Vol. 17 No. 29 - April 22, 2013

The Office of Advancement is inviting all May graduating seniors to participate in its senior giving campaign by making a $20 gift to the Truman State University Foundation.

Any student who makes a gift to the Foundation will be invited to a special  “Party with T-Pain” on May 6 in the Student Union Building.

Students may decide to allocate their gift towards the University Fund of their choosing, depending on what has been most important to them during their time at Truman. Possible funds include a variety of general scholarship funds, athletics and academic department scholarships. Visit giving.truman.edu/FundsList.asp to see a full listing of all the different Foundation funds.

Thanks to the continued generosity of our alumni, parents and friends, the Foundation is able to provide numerous scholarship opportunities for our students. As the graduating senior class will soon be transitioning over to being member of a much larger alumni network they are being asked to consider a small gift back to the University that will make a difference for future students.  

For more information, or details concerning the invitation, a donation or the possible funds available, visit alumni.truman.edu/Graduates/2013/PartyWithT-Pain_Main.asp or call 660.785.4133.

Erin Farmer, a senior biology major from Arma, Kan., and Tyler Young, a senior computer science major from Kearney, Mo., have both been awarded a competitive Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The NSF Fellowship program began in 1952 and is designed to support research-based graduate students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The fellowship provides three years of support, including $10,500 in tuition assistance and a $30,000 stipend. This year the NSF received more than 13,000 submitted applications from students all over the country and made only 2,000 award offers. Farmer plans to attend the University of Kansas to pursue research in molecular biology. Young plans to defer his graduate school at this time.

Along with Farmer and Young, 2010 alumnus Will Petry and 2009 alumnus Josh Hirner received fellowships. Both attended and conducted research at the University of California, Irvine.

Ste. Genevieve High School chemistry teacher Steve Zuspann has been selected as the inaugural honoree of the James and Margaret Mudd Teacher Recognition Scholarship.

Thirty-nine teachers were nominated by spring graduates for the significant impact they made in their students’ lives.

A selection committee reviewed the candidates, and based on essays written by seniors Jenna McClanahan and Nicole Boyer, Zuspann was selected as this year’s honoree.

Zuspann will be recognized during the Spring 2013 Commencement Ceremony and a $1,000 scholarship will be given in his honor to an incoming Truman student from Ste. Genevieve High School. 

Since its origin as the North Missouri Normal School in 1867, Truman State University has been committed to providing a strong teacher education program. Over the years, more than 8,000 teachers have received their preparation at the University, and the dedication to teacher programs is deeply rooted in the University’s history.  

For several years the University has increasingly incorporated service-learning into the curriculum and many students have found it to be a rewarding part of their Truman experience.

“I was unsure about the service-learning at first because it was something new,” said Truman sophomore Laura Beckering, who tutors students at Ray Miller Elementary School in Kirksville. “Now that I am getting used to it, I really enjoy helping the students and seeing the results when a child understands something they didn’t before.”

Through her Motivation and Emotion Psychology class, Beckering works with the Kirksville after-school program called Tiger Club, which provides students with a healthy snack, recess, help with their homework and academic instruction in reading and math.

Theresa Heckert, professor and chair of psychology and instructor of Beckering’s class, is a supporter of service-learning and has implemented it in her classroom settings. She has experimented with different ways of getting her students involved in the community. Heckert recalls first hearing about service-learning at a University Conference Day and has since published research on the topic.


Heckert’s goal for this particular class is to put Truman students in a position of motivating a child. Truman students have found themselves using resources from their own classroom to positively affect and reason with Kirksville students with homework, on the playground or during free reading time.

Teachers such as Amy Martin volunteer to stay two hours beyond their contract time to assist the students. Martin, a Truman alumna, has spent the past 10 years investing in her students after school.

“It is very beneficial for them both academically and socially to have a safe, structured, supportive environment after school,” Martin said.

This year the structure for the motivation class is experimental. Students meet with the professor once a week for a lecture, tutor once a week and submit a journal at the end of each week connecting their experiences with the textbook material. Online lectures are also provided for more in-depth discussions on each chapter.

At the beginning of the semester students were given the choice of different grades and after-school programs to assist with, one being Ray Miller Elementary School.

