Vol. 29 No. 2 - August 26, 2024

A start-up founder and investor based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sumter (’10) graduated from Truman with a degree in computer science. He received his master’s degree in technology policy from MIT where he researched using cellphones as a sensor platform to study social dynamics and human behavior. Sumter co-founded Behavio, a mobile sensing company acquired by Google in 2013. He has since led product teams at Google, Facebook and Uber.

While at Truman, Sumter was involved in the astronomy research program, working on and leading several projects at the Truman Observatory and Lowell Observatory, studying both near-Earth asteroids and Delta Scuti stars in eclipsing binary systems. In addition, he served for three years as the student representative on Truman’s Board of Governors and was a member of the University Foundation Board.

From murder mysteries to mythological figures and childhood musical favorites, the 2024-25 Truman Theatre schedule offers something for all audiences.

The first production of the year, “The Real Inspector Hound,” is a cheeky spoof on the works of Agatha Christie. As Muldoon Manor turns into a comedic whirlwind, two feuding theater critics comment on the show and get tangled up in the chaos themselves. Performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 26-28, and 2 p.m. Sept. 29, in the James G. Severns Theatre in Ophelia Parrish.

“Ride the Cyclone” is a quirky, edgy musical where six teen chamber choir members meet their fate on a doomed roller coaster ride. In limbo, a mechanical fortune teller offers them a chance to return to life. As they face their fate, each character reveals their dreams, regrets and unique stories through catchy tunes and dark humor. This cult hit blends comedy, tragedy and enchantment, leaving audiences laughing, reflecting and feeling great about life. Performances of “Ride the Cyclone” will take place in the Severns Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7-9 and Nov. 15-16, as well as a matinee at 2 p.m. Nov. 17.

The Theatre Showcase will take place at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5-6 in the Black Box Theatre. Students will perform one-act plays and scenes from the “Play Direction” class. Students in “Acting for Musical Theatre” will perform musical numbers.   

A version of the Seneca play “Medea” will run at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20-22 and 2 p.m. Feb. 23 in the Severns Theatre. The mythic figure of Medea has captivated audiences for millennia. When Jason, the hero she helped and loved, abandons Medea for a royal match, she is driven to unimaginable vengeance. This rendition brings the timeless tale to life within a contemporary framework that challenges the perceptions of the role of women, mothers and outsiders in society.

“Peter and the Starcatcher,” a magical prequel to “Peter Pan” that reimagines the origin of the beloved boy who never grows up, will be featured in the Severns Theatre at 7:30 p.m. April 10-12 and April 16-17, with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. April 13. This wildly theatrical adventure follows a young orphan and his friends as they encounter pirates, a magical trunk of starstuff, and a determined starcatcher-in-training, Molly. With inventive staging and a playful spirit, this whimsical journey explores friendship, bravery and the magic of youth.

Get ready to sing along with “Schoolhouse Rock Live!” April 25-27. This energetic, retro revue makes learning fun and unforgettable, and brings the Emmy-winning 1970s cartoon series to the stage. Join Tom, a nervous teacher, as he discovers his favorite TV show comes to life, teaching him how to win over his students with catchy tunes like “Just a Bill” and “Conjunction Junction.” Perfect for all ages, this fun-filled show updates the cherished series for a new generation. Performances will take place April 25-27 in Baldwin Auditorium. Show times remain to be announced.

Information about events and tickets will be posted online as they become available. Students interested in auditioning for upcoming productions, or working as a member of the crew, can find more details here. Many parts in Truman Theatre productions are open to non-majors.

A one-hundred-year-old fixture of campus recently received some much-needed attention designed to give it new life for years to come.

One of the Music Department’s Steinway D concert pianos returned to campus this summer after undergoing a complete rebuild. The piano is from 1922 and is believed to have been purchased the same year Kirk Building opened, since that was the main performance venue at the time.   

Having the piano rebuilt saved more than two-thirds of the cost of a new model, which can be in excess of $200,000. In addition to the savings, the rebuilt piano was crafted specifically to the University’s needs.

“Rebuilding a piano like this gives us the opportunity to customize parts and materials, and small-scale piano rebuilders can give much more attention to detail than a factory environment where new pianos are made in large numbers,” said piano technician Dustin Hamilton. “A custom rebuild job done by a high-end shop will always yield excellent results, sometimes better than what comes new from the factory.”  

