Vol. 28 No. 28 - April 8, 2024

Truman's Theatre Department will perform “The Rocky Horror Show” at 7:30 p.m. April 11-13 and April 19-20 in the James Severns Theatre. There will also be a matinee performance at 2 p.m. April 14.

This irreverent show follows Brad and Janet, a young engaged couple whose car breaks down in a storm, forcing them to seek shelter in a neighboring castle inhabited by the sensual Dr. Frank-N-Furter and his minions. Brad and Janet are introduced to Frank-N-Furter’s servants, the reclusive scientist Riff Raff, the alluring maid Magenta, and one of his most devoted sycophants, Columbia. Frank-N-Furter reveals he has been working on crafting the apex of humanity, a creation named Rocky Horror, for his own devious purposes. The castle’s resident phantoms and a narrator with a flare for the dramatic help usher the story along. Unforgettable songs, dazzling costumes and a live cast will have people dancing in their seats.

This production is intended for mature audiences 18 and up. Tickets are $10 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.

The Children’s Literature Festival will return to Truman’s campus April 12.

The event will feature 10 authors and one illustrator to share their books with fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students in the northeast Missouri region. Visiting authors and illustrators include Kate Albus, Dusti Bowling, Pablo Cartaya, J. Anderson Coats, Lindsay Currie, Janet Fox, Alex London, Sharee Miller, Anne Rellihan, Chad Sell and Karen Strong. More information about them can be found on the CLF website.

Students will participate in 30-minute sessions with the guest authors and illustrators. All schools attending must be pre-registered. University faculty, staff, students and other interested adults are welcome at any of the sessions. Contact clf@truman.edu regarding all registration questions.

In addition to the traditional literature festival activities, the Truman Theatre Department will perform a free live theatre production of “Charlotte’s Web” at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. This classic tale is suitable for all ages and tells the story of how an innocent young pig and a smart spider charmed and amazed the humans around them.

Those attending the literature festival in the morning could eat lunch and attend the 12:30 p.m. performance of “Charlotte’s Web.” Those attending in the afternoon could arrive early for the 10 a.m. “Charlotte’s Web” performance, eat lunch and then attend the literature festival.

Additional information about the event may be obtained from the Children’s Literature Festival webpage.

Industry-renowned cybersecurity and privacy executive Nishant Bhajaria (’03) will serve as the next Bentele/Mallinckrodt Executive-in-Residence.

For more than 20 years, Bhajaria has worked with various internal (engineering, PR, product, legal) and external stakeholders (regulators, standards bodies, policy-makers) to fuse engagement and growth with efficiency, maturity and governance. He has built cross-functional organizations and products to grow B2B/B2C platforms and capabilities while protecting customer data, maintaining compliance and earning trust.

Bhajaria has spoken extensively on privacy and security and has taught several online courses on LinkedIn about privacy, security, career management and inclusive tech. He has published a book on privacy and security engineering and also co-authored a paper on the tensions between Covid-19, contact tracing and privacy sponsored by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Bhajaria is a member of the International Standards Organization on privacy/security and was part of the body that authored the ISO 27701 data protection standard. He is currently the director of engineering: assurance and trust, at Meta/Facebook.

Bhajaria will visit campus to present a talk from 4-5:30 p.m. April 11 in Violette Hall 1000 with a reception after. He will discuss how a liberal arts education is a career booster.

The Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, will convene court at Truman at 9 a.m. April 11 in the Student Union Building Activities Room.

A panel consisting of Judge Cindy Martin, Judge Mark Pfeiffer and Judge Ted Ardini will hear oral arguments in four cases on the docket. Martin was appointed to the court in 2009 and had previously practiced law for more than 25 years in Kansas City and Lee’s Summit. Pfeiffer was appointed to the Western District in 2009. He previously practiced law in Springfield and Columbia. Ardini joined the Western District in 2016. He previously served as counsel to the Missouri attorney general and then as counsel to the governor.

Although the court convenes regularly at its courthouse in downtown Kansas City, it has convened sessions in many of the 45 counties in its jurisdiction. The court hears oral arguments outside of Kansas City to give individuals an opportunity to observe a part of the judicial system they normally do not see and to familiarize those attending with the court’s role in the judicial system. After the oral arguments, the judges will take time to discuss the court system, explain the proceedings and take questions from the audience.

This event is open to the public, and students may come and go as their schedule permits. Enter and exit quietly if the court session is under way.

The next round of data science thesis defenses is open to the public and will take place April 9, April 11 and April 12 via Zoom.