Heckert has found all the evidence she needs to believe in the power of service-learning. Through her students’ work and course evaluations she can attest to the deeper learning that pairs with civil involvement. She feels that each person should know that he or she can have an impact.

Participating in after-school programs has made course material valuable and instilled confidence in the lives of Beckering and her fellow classmates.

“This is a class where I become genuinely excited about what we are learning,” Beckering said. “The course material is really just that – material from a course – until it is applied to real life.”

Ray Miller students warmly accept Truman students into their schools each semester. Although some may be shy at first, Beckering commented, “several kids are not hesitant about shooting up their hands.”

Martin has worked with Truman students for years and seen the same positivity coming from her students.

“The kids love working with Truman students,” she said. “The extra attention makes them feel special.”

Three McNair Scholars, Kate Angulski, David Hutchinson and Alexis Morris have all been accepted to participate in external research programs.

Angulski, a justice systems major, is one of only four students selected nationwide to participate in the criminal justice track of “Using the Social Sciences, Natural Sciences and Mathematics to Study Crime.” This eight-week Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham is supported by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant. As part of the REU, Angulski will receive room, board, travel and a $3,600 stipend. 

Hutchinson, a history major, will conduct research at Washington University in St. Louis through a Leadership Alliance Summer Research Early Identification Program (SR-EIP). As part of the 10-week program, Hutchinson will receive room, board and a $3,000 stipend.

Morris, a chemistry major, will be a fellow in the CRISP REU Fellowship Program at Yale University, a NSF grant supported Materials Research Science and Engineering Center program. As part of the eight-week REU, Morris will receive room, board and travel as well as a stipend.

Seventeen students represented Truman at the 27th National Conference on Undergraduate Research hosted by the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse April 11-13. 

More than 3,000 undergraduate students from 48 states and seven countries showcased presentations representing 60 disciplines including: biology, business, chemistry, communications, diversity, English, health science, history, math, physics, psychology and sociology.


Students awarded travel funds from the Office of Student Research include: Chris Becker, Emma Brockshmidt, Thomas Bunting, Harold Eyechaner, Jennifer Flynn, Laura Franks, Sheri He, Devin Heier, April Johnston, Nena Koseva, Grant Libra, Lona Moody, Emma Shirey, Eric Volstromer, Bridget Waller and Bob Williamson.

The National Conferences on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), established in 1987, is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research, scholarship and creative activity in all fields of study by sponsoring an annual conference for students.

As the weather improves, the Department of Public Safety wants to remind all cyclists of the campus guidelines.

Anyone operating a bicycle must obey the same traffic control regulations that apply to cars and motorcycles, such as stopping for stop signs and riding in the right-hand portion of the roadway. When ridden after dark, bikes must be equipped with a headlight, large red reflector on the rear and white or amber pedal and spoke reflectors.

Bicycles parked on campus must be left in bicycle racks, which are provided in convenient locations. Bikes are not to be left in buildings, entrances, ramps or any other hazardous location. They should not be attached to any trees or light poles. Bicycles that are illegally parked are subject to parking tickets and/or confiscation by the Department of Public Safety. Bicycles should be ridden on streets, not on sidewalks, lawns or parkways that are property of Truman.

Students are strongly encouraged to register their bikes with DPS. Registration permits are issued free of charge. More information on the biking policies may be found at police.truman.edu/parkingservices/parkServ.asp.

Truman supports the use of bicycles as a means of transportation, but ultimately the safety of all campus pedestrians is of first priority.

The Truman in Washington Program is looking for any students who will be interning in Washington, D.C., this summer. If you will be in D.C., or know a student who will be, please contact Jay Self, Truman in Washington Program director, at selfjw@truman.edu.

A retirement reception for Sandra Fleak and Scott Fouch, professors of accounting, will take place from 2:30-4 p.m. April 25 in the School of Business Lounge.

JINS 366, Art, Environment and Community, will be offered this summer for students in the St. Louis area. Weekly meetings will take place at various locations in the city including the St. Louis Art Museum, Missouri History Museum, St. Louis Public Library and the Missouri Botanical Garden. Students will create artwork dealing with ecology in the St. Louis community. Other coursework will be online via Blackboard. For more information, contact Kelsey Wiskirchen at kelseyw@truman.edu.

