In conjunction with mathleague.org, Truman will host a Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics qualifying contest for elementary and middle school students on campus Feb. 25.

This contest is designed to be a learning experience. New problems are introduced at every contest, and students are allowed to keep their test questions and completed answer sheets. Solutions will be provided to all problems at the conclusion of the contest.

As the largest network of local and state math competitions at the elementary, middle and high school levels in the United States and abroad, mathleague.org runs more than 400 contests globally and reaches more than 30,000 students each year.

To register for the contest, complete the mathleague.org membership form for the student’s school at mathleague.org/membership.php. Once completed, registration for the Truman event can be done here.

There is a $10 per student registration fee. Payment can be made via credit or PayPal as part of the registrations process. Alternatively, payments can be made by check, made out to MCTM, and can either be mailed to Tony Vazzana, Department of Mathematics, Truman State University, Kirksville, MO 63501, or presented at check-in on contest day.

Lunch will be provided for student participants, compliments of the Truman Department of Mathematics.

The contest will take place in Violette Hall starting at 8:45 a.m., Feb. 25. Lunch begins at 11:45 a.m. with the awards ceremony at 1 p.m. For more information, contact Vazzana at tvazzana@truman.edu or visit mathleague.org.

The Career Center is hosting its Student Worker Fair from 1-4 p.m. March 2 in the Student Union Georgian Room. At this event students will have the opportunity to meet Truman departments and local organizations that employ or provide scholarship and work study hours.

Departments or organizations interested in participating can sign up through #HireTruman by Feb. 28. Departments that do not have an account will need to create one. For more information contact the Joel Brumfield, career services coordinator, or call 660.785.4237.

Uncommon Practice will perform a concert dedicated to the performance of the Terry Riley minimalist masterpiece “In C” at 7:30 p.m. March 2 in Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall.

“In C” is one of the most important works in the tradition of minimalism and one of the most unique compositions ever created. Riley’s piece has influenced countless musicians in experimental, film and electronic dance music. It has not previously been performed at Truman.

Uncommon Practice is Truman’s mixed instrument group that specializes in modern music. This concert will feature an amplified ensemble of 10 students performing a version of “In C” that will last approximately 45 minutes.

Both undergraduate and graduate students are invited to submit abstracts for the 2023 Student Research Conference that will take place April 27.

Complete abstract guidelines are posted on the Office of Student Research website. Inquiries about the Student Research Conference can be directed to the Office of Student Research at osr@truman.edu.

The nomination form for the 2023 Leadership Recognition Program is now open.

This program is designed to honor Truman students, advisors and organizations for their dedication to their peers, campus and Kirksville community through various leadership roles during the academic year. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to nominate exceptional student leaders, advisors, organizations and events on campus, particularly candidates whose achievements stood out after a year of constant adaptation to change.

The access link to the nomination form and packet can be found online at involvement.truman.edu/lrp. Nomination forms are due by 5 p.m. March 20.

The open course list for summer can be viewed on TruView now, with registration opening March 22. Courses are available in a variety of options, including online, hybrid and in-person delivery methods. The flexibility of summer courses provides students the opportunity to have a job, take a vacation or socialize with friends back home.

With six separate terms throughout the summer, students have multiple options to fit their needs. Interim classes run May 13-27. The first round of five-week courses, as well as 10-week courses, begin May 30, while the second round of five-week courses begins July 3. An eight-week session begins June 5. The August interim runs from July 29-Aug. 12. For more information visit summer.truman.edu.

Students interested in living on campus during the 2023-2024 school year can now make arrangements to do so.

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.

Housing renewal applications are currently open on TruView. Under the “Student” tab, click on “Student Housing/Residence Life.” There, students will be able to complete their application to prepare for room self-selection in February. Students will need to have a completed housing application and deposit on file before they can self-select a room. For questions about the housing renewal process visit truman.edu/residence-life or contact Residence Life at 660.785.4227 or reslife@truman.edu.

Students are encouraged to complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible for the 2023-24 school year. Financial aid packages for the coming school year will be available in April for currently enrolled students.

In celebration of Financial Aid Awareness Month, the Financial Aid Office in McClain Hall 103 will have free candy available. Students are encouraged to visit the office and discuss any questions they may have about financial aid. Along with processing the FAFSA to determine federal, state and some University funds, the office provides information about scholarship service and renewal for returning students. They can also help with private scholarship check processing, funding for study abroad or summer school, budgeting, financial literacy or loan counseling.

For more information, visit the Financial Aid Office website, call 660.785.4130 or email finaid@truman.edu.

Gifted Education
3:30 p.m.
March 30
Register here.

Applications are now being accepted for summer internships at the following locations in Missouri:

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

The summer internships are open to all Truman students and 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. Email jasonmcd@truman.edu to find out what the internships entail and how to apply.

Quality Matters - Missouri System’s First Annual Member Conference will take place virtually from 8:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Feb. 24.

The keynote speaker Dr. Catherine Ford, program director for educational development at Minnesota State, will speak about “Empathy by Design: Intentional Integration into the Structure of Your Online Course.” Dr. Bethany Simunich, director of research and innovation at Quality Matters, will also speak about how the QM standards support interaction and engagement in online learning.

There will be a virtual brunch with 10-minute presentations on “Using Online Discussion Platforms to Create Belonging and Engagement” by Amber Bell at Lincoln University, “Mastery Paths in Canvas as a Remediation Tool” by Kate Foster at St. Charles Community College and “Engaging Students Though Anonymous Participation Opportunities” by Elizabeth Dorssom at Lincoln University.

The conference is free to all system members. The inaugural theme is “Humanizing, Belonging and Engaging in Online Learning.” To register visit the QM Missouri System Member Conference website. A confirmation email will be sent after registering and a second email will be sent one week before the conference with Zoom links to the sessions. Questions can be emailed to dianer@truman.edu.

The ATSU Area Health Education Center is hosting a Living a Healthy Life event every Monday night at 6 p.m. through March 6 via Zoom. This free workshop is ideal for people with ongoing health conditions or who care for someone with an ongoing condition. Participants will receive a “Living a Health Life with Chronic Conditions” book and a “Relaxation for the Mind and Body” CD. Register by calling 660.626.2887 or by emailing cht@atsu.edu. A workshop Zoom link will be emailed upon registration.

The Truman State University Foundation Spring 2023 Foundation Scholarship applications are open to apply for. 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 March 10. These scholarships are available thanks to the private gifts of alumni and friends of the University.

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' 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 scholarship is up to $5,000 per year and renewable for a total of three years.

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. Applications should be submitted online through Scholarship Central. Contact the Financial Aid Office at 660.785.4130 for more information. The application deadline is April 15.