Each presentation will start with a 10-15 minute public presentation aimed at communicating the thesis to a non-technical audience, followed by a short question-and-answer session. The same candidate will then move into a longer, more technical presentation designed to go deeper into the data science concepts and ideas used within the thesis, followed by an additional Q&A session.
 
The data science master’s thesis presentations continue to cover a variety of topics, including generic drug rollouts, utilizing ChatGPT3 to recreate poetry, analyzing K-12 education funding and outcomes, turning a famous 400-year-old book about the ancient world into a useful data set, rainwater collection practices, managing power plants and more.

The schedule for the next round of defenses:

“An Analysis of Average Star Rating for Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri”
Jason Odom
3 p.m.
April 9
Zoom

“Economic Trends in Sports Broadcasting”
Sterling Smith
12 p.m.
April 11
Violette Hall 1204 and Zoom

“Dashboard for Truman Admissions Data”
Nan Urbonya
1 p.m.
April 11
Violette Hall 1204 and Zoom

“US Rental Housing: Investment-side Analysis”
Madison Nguyan
2 p.m.
April 11
Violette Hall 1204 and Zoom

“Dietary Habits and Lifestyle: HANES”
Jess Droege
1:30 p.m.
April 12
Zoom
 
“The Lunar Nodal Cycle and Weather Fluctuation in the Midwest”
Chris O’Keefe
2:30 p.m.
April 12
Zoom

“Examining Trends in Cancer Incidence and Mortality Near EPA Superfund Sites”
Liz Scholl
3:30 p.m.
April 12
Zoom

Student Appreciation Week, sponsored by the Student Government, will take place April 8-12. This event is to celebrate Truman’s wonderful students.

Students should stop by the Student Government table throughout the week to earn a ticket that can be submitted in a raffle for various giveaways such as a kitchen set, reusable grocery bags, hammocks and bottle openers/flashlights.

For Mystery Monday, stickers will be hidden around campus for students to find and show a picture to someone at the Student Government table to increase their chances of winning a giveaway. There will be a table set up from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Student Union Building.

Truman Tuesday is in collaboration with SAB’s hot air balloon event. Student Government will be tabling from 6-9 p.m. at the event.

Wellness Wednesday features “Bunny Zen: Unwind with Cuddly Friends” from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. April 15 on the quad. A table will be set up from 1-4 p.m. at the event.

Tacos in the Hub will take place from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. April 11 in the Student Union Building Hub. The Student Government table will be set up in Magruder Hall.

For Free Friday, Student Government will hand out coffee vouchers from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on the quad.

Follow Student Government on Instagram for more information.

Greek Week will take place April 8-12 with this year’s theme as “Ready, Set, Learn!” All money raised will go to Project Happie, the Kirksville Parks and Recreation Scholarship Program and the Truman Serve Center Food Pantry.

Organizations on campus will host individual fundraising events for Kirksville Parks and Recreation Scholarship Program as well as Project Happie (Help All Preschoolers Play in Inclusive Environments). Fraternity and Sorority Life will host a penny bucket competition beginning the week of April 1 to raise money for the Serve Center Food Pantry. Penny buckets will be located in the Student Union Building. Those wanting to donating directly to the Truman Serve Center Food Pantry can do so here.

For more information as events get closer, follow @trumanfsl on Instagram.

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


Fellowships For Study in the United States
(campus nomination required)

Carnegie Endowment
for undergraduates and graduates
Awarded to graduating seniors or individuals who have graduated within the past academic year. Applicants must be nominated by the Truman State University nominating official. This fellowship is designed to provide a substantive work experience for students who have a serious career interest in the area of international affairs. Eleven to 13 students will be hired to work at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington, D.C., on a full-time basis for a period of one year. Application deadline is Nov. 15, 2024.

Goldwater Scholarship
for undergraduates only
Awarded to sophomore or junior math or science majors who have one or two full years of undergraduate study remaining. Each scholarship covers tuition, fees, books, and room and board. To be eligible, a student must have at least a 3.0 GPA, be a United States citizen and demonstrate a potential for and commitment to a career in research in mathematics or natural sciences. Deadline to declare intent to apply is Oct. 25, 2024.

Harry S. Truman Scholarship
for undergraduates only
Awarded to outstanding junior students who intend to pursue careers in public service. Each Harry S. Truman Scholarship covers tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $30,000 over a period of up to four years (i.e., one year of college and three years of graduate school). To be eligible, a student must have selected an undergraduate field of study that will permit admission to a graduate program leading to a career in public service. Campus deadline is Nov. 15, 2024.

Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation
for undergraduates only
The Morris K. Udall Scholarship Program was created to encourage outstanding students to pursue careers related to environmental public policy and to encourage outstanding Native American and Alaska native students to pursue careers related to health care and tribal public policy. Requirements include sophomore or junior standing with at least a 3.0 GPA and ranking in the top quarter of a student’s class. Each scholarship covers eligible expenses for tuition, fees, books, and room and board, up to a maximum of $7,000, and expenses for a Udall Scholars Orientation. Deadline for applications is Jan. 3, 2025.


Fellowships for Experiences Abroad
(campus nomination required)

British Marshall Scholarship
for undergraduates and graduates
Awarded to exceptional seniors or recent graduates who wish to study for two years in a British university. It is meant to further the education of young people of distinguished intellect and character who can be expected to make a significant contribution to society. To be eligible, applicants must have a 3.7 GPA, be a United States citizen and earn a bachelor’s degree before the scholarship takes effect. Applications must be completed by Aug. 16, 2024.

Fulbright Grant
for undergraduates and graduates
Awarded to seniors and graduate students. Grants range from a full grant – which covers one year of tuition, books and maintenance in one foreign country – to a variety of partial grants which cover transportation costs only and/or supplement the applicant’s own personal funds.  Teaching assistantships in English in selected countries are also available under the Fulbright program. To be eligible for any of the Fulbright grants, an applicant must be a United States citizen at the time of application and hold a bachelor’s degree by the beginning date of the grant.  Creative and performing artists are not required to have a bachelor’s degree, but must have four years of relevant training or study. All applicants are required to have sufficient proficiency in the language of the host country to carry out their proposed study or research. Applications must be completed by Sept. 2, 2024.

Fulbright Grant: U.K. Summer Institute Award
for undergraduates
Awarded to freshman or sophomore students from all areas of study with a high level of academic achievement. Each program offers students full immersion in the study of British academia and culture. Students will partake in cultural events, research, collaboration and presentation at one of nine summer institutes. The award will cover the majority of all costs incurred, including flights to and from the U.K., university fees, and room and board at the hosting U.K. university. Applicants must be U.S. citizens who reside anywhere except the U.K., be at least 18 years old and have completed no more than two years of university study. Applications must be completed by Sept. 2, 2024.

Mitchell Scholarship
for undergraduates and graduates
Awarded to seniors or recent graduates who wish to pursue graduate study or research in either the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. Mitchell scholarships provide tuition and housing, as well as living and travel stipends. Applicants must complete a bachelor’s degree before taking up the award. Applications must be completed by Aug. 16, 2024.

Boren Scholarship and Fellowship
for undergraduates and graduates
NOTE: The graduate fellowship does not require campus nomination.
Designed to provide U.S. undergraduates and graduates with the resources and encouragement they need to acquire skills and experience in countries and areas of the world critical to the future security of our nation. Boren Scholarships/Fellowships are designed to support students who will make a commitment to federal service. All recipients incur a requirement to enter into an agreement, in order of priority, to work for an agency of the federal government with national security responsibilities or to work in the field of higher education in the area of study for which the scholarship was awarded. Maximum awards are $10,000 for a semester and $20,000 for a full year of study abroad. Campus deadline for scholarships (undergraduate) is Jan. 1, 2025. Campus deadline for fellowships (graduate) is Dec. 30, 2024.

Rhodes Scholarship
for undergraduates only
Awarded to exceptional seniors who wish to pursue two or three years of study at Oxford University. The Rhodes Scholarship covers all tuition costs and provides a maintenance allowance. To be eligible a senior must be under 24 years of age, be a citizen of the United States and complete a bachelor’s degree before Oct. 1. There are only 32 scholarships assigned to the United States and applicants must have proven intellectual and academic achievement of a high standard, integrity of character, interest in and respect for their fellow human beings, the ability to lead and the energy to use their talents to the fullest. The last of these qualities is usually, though not exclusively, demonstrated by participation and success in sports. Rhodes Scholarship applications must be completed by Sept. 2, 2024. Read about Truman’s first Rhode’s Scholarship recipient, Andrew McCall, who provides helpful advice for Rhodes Scholar applicants.


Other Fellowships
(no campus nomination required)

The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship
for college graduates and graduate students
A highly-competitive national program that provides college and graduate school graduates the opportunity to work in Washington, D.C., with one of more than two dozen participating public-interest organizations focusing on international security issues. The program is offered twice yearly, in the spring and fall. It lasts from six to nine months and provides a salary, health insurance and travel costs to Washington.