This rebuild consisted primarily of “belly work,” meaning the Steinway D received a new soundboard, strings and other interior attention. The soundboard is a piano’s “speaker,” and much like a high-end audio system, larger speakers project more sound. Concert grands have a large dynamic range, able to play the loudest louds, and softest softs. Large concert grands also have longer strings, giving them a clearer tone in the bass range. The technical aspects of the rebuild were completed by Wells Pianos in St. Paul, Minnesota, with cosmetic refinishing completed in Indiana.

“None of the original sound-producing parts of the piano remain. It is really an entirely new instrument,” Hamilton said. “This piano is destined to be the crown jewel of our recital hall stage for many years to come.”

The Music Department has roughly 45 pianos. These range from small uprights in practice rooms and studios, to small and medium grands in rehearsal halls and piano teaching studios, to performance instruments like the newly rebuilt Steinway D concert grand. The oldest piano on campus is a Steinway B from 1911. Truman also has other valuable grands from the 1950s through the 1970s.  

“Steinway concert grands are the de facto standard piano performance instrument worldwide, and Truman is privileged to own four of them,” Hamilton said.

It is not unusual for Truman to have pianos rebuilt, but previous University piano rebuilds have been much less noticeable. In many cases the original soundboard is retained, especially when the instrument is not destined for a large room where it needs to project sound into a large space.

This piano left Kirksville in December and returned in July. The project had been planned for some time, and was completed thanks to financial support from the Provost’s Office. The piano is currently housed in the Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall and will be available for student pianists to play during recitals, as well as for faculty and guest artists, and accompany solo and ensemble recitals for countless other student instrumentalists and singers.

There is a reason medical doctors make up less than one percent of the U.S. population. The best and the brightest candidates need to study for years in high school and college before taking a grueling medical school entrance examination. Then comes another four years of medical school, followed by three to seven years of a residency program. The rigorous path to the profession is not for everyone, but two Truman students from the same rural high school graduating class are helping one another reach their dreams to one day become doctors.

Lauren Reid and Gracie LaFoe have been classmates since they were in elementary school in Palmyra, Missouri – population 3,613. In small towns, everyone knows one another, but their friendship was solidified by chance in middle school.

“We took an agriculture class together in eighth grade,” Reid said. “I think we found some comradery there because all of the other people in our class were boys.”

Welding and woodworking projects showed the duo they were cut from the same cloth, and throughout high school, their interests overlapped a lot. They were in the same organizations, competed on the track team together and attended prom with the same group of friends. They also shared the career aspiration of being a doctor, and when it came time for college, Truman turned out to be the best fit.

Coming from a graduating class of 79 students, attending Truman can feel like making it to the big leagues, but neither LaFoe nor Reid felt intimidated, even when their new peers where surprised to learn things like rural students being able to earn dual enrollment credits.

“Some people have a preconceived notion about small towns. Unfortunately, they believe we did not get a ‘good’ education from our school, or that we don’t know as much as other students,” LaFoe said. “However, Lauren was our valedictorian in our class, and I was not too far behind. Plus, our high school was ranked one of the highest in the state for its education.”

For years, Truman has earned praise for its small class sizes, offering opportunities for students to fully engage with faculty. That same sentiment can be applied to small high schools as well.

“An advantage about coming from a rural background is that the school environment is much more personal. You get to make closer relationships with your teachers, coaches and peers,” Reid said. “While it is true we had less variety in the courses we could take or extracurriculars we could be involved in, I do not feel like I have an inferior education going to a rural school. I had wonderful teachers in Palmyra that cared about our education and prepared us to succeed in college.”

Although they have similar career plans, their paths have started to diverge at Truman. Reid hopes to one day work in pediatrics, and has pursued a degree in exercise science with a minor in philosophy and religion. She’s gained research experience in chemistry and molecular biology and is active with the Newman Center. Both women are members of the American Medical Student Association. LaFoe chose a biology major, with a pre-med concentration and minors in STEM research and business. She’s also active with the Beta Beta Beta Biology Honors Fraternity, the STEP Scholar program and the Baptist Student Union.

The root interest in the medical field goes back years for both women. LaFoe has struggled with her eyesight since the age of five.

“Optometrists are a major part of my childhood. As soon as I would walk through those doors, I felt safe, knowing they would be able to help me see clearly,” she said. “I want to help people to see the world clearly, just like I have been helped.”

Constant visits to the doctor made LaFoe realize how valuable having specialists in the community can be. With Palmyra located in a rural area, those in need of specialized service often travel up to two hours for care. That is why she wants to return close to home after becoming an ophthalmologist.

