Vol. 13, No. 20 - Feb. 10, 2009

Truman’s extended celebration of President Abraham Lincoln’s birth continues with the Gala Lincoln Bicentennial Concert Feb. 25.

The Gala Lincoln Bicentennial Concert is the centerpiece of the multi-year, ongoing celebration and will take place at 8 p.m. in the Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall.

The concert will feature the Truman Wind Symphony conducted by Dan Peterson along with several guest performances highlighting a full evening of music.

There will be a reception following the concert in the foyer complete with refreshments and music provided by the President’s String Quartet. The concert is free and tickets are not required to attend.  

For the second straight season, the Truman Athletics Department will participate in the nationwide Women’s Basketball Coaches Association “Pink Zone” campaign, Feb. 13-22, to help raise awareness for breast cancer research.

The Bulldogs have designated the Feb. 14 home game against Nebraska-Omaha as its platform for an effort to assist in the cause across campus and in the Kirksville community. Tip-off  is set for 1 p.m. in Pershing Arena.

Special events this year include free admission for fans wearing pink, as well as commemorative pink t-shirts, which can be purchased at the door for $10 with proceeds benefiting the Adair County Relay for Life.

Survivors will be honored at halftime, Relay for Life luminaries will be on sale and there will be a silent auction during the game for a pink basketball signed by the Truman women’s basketball team.

In 2008, more than 1,200 teams and organizations participated in the WBCA’s campaign nationwide, reaching more than 830,000 fans and raising more than $930,000 for breast cancer awareness and research.

Survivors to be honored should contact the Athletics Office at 785.4236 or e-mail Tyler Madsen at madsen@truman.edu. Anyone wishing to learn more can also reach Madsen by phone at 785.7778.

The Missouri-London Summer Program is offering ECON 308, Economics of the European Union, in London, England June 9-July 3.

Students will learn about the European Union, the history, the institutions, the economy and the Euro, as well as its impact on the world economy.

The class includes regular lectures, guest speakers and field trips. Other classes are also offered in the program.

Interested students can contact Mustafa Sawani, professor of economics, at msawani@truman.edu or call 785.4659 for more information.   

For the third year in a row, the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, will convene court on the Truman campus.

A three-judge panel consisting of Judge James M. Smart, Judge Joseph M. Ellis and Judge James E. Welsh will hear oral arguments in five cases at 9 a.m. Feb. 18 in the Student Union Building Activities Room.

The cases are appeals from previously held trials in area circuit courts. The judges will hear attorneys argue whether the trials had errors, which should cause them to be retired, or whether the trial court’s judgment should be reversed. The judges will read written arguments before the court session, and may interrupt the attorneys’ arguments with questions.

The three judges will take a break between cases and remain after the court session to discuss the court system and generally explain proceedings.

This will be the fourth court of appeals session at Truman and the 16th time the Court has convened in Kirksville. It convenes regularly in Kansas City.

The Court’s jurisdiction is appeals from trial courts in 45 counties, which includes all of northwest Missouri and most of central Missouri.

The Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall will be the site of a variety of musical venues Feb. 10-11. Performances by The Mostly Live Composers Society and The Axiom Percussion Ensemble will bring a different beat to Truman’s campus.

The Spring Composers Showcase recital will feature The Mostly Live Composers Society at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 10. The 45-minute recital will feature original musical compositions by eight Truman undergraduate and graduate composers. Music will include a variety of vocal and instrumental pieces, and the recital will conclude with a special improvised stage piece.

The recital is free and open to the public. Prepare to be amazed, amused and maybe even a little confused. The Mostly Live Composers Society, a student chapter of the Society of Composers Inc., brings together Truman student musicians and faculty who are interested in creating new concert music for different venues.

The Axiom Percussion Ensemble will follow with a lecture-performance at 8 p.m. Feb. 11. The New York City-based trio features three of the percussive arts’ finest up-and-coming talents performing original, provocative and intriguing programs on a unique combination of standard, world and new percussion instruments. Artists Michael Eagle, Richard Grimes and Truman alumnus Andrew Beall have joined forces in creating a unique perspective on percussion composition, presentation and performance.

Their lecture-performance will feature discussions on Zimbabwean Mibira, Scottish Side Drumming, the Cimbalom and the West African Shekere. Guest performances include Michael Bump, associate professor of music, and Truman percussion graduate students. Admission is free. For additional information, please contact Bump at mbump@truman.edu or 785.4052.