The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship
for undergraduates and graduates
The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship is designed to attract outstanding individuals from all ethnic, racial and social backgrounds who have an interest in pursuing a foreign service career with the U.S. Department of State. The programs provide academic and professional preparation for outstanding candidates to enter the U.S. Department of State Foreign Service, representing America’s interests abroad.

Amgen Scholars Program
for undergraduates only
The Amgen Scholars Program provides hundreds of undergraduate students with the opportunity to engage in a hands-on summer research experience at some of the world’s leading institutions.

Ford Diversity Fellowships Program
for seniors and graduates only
Through its fellowship programs, the Ford Foundation seeks to increase the diversity of the nation’s college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, to maximize the educational benefits of diversity, and to increase the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
for graduates only
The GRFP is a prestigious, nationally competitive fellowship offered by the National Science Foundation that provides three years of financial support for beginning graduate study leading to a research-based degree in the STEM disciplines.

Gates Cambridge Scholarship
for undergraduates and graduates
Awarded to students of exceptional academic achievement and scholarly promise for whom advanced study at Cambridge would be particularly appropriate. Successful applicants will have the ability to make a significant contribution to their discipline while in Cambridge, with a strong aptitude for research, analysis and a creative approach to defining and solving problems. Awarded only to students who gain admission to Cambridge through the regular procedures. Covers the full cost of study at Cambridge for a single person. Applications should be completed by Sept. 13, 2024.

Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows
for undergraduates
The Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows offers rising college juniors opportunities in leadership development programs inspired by the life and legacy of George Washington and today’s foremost leaders. This residential summer fellowship is designed to create the next generation of the nation’s top leaders.

John Lewis Fellowship
for undergraduates
The John Lewis Fellowship honors U.S. Representative John Lewis, an icon of the Civil Rights Movement. The program explores the history of the Civil Rights Movement, diversity and minority rights in the United States, with a particular focus on Atlanta. Key areas of inquiry include race and racism, immigration, national identity, Native American issues and the relationship between civil rights and human rights. The fellowship will also discuss contemporary racial and diversity issues.

Humanity in Action Fellowship
for undergraduates
The Humanity in Action Fellowship brings together international groups of college students and recent graduates to explore national histories of injustice and resistance as they affect different minority groups today.

Woodrow Wilson National Fellowships
for undergraduates and graduates
The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation is a private non-profit operating foundation based in Princeton, New Jersey. The foundation administers a range of programs that support leadership development and build organizational capacity in education.

Fund for Education Abroad
for undergraduates
The Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) addresses the need for an independent study abroad scholarship provider. FEA is expanding access to study abroad by raising awareness of its benefits to the individual and value to the collective, and by granting scholarships of up to $10,000.

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program
for undergraduates
The Gilman International Scholarship Program is a Congressionally-funded program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and is administered by the Institute of International Education. The Gilman Scholarship Program offers grants of up to $5,000 to U.S. undergraduate students of high financial need participating in a credit-bearing study abroad program or international internship eligible. Students studying a critical need language could be eligible to receive a grant of up to $8,000. The Gilman Program aims to diversify the kinds of students who study and intern abroad and the countries and regions where they go by supporting U.S. undergraduates who might otherwise not consider these unique and valuable opportunities due to financial constraints.

U.S. Teaching Assistantship Program in Austria
The U.S. Teaching Assistantship Program in Austria provides U.S. college and university graduates with opportunities to work at secondary schools throughout Austria as teaching assistants.

Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA)
The Freeman Foundation’s generous support for the relaunch of Freeman-ASIA builds on prior grants to IIE that funded more than 4,500 American undergraduates in Asia from 2001 to 2014. The newly available awards will advance the Institute of International Education’s Generation Study Abroad, a five-year initiative aiming to double the number of U.S. students abroad by the end of the decade, by mobilizing resources and commitments across the higher education, philanthropy and corporate sectors.

Schwarzman Scholars
Designed to prepare the next generation of global leaders, Schwarzman Scholars is the first scholarship created to respond to the geopolitical landscape of the 21st Century. Whether in politics, business or science, the success of future leaders around the world will depend upon an understanding of China’s role in global trends. Students will live and study together on the campus of Schwarzman College, where all classes are taught in English. Students will pursue master’s degrees in one of three disciplines: public policy, economics and business, or international studies. Applications must be completed by Aug. 16, 2024.