“I may specialize in retinas due to the significant need in my community,” she said. “If there is an emergency with a retina currently, they have to send them to Columbia or St. Louis, which are hours away. I want to bring eyecare to them that is nearby and affordable.”

Firsthand experience also sparked Reid’s call to medicine. After being diagnosed with scoliosis, she eventually had to undergo an intensive spinal fusion. The compassion of the surgeon calmed her nerves and reaffirmed her career plans.

“My surgeon squatted beside my hospital bed, looked me in the eyes, and said, ‘When you are here, you are my kid. When you’re under my care, I’m going to treat you, I’m going to obsess over you as if you are my own child.’ This moment was profound. It is difficult to put into words, but I caught a glimpse of how precious the relationship is between a patient and their physician,” she said.

Reid and LaFoe have already taken one major step on their journey, and true to form, they did it together. They took the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) in March in Kansas City. The test takes upwards of seven hours to complete and usually requires months of preparation. For Reid and LaFoe, this moment was one of the reasons they chose Truman.

“All of the courses I have taken specifically for the MCAT have helped make test prep much easier,” Reid said. “My professors have presented and tested over material in a way that emphasizes application and not memorization. This has forced me to study in a much different way than I did in high school, and it has proved to be very beneficial in the MCAT preparation.”

LaFoe also has nothing but praise for her Truman professors. Additionally, she credits Reid for her continual support throughout their MCAT prep, and their undergraduate experience in general.

“Lauren is the most supportive, positive and hardworking person I know. Whenever I feel down about something, especially medical-school related, she always reminds me that I have worked hard and that we got this,” LaFoe said. “We often share advice with each other about anything pertaining to our futures, like MCAT studying, available classes to take and opportunities to get involved in health care.”

Reid and LaFoe are on track to graduate in May 2025. Because they are focusing on different specialties, there is a good chance they might attend different medical schools. They are both planning to stay in the Midwest for school, and possibly for their careers. Wherever Reid and LaFoe ultimately end up, they will make their alma maters proud.

As a new academic year begins, IT Services is reminding all students and employees of steps they can take to be safe in the digital environment.  

One thing to do is be vigilant when viewing email or taking phone calls at work. Phishing emails, and even phone calls from someone purporting to be another campus employee, can be attempts to get personally identifiable information.

As a refresher, phishing emails are a way to gain access to systems by duping the recipient into believing the email was sent to them by a legitimate source asking them to click on a link that requires users to divulge data such as passwords, Banner IDs, etc. Truman will never ask students or employees to click on a link that gathers this kind of data. Similarly, phone calls from someone asking for identifying information about a person are also cause for caution. While the inclination is to want to help them, there are offices that are trained about how to verify that a person is who they say they are before sharing any data with them. If the caller does not know their own information, they could be a scammer.

In light of the news regarding the National Public Data breach of personal information for more than 2.9 billion individuals, it is important to stay vigilant. The latest estimation is approximately 272 million unique Social Security numbers and 600 million phone numbers were included in the stolen data. ITS recommends two cybersecurity websites students and employees can check to see if their data was included.

• The website npdbreach.com can report any user data in the system. ITS advises only entering a name and zip code to get results. This site does not store any information on the searches performed, but the data it provides back is less informative than the second option.
• The website npd.pentester.com will ask for a name and birthdate before providing results. It should be noted that any searches using this site are stored and kept on file and can be used by the company later, but the information it provides is more complete. The site will reveal a user’s redacted Social Security number and date of birth, along with the full address and phone number record.

Some good news is that only about 20% of the records accessed in the National Public Data breach appear to be legitimate. However, users may still want to review the data in these systems to see if their accurate information is included. Anyone who believes their information has been compromised can visit nationalpublicdata.com/Breach.html for recommendation on what to do next.

The Activities Fair will take place from 12-5 p.m. Aug. 28 in the Student Union Building. This event is an excellent opportunity for students to find organizations to join on campus. A full list of organizations can be found here. For more information contact Union & Involvement Services in the Student Union Building 2000, at 660.785.4222 or by email at orgs@truman.edu.

Truman’s Upward Bound program is currently accepting applications for fall employment.

Upward Bound is a grant-funded college preparation program for income-eligible area students that hires Truman students to assist high school juniors and seniors with tutoring, workshops and overall college application processes.  

All hours spent training, preparing, traveling and working with students are paid. This a great transformative experience for upper-level students and those interested in education, social work or related fields.  

