Vol. 30 No. 28 - April 7, 2026

Features

Greek Week Events Raise More Than $20,000 for Charities

Fraternity and Sorority Life students present a check to a representative of Kirksville Parks and Recreation.

As part of the Greek Week philanthropy efforts, students raised $20,047, in which Kirksville Parks and Recreation received $17,641.36 for the Beyond Boundaries Program. The remaining $2,405.64 will be donated to philanthropies selected by the top philanthropy winners; Alpha Sigma Alpha, Delta Chi and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. The total was announced during closing ceremonies, April 2.

Beyond Boundaries is a program designed for athletes with physical, developmental and intellectual disabilities who are ready to build skills, confidence and endurance in the water. Each swimmer receives structured, individualized instruction with the long-term goal of preparing for competition. Additional information can be found at kirksville.gov/p/parks-recreation or on the Kirksville Parks and Recreation Facebook page.
Forensics Places Eighth in Nationwide Event

The Truman Forensics Union is well into its national's season, having competed virtually at the Asynchronous Speech Championship March 25-29.

This online tournament gathers competitors from coast-to-coast without respect to institutional size or league affiliation. Competitors submit recordings of their speeches for competition, and Truman had 13 submissions break into elimination rounds. The team finished with eighth place in the nation in team sweepstakes, beating out nationally prominent schools such as Harvard, Vassar and Howard, as well as state schools such as Rutgers, the University of Minnesota, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and several branches of the Cal-State system.

Making it to the national final round of their respective events, Annie Nguyen, first-year political science & international relations and environmental science double major, placed fifth and received the top novice award in Communication Analysis. Alex Peterson, fourth-year criminal justice and social issue advocacy double major, was third in Impromptu Speaking. Multiple students made it to the top 12 semifinal round of competition, including the Duo Interpretation team of Briggs Maynor, fourth-year chemistry major, and Jessie Philips, fourth-year political science major. Jack Unsell, a first-year political science and environmental science double major, was a semifinalist in both Extemporaneous and Impromptu Speaking. Peterson also reached the semifinals of Persuasive Speaking.

Nguyen was also a top 24 quarterfinalist in Informative and Persuasive speaking. She was joined in the Persuasive quarterfinal by Lauren Weiss, second-year biology major. In Extemporaneous Speaking, Jack Schroeder, second-year history major, and Sawyer Partney, second-year economics and political science major, were quarterfinalists. Maynor and Peterson were quarterfinalists in Duo Interpretation, with Maynor also bringing home a quarterfinalist placement in Poetry Interpretation.

Though not at a national championship, the team’s debaters competed this past weekend at the I-70 Cup, a synchronous online tournament. Ryan Franklin, second-year math major, was a semifinalist, outperforming debaters from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, UNLV, Purdue and Florida State, among others. Franklin was also ranked seventh speaker in the tournament. Ammishav McHugh, first-year political science and international relations major, was eighth place speaker, while Emmett Beeson, first-year business administration major, was 12th.

“This team continues to excel in this activity. It’s such an honor to watch them near the finish line for this season so strong,” said Ben Davis, director of forensics.

Truman Forensics will compete in its final competition for this season, the National Forensics Association Tournament, April 16-20, in Nashville, Tennessee. For more information, follow @trumanforensicunion on Instagram and visit forensics.truman.edu for additional details.
Nominations Open for Tutoring Awards

Nominations are now open for awards honoring the exceptional service of tutors at the Center for Academic Excellence Tutoring Center.

The Todd Phillips Excellence in Tutoring Award and the Excellence in Embedded Tutoring Award celebrate the dedication and impact tutors have in supporting student success. Students that have received tutoring, either through the tutoring center or from an embedded tutor, are encouraged to nominate the tutor that made a difference to them.

The award honors the late Todd Phillips who founded the Center for Academic Excellence’s Tutoring Center in 2011. Phillips began his work at Truman in 2008 as the first director of the Student Success Center. He was a passionate advocate for student support and fostered a culture where alternative approaches to learning were not only encouraged but celebrated. His innovative spirit and deep care for students continue to shape the tutoring center today.

The Excellence in Embedded Tutoring Award recognizes an outstanding embedded tutor that has demonstrated exceptional commitment to supporting student success within the classroom setting. Embedded tutors play a vital role in fostering a collaborative learning environment and in building connections between students, faculty and academic support services.

Nomination forms are open now and will close April 27. Questions should be directed to Violet Odzinski, academic advisor and coordinator of student support programs, at vodzinski@truman.edu.
Award-Winning Pianist to Perform at Truman

The Department of Music will host Keys Across America at 7:30 p.m. April 14 in the Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall.