This is an opportunity for students to honor their assigned faculty-staff academic advisor. The award recognizes outstanding advising/mentoring by a full-time faculty or staff academic advisor who is nominated by students. 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. April 10.

Economist Nikolai Wenzel will present “AI, Cybercommunism and the Future of Markets” at 7 p.m. April 11 in Violette Hall 1010.

Currently, Wenzel is a research fellow with the Institut Economique Molinari in Paris. He also serves as professor of economics at the Universidad de las Hespérides in Spain, as well as senior research fellow with the American Institute for Economic Research. He recently concluded his role as editor in chief for the Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy.

As part of his recent speaking tour, Wenzel visited Madrid, Athens, Santiago and Guatemala City. He also participated in a U.S. writers’ retreat in Atlanta. In addition to a Bachelor of Science degree in foreign service from Georgetown University, Wenzel has a Ph.D. in economics from George Mason University.

Wenzel’s visit is sponsored by the Economic Speakers Series. His presentation is free and open to the public.

Presentation abstract: Economist Ludwig von Mises famously argued in 1920 that rational economic planning was impossible without property rights. Indeed, no property rights means no prices; no prices means no rational allocation of scarce resources to serve the consumer. Later Austrian economists, such as F.A. Hayek, continued in this tradition, arguing that central planners lacked the knowledge or technical skills to carry out the calculations necessary for central planning of an economy. This formed the core of the mid-20th century argument against communism. In the past decade, with the rise of AI and quantum computing, new voices -- the cybercommunists -- are now arguing that modern computing power can replace the market process, and more efficiently. What does the future hold?

Scholar Kelly Elizabeth Wright will present “Linguistic High Crimes” at 7 p.m. April 11 in Ophelia Parrish 2210 as part of the Ofstad Reading Series.

As an experimental sociolinguist and lexicographer, Wright will discuss censorship from both the perspective of an individual language user navigating their social environment, and from the perspective of local and legal language policies. Wright will present findings which demonstrate users are aware of the direct indexation of the majority of their daily linguistic choices to potent and omnipresent standard language ideologies. Such awareness makes all language use relevant for success across linguistic markets and often marks non-normative identity performance as unintelligent, crude or even criminal.

Wright will invite consideration of what a general preference for assimilationist linguistic production portends for the future of free speech and for the future of linguistic scholarship.

The board term is one year, July 1-June 30, with possible renewal for a second consecutive term. To apply, submit an application along with a current resume to Charles Hunsaker, executive director for University Advancement, at hunsaker@truman.edu. The deadline is 12 p.m. April 12.

Chinese Cultural Day will take place 3-4:30 p.m. April 14 in Baldwin Hall Little Theater.

This event is a celebration dedicated to appreciating and understanding the vast and rich heritage of Chinese culture. It will include a variety of activities that showcase traditional and contemporary Chinese performances and customs. Attendees might expect to see performances by students that can include dance and music, each providing a glimpse into China’s diverse cultural tapestry.

Activities also involve variable interactive workshops like calligraphy, where participants learn the strokes and techniques to create Chinese characters or paper cutting a folk art that transforms paper into intricate decorative designs.

Delta Sigma Pi is collaborating with the Student Recreation Center to host “Yoga in the Quad” at 5 p.m. April 16 to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Tickets will be available for purchase from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. April 8-12 in the Student Union Building. Tickets are $5 and can be paid via venmo @caroline-jcd. All are welcome to attend the event. Participants need to bring a yoga mat or towel for the session and come 10 minutes early to check in. Sign up here.

The students in HIST 3000/303: Ancient Gender and Sexuality, taught by Josh Nudell, are teaming up with students in CLAS 311: Ancient Medicine, taught by Amy Norgard, on a project called “The Body, Disease and Medicine in Antiquity.” This collaborative poster project showcases the intersection of viewpoints of gender and the body in the ancient Mediterranean. Poster topics will include ancient cosmetics, athletics, midwives, menstruation, gladiators and dieting, among others.

All faculty, students and staff are invited to attend. Refreshments and snacks will be provided.

They will be tabling from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. April 15-16 in the Student Union Building and April 17 in Magruder Hall. Sleep awareness goody bags will be available.

Students can also enter for the chance to win a “bedtime basket” with various sleep items. The winner of the basket will be announced at the “Storytime with Sue” event at 7:30 p.m. April 17 in the Student Union Building Hub. Students are encouraged to bring blankets and pillows and wear their favorite pajamas. Snacks will be provided.