The St. Louis Area Hotel Association has partnered with area schools to provide up to $2,500 in scholarships to students studying within the hospitality field. Requirements include: enrolled as a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior at a four-year institution; enrolled as a freshman or sophomore at a two-year institution; have a minimum of a 2.25 overall grade point average; be a United States citizen or permanent U.S. resident; be enrolled full time (minimum of nine hours) for the next academic year for which the scholarship is given in order to receive the full amount. Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. April 30. For more information, go to stlhotels.com/scholarship_and_career_resources.asp.

MassMutual Financial Group is offering high-achieving college students of African-American, Asian/Pacific Islander or Hispanic descent, interested in pursuing careers in the insurance and financial services industry, a scholarship opportunity for the 2013-14 academic year. For eligibility criteria, go to act.org/massmutual. Application deadline is May 3.

The Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis is inviting eligible media communication and journalism students to apply for scholarships for the 2013-2014 academic year. Students of journalism or related fields who are residents of the St. Louis metropolitan area (City of St. Louis; Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, St. Charles, St. Louis and Warren counties in Missouri; and Bond, Clinton, Jersey, Madison, Monroe and St. Clair counties in Illinois) are eligible to receive these scholarships. Applications are available online at stlpressclub.org/scholarships.html. Deadline for applications is May 3.

MyBookbuyer.com is continuing to conduct their ongoing scholarship essay contest. It is a 750-1,250 word essay submission. There will be one grand prize of $1,250 and one runner-up prize of $250 to the winning students. The application deadline is May 10. To learn more about this scholarship opportunity go to www.mybookbuyer.com/textbooks-for-a-year-scholarship.htm.

The Jack J. Isgur Foundation is a Missouri not-for-profit corporation formed for the purpose of promoting an interest in the field of education in the humanities, such as literature, fine arts, music, art, poetry and dance. The foundation awards scholarships to students studying at colleges and universities who indicate an interest in teaching courses in the above-described areas in school districts located in the State of Missouri, preferable rural school districts. It is available to those at the junior and senior levels of undergraduate college, as well as graduate students. For more information and to obtain an application for this scholarship, go to isgur.org. Deadline is May 15.

The creators of the “Student Award Search Aid” website are renewing the B. Davis scholarship for 2013. For more information on this $1,000 scholarship, visit studentawardsearch.com/scholarships.htm. Questions can also be sent to awards@studentawardsearch.com. Deadline to apply is May 27.

USDirect is offering a $1,000 scholarship where they are asking students to show them their school spirit and team pride with a photo. To obtain more information on how to apply for this scholarship, visit usdirect.com/scholarship. Deadline for entry is June 15.

The CEO of Tomorrow Scholarship is a $2,500 scholarship for students interested in business leadership and/or entrepreneurship. Applicants must answer a short online survey and submit a 500-1,000 word essay on “the CEO of tomorrow.” Possible topics could include (but are not limited to) company structure, company culture or utilization of technology. For more information, or to apply, go to ceo.com. Deadline is July 1.

Abbott & Fenner Business Consultants will be awarding up to $1,000 each year to a scholarship winner. To apply students will submit an essay on the topic that appears on the scholarship page of their website at abbottandfenner.com/scholarships.htm.

AES Engineers is committed to continuing its support of higher education by providing scholarships to deserving students. To be eligible the student needs to answer one of the essay questions that they will find online at aesengineers.com/scholarships.htm. A $500 scholarship will be awarded on the basis of character, as determined by evaluating the essays that are submitted. Deadline for entry is Oct. 4.

DAZ 3D is offering a $1,000 scholarship to 3D Graphic Design Students seeking financial aid for tuition, books and education related costs. For more information go to www.daz3d.com/3d-graphic-design-scholarship. Submission deadline is June 1.

Smile Reef is sponsoring the Pediatric Dentist of Tomorrow Scholarship. Details can be found at smilereef.com/pediatric-dentist-of-tomorrow-scholarship.

The Streamline Refinance Scholarship for Finance and Economics Scholarship is now available. Details can be found at streamlinerefinance.net/finance-economics-scholarship.html.