Mackenzie Melemed has emerged as one of the most distinctive musical voices of his generation, admired for his nuanced interpretations, technical finesse and deep artistic sensibility. Described by The New York Times as “an excellent young pianist,” he has performed extensively as both soloist and chamber musician, appearing with major orchestras such as the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Helsinki Philharmonic, and in recital at iconic venues including Carnegie Hall. Melemed was a laureate of the 2021 American Pianists Awards, the 2019 China International Music Competition, and the 2017 Maj Lind International Piano Competition.

Keys Across America is Melemed’s recital program, featuring a rich cross-section of American piano music. At the heart of the program is a tribute to a few composers from the Second New England School — Amy Beach, Edward MacDowell and Arthur Foote — who helped shape a distinctly American musical identity in the late 19th century. What makes it unique is its educational mission. Throughout the program, Melemed will be speaking from the stage, guiding the audience through the historical context of each work and the lives of these trailblazing composers.

This event is free and open to the public. A livestream of the concert will be available on the department’s YouTube channel.
Kirksville Recognized for Best Main Street in Rural Missouri

Kirksville was selected as the Best Main Street or Downtown in Rural Missouri’s 2026 Reader’s Choice Contest.

With showcase community events like the Red Barn Arts and Crafts Festival, Kiwanis Farmers Market, the Red, White and Blue Festival, Hometown Holiday and Whiskey and Turkey Festival, among others, Downtown Kirksville has a rich tradition of local businesses and significant contributions to local history.

Rural Missouri’s Reader’s Choice Contest has highlighted the best dishes, artists, restaurants and destinations in Missouri for 23 years, receiving thousands of votes from around the state. The full list of this year’s winners is available at ruralmissouri.org.
Classics Hosts Eta Sigma Phi National Convention

Bridget Thomas gives Clifton Kreps the Eta Sigma Phi Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Truman Classics program hosted the 98th annual convention of Eta Sigma Phi, the undergraduate classics honor society, March 20-22.

The event drew 60 delegates from 11 universities from across the country to Kirksville to participate in business meetings, workshops, Latin and Greek declamation contests, a quiz bowl competition, paper presentations, a show at the planetarium and other events that celebrate the ancient world.

Truman faculty and staff led workshops on special topics in the ancient world. Alex Tetlak, instructor of classics, presented on Latin meter in Horace’s poetry, and Amy Norgard, associate professor of classics, co-presented with Cheryl Musch, head of special collections and University archives, on the Latin and Greek early printed books in Truman’s collections. At a formal banquet, President Sue Thomas delivered an opening address, and Eta Sigma Phi bestowed a Lifetime Achievement Award to Clifton Kreps, emeritus professor of classics, for his impact and years of service at Truman.

Truman undergraduate students were key to the event’s success. The event planning committee was composed of classics students Lillian Boehlke, Wren Crocker, Lauren Meitz, Sagan Wilson and Molly Wright, whose talents and creativity made this a memorable event. Hannah Stark, a classics student, led a workshop on how historical video games portray the ancient world through archaeogaming. Bridget Thomas, professor of classics and member of the Board of Trustees of Eta Sigma Phi, oversaw the organization of this event. Thomas was selected to step into a leadership role for the national organization for the 2026-28 academic years.

Announcements

Student Government Elections Now Open
April 6-10 is Student Government Elections week. Voting opens at 8 a.m. April 6 and closes at 4 p.m. April 10. Students can vote at vote.truman.edu. Questions about election procedures should be directed to Willow Reese, Student Government speaker and elections facilitator, at sb85256@truman.edu. Follow tsustugov on Instagram for upcoming events.
Info Session Helps Students with Nationally Competitive Fellowships
An information session for nationally competitive fellowships will take place at 4:30 p.m. April 7 in Violette Hall 1010.

Each year, Truman nominates students who have shown outstanding academic performance and exceptional service accomplishments for national fellowship opportunities. The application process is rigorous and highly competitive, but support is provided as students prepare and apply for these prestigious scholarships. A list of available competitive national fellowships, as well as information for each of them, can be found at truman.edu/majors-programs/more-learning-opportunities/fellowships/.

Students interested in applying for fellowships are encouraged to attend the informational session, as many deadlines occur early in the fall semester. Registration for the session is available here. Light refreshments will be available.

Questions about national fellowships should be directed to Marla Fernandez, director of financial aid, at mfernandez@truman.edu.
Workshops to Provide FAQs for Student Orgs
Union and Involvement Services will host workshops throughout the semester that cover some commonly asked questions and topics from student organizations.