The Annual Juried Student Exhibition will run through April 25 in the University Art Gallery. A closing reception for the exhibitions will take place 3-4 p.m. April 18.

This year’s guest juror is artist Lorena Molina. She is currently an assistant professor of photography and digital media at the University of Houston. She’s also the founder and the director of Third Space Gallery, a community space and gallery that supports and highlights BIPOC artists in Cincinnati. Molina will give a virtual artist talk at 2 p.m. April 22.

For several years Molina has been exploring questions about identity in the margins. She views margins as a place where violence and pain happen, but also a place for resisting, dreaming and healing. Her exhibition, “This must be the place,” will be on display March 19-April 25, and includes images of still life arrangements, landscapes and portraits that represent and attempt to piece together what her identity in the margins looks like. Her exhibit seeks to show her place in the world outside of the trauma, thus creating a place that allows for joy and beauty.

All exhibitions are free and open to the public.

The Hanami Japanese Club is hosting a Sakura walk-in cafe from 3-7 p.m. April 20 in the Student Union Building Georgian Room. Volunteers are needed and welcomed. Those that volunteer will receive additional free food tickets allowing them to enjoy a selection of delicious Japanese delicacies while participating in the event.

Truman’s literary magazine, Windfall, is accepting submissions of poetry, prose and art from currently enrolled students. Submissions should be sent to windfallmagazine@gmail.com.

Amy Norgard, associate professor of classics, MAE Latin, recently published an article entitled "Artificial Life, Divinity, and Mythology in Star Trek" in the journal Religions for a special issue entitled "The Digital and the Divine: Cyber-Spirituality in Contemporary Science Fiction and Television."

In the article, Norgard demonstrates that the depiction of AI throughout "Star Trek" (androids, supercomputers, holograms) simulates divinity by sharing features associated with the immortal gods of ancient mythology (agelessness, superhuman powers), and how artificial-organic relations recapitulate the tensions between immortals and mortals from such works as the "Homeric Hymns" and the "Odyssey." Just as the seminal literary works of Homer, Hesiod and Ovid aim to define humanity relative to the divine, so too are modern sci-fi narratives about AI fertile ground for outlining what it means to be human, and what is decidedly not human. The article is open-access and available here.

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


Fellowships For Study in the United States
(campus nomination required)

Carnegie Endowment
for undergraduates and graduates
Awarded to graduating seniors or individuals who have graduated within the past academic year. Applicants must be nominated by the Truman State University nominating official. This fellowship is designed to provide a substantive work experience for students who have a serious career interest in the area of international affairs. Eleven to 13 students will be hired to work at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington, D.C., on a full-time basis for a period of one year. Application deadline is Nov. 15, 2024.

Goldwater Scholarship
for undergraduates only
Awarded to sophomore or junior math or science majors who have one or two full years of undergraduate study remaining. Each scholarship covers tuition, fees, books, and room and board. To be eligible, a student must have at least a 3.0 GPA, be a United States citizen and demonstrate a potential for and commitment to a career in research in mathematics or natural sciences. Deadline to declare intent to apply is Oct. 25, 2024.

Harry S. Truman Scholarship
for undergraduates only
Awarded to outstanding junior students who intend to pursue careers in public service. Each Harry S. Truman Scholarship covers tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $30,000 over a period of up to four years (i.e., one year of college and three years of graduate school). To be eligible, a student must have selected an undergraduate field of study that will permit admission to a graduate program leading to a career in public service. Campus deadline is Nov. 15, 2024.

Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation
for undergraduates only
The Morris K. Udall Scholarship Program was created to encourage outstanding students to pursue careers related to environmental public policy and to encourage outstanding Native American and Alaska native students to pursue careers related to health care and tribal public policy. Requirements include sophomore or junior standing with at least a 3.0 GPA and ranking in the top quarter of a student’s class. Each scholarship covers eligible expenses for tuition, fees, books, and room and board, up to a maximum of $7,000, and expenses for a Udall Scholars Orientation. Deadline for applications is Jan. 3, 2025.


Fellowships for Experiences Abroad
(campus nomination required)

British Marshall Scholarship
for undergraduates and graduates
Awarded to exceptional seniors or recent graduates who wish to study for two years in a British university. It is meant to further the education of young people of distinguished intellect and character who can be expected to make a significant contribution to society. To be eligible, applicants must have a 3.7 GPA, be a United States citizen and earn a bachelor’s degree before the scholarship takes effect. Applications must be completed by Aug. 16, 2024.