Applicants should be juniors, seniors or graduate students. Positions require regular weekly availability 1-3 days per week between 2:30-6:45 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays. Interested students can access application materials here.

 
Truman students have the opportunity to earn one credit hour by teaching English to elementary and middle school students in Taiwan through Zoom.
 
The course, “CML 200: Taiwan Connect” (CRN: 6112), is a service-learning experience that begins in the second block of the semester. Classes will take place every Monday evening in Baldwin Hall 309, starting Oct. 14. Before Nov. 3, the class will meet from 6:30-8 p.m., and after Nov. 3, the time will change to 5:30-7 p.m. The only requirement for participation is that students must be native English speakers.
 
Students enrolled in 12-16 credit hours can take CML 200 at no additional cost. For more information or an override to enroll in this course, contact Zhijun “David” Wen, assistant professor of Chinese, at zwen@truman.edu or in McClain Hall 313.

Students have a variety of options to cast their vote in the Nov. 5 election this year.

To vote in Missouri, individuals must be; a U.S. citizen; 18 years of age by election day; and a resident of the state or attending a college or university in the state. Out-of-state students may not register to vote in both their home state and in Missouri. The deadline to register to vote for this year’s election is Oct. 9.

Students registered to vote in Adair County can vote in person on election day at their polling precinct, which is determined by their local address. On-campus students registered to vote can do so at the polling precinct in the Student Union Building.

Voters may choose to request an absentee ballot in their home county. Registration for an absentee ballot is usually open six weeks before election day. Ballots are due back to the county clerk’s office before the election. Absentee ballots in Missouri require notary service. There are notaries on campus to assist students in the Business Office in McClain Hall and in the Department of Public Safety in the General Services Building. A picture ID is required for notary service.

For those who will not be able to vote in person at their regular precinct the day of the election, absentee in-person voting in their registered county is available at the county clerk’s office until 5 p.m. the night before the election.

Voters should contact the county clerk’s office in the county in which they are registered if they would like additional information regarding this year’s election.

 
Qualifying students in search of part-time employment should consider pursing work-study positions available on and off campus.
 
The Federal Work-Study program allows eligible students to earn a monthly paycheck that can be used toward educational expenses. This is a need-based program open to students who have filed a FAFSA and meet certain financial need criteria. Once approved, work-study students can seek employment through any number of on-campus offices, or with certain off-campus nonprofit organizations and public agencies. Off-campus opportunities pursued in the past include positions with the Kirksville Public School District, Kirksville Head Start and the Adair County Humane Society, to name a few.
 
Work-study positions are beneficial to students because work commitments are flexible and can be tailored around class schedules. Work-study compensation can also be utilized for the same positions where students complete scholarship hours. After a student completes their scholarship hour obligation, they can use work-study compensation to continue in the same role. This enables students to continue their work with a particular office, and because the work-study program is federally funded, the financial obligation does not come from the department’s budget.  
   
Students who qualify for the Federal Work-Study program are notified through their financial aid offer notification and can accept the offer on TruView online acceptance.
 
To locate a position, students can visit TruPositions. The website also contains postings for scholarship and institutional positions. Students may contact a department directly to inquire about any openings that may not be listed on TruPositions or to get an update on an application.
 
New or returning students who have not worked for Truman previously must print, complete and submit I-9 and W-4 forms to the Payroll Office in McClain 101. The forms are available on TruView under Student Tools and the Student Finances & Student Employment channel. They may also be submitted via email to payroll@truman.edu or mailed to Payroll Office, Truman State University, 100 E. Normal, Kirksville MO 63501.
 
For questions regarding work-study student employment, contact the Financial Aid Office at 660.785.4130 or email jjacobs@truman.edu.

Truman’s Publications Office can help student organizations and University departments with creating materials to promote their events free of charge. The Publications Office can also provide images in the correct size for the Truman Today, social media and traditional printed posters. For more information, contact the Publications Office at publications.truman.edu or fill out a work order job request at publications.truman.edu/request-a-work-order-form. Information about Truman’s brand and visual identity can be found at identity.truman.edu.

Mark Hatala, professor of psychology, is featured in the Wall Street Journal article, “Nvidia Is Up 2,000% Since 2019. These WSJ Readers Invested Early.” published Aug. 23. Hatala is one of eight individuals profiled regarding their investment success with the chip maker’s stock. In the article, he credits a tip from video-game-playing Truman student James Harrington more than 20 years ago in leading him to invest in what is now the best performing stock in the S&P 500 in 2024. The article can be found online here.