Reserving Space on Campus
6 p.m.
April 7
Violette Hall 1010

Publicity and Advertising on Campus
6 p.m.
April 14
Violette Hall 1010

While focus will primarily be geared toward student organizations, any student is welcome to attend to learn more about this process and resources available on campus. For questions, please reach out to orgs@truman.edu.
Engage Sessions Encourage Student Safety, Awareness
Summer Registration Now Open
Truman students interested in taking classes this summer can now begin registering for courses.

Summer is a great time for students to focus their attention on a challenging class, or work on boosting their GPA for scholarship renewal or graduate school applications. It is also an opportunity to make a lot of progress toward an additional major or minor without falling behind.

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 9-23. The first round of five-week courses, as well as 10-week courses, begin May 26, while the second round of five-week courses begins June 29. An eight-week session begins June 1. The August interim runs from July 25-Aug. 8. For more information visit summer.truman.edu.
Truman to Host Short Film Festival
The Truman Short Film Festival will take place at 3 p.m. April 11 in the Del and Norma Robison Planetarium.

Admission to the festival is free and food and door prizes will be provided. Viewer discretion is advised. Some films may contain mature language and themes or content that may not be suitable for all audiences.
Learn About Data Science Grad Program at Info Session
An informational session about data science and analytic storytelling will take place at 4 p.m. April 8 in Violette Hall 1220 and via Zoom. This session will be led by Wayne Johnson, assistant professor of mathematics and data science. A graduate-level alum will also share information about how they used their graduate degree in their career. The webinar is free, and anyone interested can register here.

Questions about these sessions or about graduate studies should be obtained from Graduate Admissions at gradinfo@truman.edu or by calling 660.785.4114.
Ag Capstone Selling Vegetable, Herb, Flower Seedlings
Bloomin’ Truman is accepting pre-orders for their seedling sale, now until April 10.

Behind the Bloomin’ Truman project is Kaitlyn Alexander and JT Gerdes, students in the senior capstone course taught by Michael Siepel, professor of agricultural science. Alexander and Gerdes are selling locally grown vegetable, herb and flower plant starters to students, faculty and staff, as well as the broader Kirksville community. They offer a wide variety of tomatoes, peppers, basil, parsley and marigolds.

Sales will take place April 10-17, but pre-sales are encouraged via the pre-order form. Questions should be directed to bloomintruman@gmail.com.
“Farm Fest” Event Open to All Ages
Senior agriculture capstone students will host a community “Farm Fest” event from 3-8 p.m. April 10 at the University Farm.

Farm Fest is a project created by Zoe Landolt, Rylee Mastin, Abby Moseley and Karissa Peel, students in the senior capstone course taught by Michael Siepel, professor of agricultural science. The event will feature various games, activities and demonstrations suitable for all ages.

Visitors can expect a day full of education and excitement, as Farm Fest will feature demonstrations for equine riding, soil health, compost tours, sourdough starters, mushroom log building, Dark Skies, vegetable cooking, wild clay ceramics and herpetarium animals. In addition to demonstrations, hayrides, outdoor games, mini coloring activities and a petting zoo will be available for younger audiences. Food will also be provided, with hotdogs and s’mores available for all attendees. It will be a great day to come out and see the farm and learn something new along the way.

In the instance of rain, a tentative reschedule date is set for 3-8 p.m. April 24 at the University Farm. Additional information can be found on the Farm Fest Instagram. Questions should be directed to Zoe Landolt at ax66512@truman.edu, Rylee Mastin at rmm7346@truman.edu, Abby Moseley at vh66467@truman.edu or Karissa Peel at ne57644@truman.edu.
FSL to Host Charity Volleyball Tournament
Fraternity and Sorority Life will host a charity volleyball tournament at 2 p.m. April 12 in the Student Recreation Center. Registration is $20 per team of four players. All proceeds will benefit the RAINN Charity for Domestic Assault Prevention.
Library to Host Spring Book Sale
The Leisure Reading Book Sale will take place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. April 14 outside the south side of the Pickler Memorial Library. There will be a large variety of popular fiction books available, with hardback books priced at $1 and paperback books at fifty cents. Only cash and checks will be accepted.
English Faculty to Showcase Creative Work
Three English and creative writing faculty members will present “Out on the Town: Truman Creative Writing Faculty Read at Aorta” at 7 p.m. April 15 at the Aorta, 107 S. Franklin St.

James D’Agostino, professor of English, is the author of “The Goldfinch Caution Tapes,” winner of the 2022 Anthony Hecht Prize, “Nude With Anything,” winner of the New Issues Press Poetry Prize, and “Build Your Castle Out of Sugar Cubes All Your Enemies Have Tongues,” which won the Steel Toe Books Poetry Book Prize. He has published chapbooks which won prizes from Diagram/New Michigan, CutBank Books and Wells College Press. His poems have appeared in Ninth Letter, Forklift Ohio, Conduit, Mississippi Review, TriQuarterly, Flyway and elsewhere.