Fulbright Grant
for undergraduates and graduates
Awarded to seniors and graduate students. Grants range from a full grant – which covers one year of tuition, books and maintenance in one foreign country – to a variety of partial grants which cover transportation costs only and/or supplement the applicant’s own personal funds.  Teaching assistantships in English in selected countries are also available under the Fulbright program. To be eligible for any of the Fulbright grants, an applicant must be a United States citizen at the time of application and hold a bachelor’s degree by the beginning date of the grant.  Creative and performing artists are not required to have a bachelor’s degree, but must have four years of relevant training or study. All applicants are required to have sufficient proficiency in the language of the host country to carry out their proposed study or research. Applications must be completed by Sept. 2, 2024.

Fulbright Grant: U.K. Summer Institute Award
for undergraduates
Awarded to freshman or sophomore students from all areas of study with a high level of academic achievement. Each program offers students full immersion in the study of British academia and culture. Students will partake in cultural events, research, collaboration and presentation at one of nine summer institutes. The award will cover the majority of all costs incurred, including flights to and from the U.K., university fees, and room and board at the hosting U.K. university. Applicants must be U.S. citizens who reside anywhere except the U.K., be at least 18 years old and have completed no more than two years of university study. Applications must be completed by Sept. 2, 2024.

Mitchell Scholarship
for undergraduates and graduates
Awarded to seniors or recent graduates who wish to pursue graduate study or research in either the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. Mitchell scholarships provide tuition and housing, as well as living and travel stipends. Applicants must complete a bachelor’s degree before taking up the award. Applications must be completed by Aug. 16, 2024.

Boren Scholarship and Fellowship
for undergraduates and graduates
NOTE: The graduate fellowship does not require campus nomination.
Designed to provide U.S. undergraduates and graduates with the resources and encouragement they need to acquire skills and experience in countries and areas of the world critical to the future security of our nation. Boren Scholarships/Fellowships are designed to support students who will make a commitment to federal service. All recipients incur a requirement to enter into an agreement, in order of priority, to work for an agency of the federal government with national security responsibilities or to work in the field of higher education in the area of study for which the scholarship was awarded. Maximum awards are $10,000 for a semester and $20,000 for a full year of study abroad. Campus deadline for scholarships (undergraduate) is Jan. 1, 2025. Campus deadline for fellowships (graduate) is Dec. 30, 2024.

Rhodes Scholarship
for undergraduates only
Awarded to exceptional seniors who wish to pursue two or three years of study at Oxford University. The Rhodes Scholarship covers all tuition costs and provides a maintenance allowance. To be eligible a senior must be under 24 years of age, be a citizen of the United States and complete a bachelor’s degree before Oct. 1. There are only 32 scholarships assigned to the United States and applicants must have proven intellectual and academic achievement of a high standard, integrity of character, interest in and respect for their fellow human beings, the ability to lead and the energy to use their talents to the fullest. The last of these qualities is usually, though not exclusively, demonstrated by participation and success in sports. Rhodes Scholarship applications must be completed by Sept. 2, 2024. Read about Truman’s first Rhode’s Scholarship recipient, Andrew McCall, who provides helpful advice for Rhodes Scholar applicants.


Other Fellowships
(no campus nomination required)

The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship
for college graduates and graduate students
A highly-competitive national program that provides college and graduate school graduates the opportunity to work in Washington, D.C., with one of more than two dozen participating public-interest organizations focusing on international security issues. The program is offered twice yearly, in the spring and fall. It lasts from six to nine months and provides a salary, health insurance and travel costs to Washington.

The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship
for undergraduates and graduates
The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship is designed to attract outstanding individuals from all ethnic, racial and social backgrounds who have an interest in pursuing a foreign service career with the U.S. Department of State. The programs provide academic and professional preparation for outstanding candidates to enter the U.S. Department of State Foreign Service, representing America’s interests abroad.

Amgen Scholars Program
for undergraduates only
The Amgen Scholars Program provides hundreds of undergraduate students with the opportunity to engage in a hands-on summer research experience at some of the world’s leading institutions.

Ford Diversity Fellowships Program
for seniors and graduates only
Through its fellowship programs, the Ford Foundation seeks to increase the diversity of the nation’s college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, to maximize the educational benefits of diversity, and to increase the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
for graduates only
The GRFP is a prestigious, nationally competitive fellowship offered by the National Science Foundation that provides three years of financial support for beginning graduate study leading to a research-based degree in the STEM disciplines.