StudentScholarships.org has scholarships available to Missouri residents on their website, studentscholarships.org/2013scholarships.php. Truman students should specifically look for the following scholarships: Gilbratti Scholarship, Youth Volunteer Scholarship Award, Healthy Choices Scholarship, Scholarship by Design Award, Black and Lee Scholarship, Caretenders Scholarship Program, LM Scholarship Program, Rogers Community Volunteer Scholarship Program, Sedary & Associates Scholarship and Lift Parts Express Scholarship.

U.S. Bank will award 40 scholarships of $1,000 through a random drawing process. Undergraduate students attending an eligible four-year college or university participating in the U.S. Bank No Fee Education Loan Program are eligible to apply. Further details regarding this scholarship opportunity can be found at usbank.com/scholarship.

A-Z Printing has announced a scholarship opportunity for students in the amount of $1,000. More information about this “Impact a Life” college scholarship may be found at raffleticket.com/raffle-tickets-scholarship.html. Deadline to apply is Dec. 31.

Five anthropology majors from Truman, Kathryn Hedlund, Racheal Kissee, Zoee Matlock, Rose McCray and Julianne Meyer, attended the Central States Anthropological Society annual meeting in St. Louis April 4-6 with Amber Johnson, professor of anthropology. Hedlund and Meyer also presented papers at the meeting. Hedlund’s paper was entitled “Cultural Views and their Impact on Mental Illness: An Analysis of Schizophrenia, Recovery and Attitudes about Mental Illness across Cultures,” and Meyer’s paper was “The Devil Lives in the Apple Orchard and other Kansas City Ghost Tales.”

Gregory Jones, professor of music, will return to China in early May for a tour that will include recitals and performances with Chinese colleagues and master classes. Jones will be working with Chinese brass players and teachers as well as performing in concerts that include an evening recital at the famed Beijing Central Conservatory, as well as performances in Tianjin and Lanzhou. This will be Jones’ fourth tour of China following earlier appearances in Beijing, Tianjin, Weihai, Weifang, Yantai, Jinan and Nanjing. He has held the position of visiting professor of music at the Tianjin Conservatory since 2001 and has hosted his counterpart, professor Chen Rui from Tianjin, at Truman.

The Music Department Spring Gala will take place at 7:30 p.m. April 27 in the Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall. A broad range of ensembles will be featured.

A retirement reception for Sandra Fleak and Scott Fouch, professors of accounting, will take place from 2:30-4 p.m. April 25 in the School of Business Lounge.

The Physics Colloquium will conclude at 4:30 p.m. April 25 in Magruder Hall 1096 when alumnus Sucheta Jawalkar of the Department of Physics at Duke University presents “Proton Tomography in Momentum Space Using An Electron Beam.”

Minor Detail will host its Spring Concert 8 p.m. April 26 in the Baldwin Hall Auditorium.

The local Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring Spring Fever 8 a.m.-4 p.m. April 27 at the Crossing Church, 810 E. Shepherd, with special student hours from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Jimmy John’s will be handing out samples to students with an ID. There will also be Minute to Win It games and great prize giveaways including an iPad and headphones. Tickets for students are $1 and there is a $1 off coupon for Bellacino’s on the back of each ticket. For more information contact the Chamber at 660.665.3766.

KTRM Radio and the Women’s Resource Center are sponsoring a 5k run/walk April 27 to raise money and awareness for date rape and sexual assault on Truman’s campus. The 5k run/walk will begin at 8:30 a.m. April 27 outside Barnett Hall. On-site registration starts at 7 a.m. Participants can pre-register at the Women’s Resource Center in the Student Union Building Down Under. Registration is $15 with a t-shirt included or $5 without.

Many Truman faculty, staff and students are involved in helping raise money and gathering canned food for multiple local organizations. One of those organizations is the Food Bank of Central and Northeast Missouri at sharefoodbringhope.org. Walmart is splitting $3 million to 100 different food banks across the county and the decision on who gets that money is based upon the number of votes each one gets through April 30. A person can vote every day. To vote, go to wm8.walmart.com/Hunger.

The Staff Council BBQ will take place from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. May 3 at the University Club for all University staff. The menu includes grilled hamburgers, hotdogs, veggie burgers, fresh fruit and vegetables. Attendees are encouraged to bring a dessert to share and to remember to sign up for door prizes when they arrive. RSVP via email to cdavis@truman.edu. An RSVP is not required but greatly appreciated.