Brian Heston, assistant professor of English, is the author of “Latchkey Kids,” Finishing Line Press, “If You Find Yourself,” Main Street Rag Publishing and “Sing, Dark Times,” Seven Kitchens Press. His poems and stories have appeared in such publications as the Southern Review, Witness, Prairie Schooner, Rosebud, Coolest American Stories and Ghost Fishing, and are upcoming in The Georgia Review.

Abby Manzella, assistant professor of English and creative writing, is the Pushcart Prize-winning author of the short story collection, “Ripples into the Wild,” forthcoming in 2027, and “Migrating Fictions: Gender, Race, and Citizenship in U.S. Internal Displacements,” which won the Society for the Study of American Women Writers Book Award. Other awards include winning Honorable Mention for an MLA Book Prize and a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title recognition. Her stories, essays and reviews have appeared in such places as The Threepenny Review, Literary Hub, Kenyon Review and The Boston Globe.
Society of Dance Arts to Host Literary Dance Recital
Showgirls to Host 2026-27 Season Tryouts
The Truman Showgirls will host tryouts for the 2026-27 Showgirls season April 24-25.

In-person tryouts for the 2026-27 Truman Showgirls Dance Team will take place April 24-25. Both days are mandatory to tryout in-person. Tryout material will be taught from 5:30-8:30 p.m. April 24. The official tryout will take place from 9-11:30 a.m. April 25. After tryouts there will be a team meeting for all selected dancers from 12-1 p.m.

To try out, participants must be a senior in high school, a transfer student who is already admitted to Truman or a current Truman student. All candidates must have prior dance experience. There is a $25 fee to tryout. Payment should be brought with participants April 24 in the form of cash or a check made out to the Showgirls Dance Team. Payments can also be sent through Venmo the day of the event. All participants must sign a waiver to participate in tryouts. Participants must bring their health insurance card or know their health insurance information to complete the waiver. They will receive an email closer to the tryout date with further information.

Registration for the Showgirls Dance Team tryouts is due by 11:59 p.m. April 18. The registration form and additional information about tryouts can be accessed here.

Additional information can be found on the Showgirls Linktree. Questions about tryouts should be directed to the Showgirls at trumanstateshowgirls@gmail.com.
Nominations Open for William O’Donnell Lee Advising Award
The William O’Donnell Lee Advising Award pays tribute to excellent faculty and staff academic advisors and demonstrates how important academic advising is at Truman.

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. Nominations are due April 20.
Thrift Shop Event Benefits St. Jude's
Writing Center Hiring Consultants for Next Year
The Writing Center is hiring consultants for the 2026-27 academic year. Students who know their way around academic writing, have good interpersonal communication skills and are motivated to help people help themselves are encouraged to apply. Additional information and applications are available at writingcenter.truman.edu/apply. Applications are due May 1. Questions should be directed to David Leaton, director of the Writing Center, at write@truman.edu.
Tutoring Center Hiring for 2026-27 Academic Year
The Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) Tutoring Center is hiring academic peer tutors for the 2026-27 academic year.

This is a scholarship or work-study position, three to four hours per week, with initial training and additional training throughout employment. Tutors provide academic support to their peers with one-on-one instruction for specific courses, subjects or learning strategies support.

All majors are welcome to apply. The Center is particularly seeking tutors for ACCT 220/221; BIOL 107; BSAD; Communication Disorders; Computer Science; DATA 222; Economics; Health Science; LING 238; Math; Nursing; PHYS 185; Statistics; and Learning Strategies.

To qualify, students must maintain scholarship eligibility, be a sophomore or above and have successfully completed the course they plan to tutor with an "A" or "B."

Students can apply on TruPositions. Any questions or concerns can be directed to Violet Odzinski, the Center supervisor, at vodzinski@truman.edu.
CAE Seeking Student Employees for 2026-27 Academic Year
The Center for Academic Excellence is accepting applications for student workers for the 2026-27 academic year. Additional information and applications for these positions are available on TruPositions.

For questions about tutoring positions, contact Violet Odzinski, Tutoring Center supervisor, at vodzinski@truman.edu. For questions about the Bulldog Scholars Program, contact Ashleigh Harding, director of student success, at aharding@truman.edu.
Online Latin Courses Expedite Undergrad Requirements
Board of Governors’ Meeting
The Board of Governors will meet at 1 p.m. April 11 in the Student Union Building Conference Room.