Gates Cambridge Scholarship
for undergraduates and graduates
Awarded to students of exceptional academic achievement and scholarly promise for whom advanced study at Cambridge would be particularly appropriate. Successful applicants will have the ability to make a significant contribution to their discipline while in Cambridge, with a strong aptitude for research, analysis and a creative approach to defining and solving problems. Awarded only to students who gain admission to Cambridge through the regular procedures. Covers the full cost of study at Cambridge for a single person. Applications should be completed by Sept. 13, 2024.

Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows
for undergraduates
The Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows offers rising college juniors opportunities in leadership development programs inspired by the life and legacy of George Washington and today’s foremost leaders. This residential summer fellowship is designed to create the next generation of the nation’s top leaders.

John Lewis Fellowship
for undergraduates
The John Lewis Fellowship honors U.S. Representative John Lewis, an icon of the Civil Rights Movement. The program explores the history of the Civil Rights Movement, diversity and minority rights in the United States, with a particular focus on Atlanta. Key areas of inquiry include race and racism, immigration, national identity, Native American issues and the relationship between civil rights and human rights. The fellowship will also discuss contemporary racial and diversity issues.

Humanity in Action Fellowship
for undergraduates
The Humanity in Action Fellowship brings together international groups of college students and recent graduates to explore national histories of injustice and resistance as they affect different minority groups today.

Woodrow Wilson National Fellowships
for undergraduates and graduates
The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation is a private non-profit operating foundation based in Princeton, New Jersey. The foundation administers a range of programs that support leadership development and build organizational capacity in education.

Fund for Education Abroad
for undergraduates
The Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) addresses the need for an independent study abroad scholarship provider. FEA is expanding access to study abroad by raising awareness of its benefits to the individual and value to the collective, and by granting scholarships of up to $10,000.

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program
for undergraduates
The Gilman International Scholarship Program is a Congressionally-funded program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and is administered by the Institute of International Education. The Gilman Scholarship Program offers grants of up to $5,000 to U.S. undergraduate students of high financial need participating in a credit-bearing study abroad program or international internship eligible. Students studying a critical need language could be eligible to receive a grant of up to $8,000. The Gilman Program aims to diversify the kinds of students who study and intern abroad and the countries and regions where they go by supporting U.S. undergraduates who might otherwise not consider these unique and valuable opportunities due to financial constraints.

U.S. Teaching Assistantship Program in Austria
The U.S. Teaching Assistantship Program in Austria provides U.S. college and university graduates with opportunities to work at secondary schools throughout Austria as teaching assistants.

Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA)
The Freeman Foundation’s generous support for the relaunch of Freeman-ASIA builds on prior grants to IIE that funded more than 4,500 American undergraduates in Asia from 2001 to 2014. The newly available awards will advance the Institute of International Education’s Generation Study Abroad, a five-year initiative aiming to double the number of U.S. students abroad by the end of the decade, by mobilizing resources and commitments across the higher education, philanthropy and corporate sectors.

Schwarzman Scholars
Designed to prepare the next generation of global leaders, Schwarzman Scholars is the first scholarship created to respond to the geopolitical landscape of the 21st Century. Whether in politics, business or science, the success of future leaders around the world will depend upon an understanding of China’s role in global trends. Students will live and study together on the campus of Schwarzman College, where all classes are taught in English. Students will pursue master’s degrees in one of three disciplines: public policy, economics and business, or international studies. Applications must be completed by Aug. 16, 2024.

The Missouri Scholarship and Loan Foundation will offer the Purdy Emerging Leaders Scholarship, named in honor of Allan Walker Purdy. Born in 1914 on a farm near Macon, Purdy 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.

This program supports candidates who demonstrate leadership, character and academic performance. It is open to students who started higher education right after high school, as well as adult learners who are now pursuing or returning to complete a degree. Additionally, these students have a vision, are eager to make their contribution to the world and have the work ethic to bring their dreams to fruition.

The scholarship application period runs through May 15. More information, including details on how to apply, can be found here. The scholarship amount can vary based on an applicant’s circumstances. The general range will be $2,000-$5,000 based on expected family contribution (EFC), unmet need and other factors.

Applicants must: be a Missouri resident; be an undergraduate second-, third- or fourth-year student for the 2024-25 academic year; enrolled full-time and making satisfactory academic progress; and have a cumulative college GPA of 2.5 or higher. Recommendation from an instructor, counselor, advisor, current or recent supervisor, community leader or other similarly qualified individual is required.