The University Conduct Board is currently accepting student applications. The Board of faculty, staff and students hears cases of alleged misconduct to determine whether a student or student organization’s behavior violates the Student Conduct Code.

Qualifications for student members include: maintaining good academic and conduct standing; a commitment to serving on the Board for two years with the term ending Dec. 31, 2010; completion of five hours of training in the Spring 2009 semester; participation in approximately one-third of the conduct hearings; and commitment to being actively involved.

Interested students can download the application form online at http://conduct.truman.edu and return it to David Hoffman, assistant dean of Student Affairs, by 5 p.m. Feb. 13 in the Student Union Building 3100.

Please direct any questions to Stephanie Vandas at smv127@truman.edu or Matt Walterbach at mattwalterbach@truman.edu.

A unique, educational summer job opportunity  has surfaced from the Truman Financial Aid Office for students interested in working at Camp Ramapo, one of the few residential summer camps servicing children with emotional, behavioral and learning problems.

Ramapo offers an on-site college course through the National Program on Non-collegiate Sponsored Instruction. Students will learn to apply theory and practice to solve problems in a therapeutic milieu, to live and work with children who are troubled and to acquire skills and knowledge unobtainable in a classroom experience.

The camp is located on 250-acre grounds in the Hudson Valley region of New York state. Camp workers must commit to working June 21-Aug. 21. Positions available include general counselors, waterfront counselors, challenge counselors, specialty counselors, educational counselors and health center positions.

For more information about Camp Ramapo, or to apply for a position, log on to http://www.ramapoforchildren.org.

The Truman Faculty Forum will begin the semester with a lecture by Wolfgang Hoeschele, associate professor of geography, titled “Cittàslow: Campanilismo or Lebensqualität? Translations and Betrayals in a Quest for the Ideal City,” at 7 p.m. Feb. 16 in Magruder Hall 1000.

This talk presents insights into the successes and failures of several Cittàslow member cities in Italy, Germany and England, which Hoeschele visited as part of a sabbatical in 2007.

Cittàslow (composed of the Italian word for city, plus slow) is a network of cities that began in Italy but has spread to several European countries, Australia and New Zealand. The Cittàslow charter includes goals to promote a better, less frenzied quality of life (Lebensqualität in German); “Slow Food” meaning high quality food that is produced in an environmentally sustainable way and that is enjoyed at leisure; a local economy grounded in local traditions; and environmental quality. These goals express a critique of our frenzied race for “progress,” and an imagined alternative of a transnational network of cities that work toward a more sustainable and livable world. However, any effort to translate such a vision into reality, and to transfer it across national and cultural borders, can face numerous problems.

The Truman Faculty Forum was created in 2003 to give faculty the opportunity to present their research and creative work to the Truman community and to enhance the importance of scholarship and creativity in the culture of the institution.

In the spirit of the liberal arts, the Forum provides one more way of exposing all members of the Truman community to various fields of investigation.

The First Year Activities Coordinating Team (FACT) is looking for student coordinators for Truman Week 2009.

Coordinators are responsible for programming the FACT-sponsored events during the evenings of Truman Week, assisting in the move-in process and serving as mentors for the incoming freshmen throughout the week.

Applications are now available in the Center for Student Involvement and are due by 5 p.m. Feb. 19. For more information visit the CSI or e-mail program advisor Rachelle Williams at rwilliams@truman.edu or coordinator Courtney Perrachione at cjp133@truman.edu.

Foundation scholarship applications for Truman students in 2009-2010 are now available. Current students must apply online. Applications are due by midnight on March 1. To learn more, go https://secure.truman.edu/isupport-s/.

The Alumnae Panhellenic Association of Greater Kansas City is offering scholarship opportunities to female college juniors, seniors or graduate students, who are residents of the greater Kansas City area, attending Kansas or Missouri schools. The Kansas City area is defined as Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte and Ray counties in Missouri and Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami and Wyandotte counties in Kansas. Greek sorority membership is required to apply for this program. Application deadline is Feb. 13. Applications are available online at http://www.kcpanhel.com.

The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) is offering scholarship opportunities through the Memorial Education Fund (MEF) to student IMA members pursuing study in accounting or finance as an undergraduate or graduate student. These scholarships range from $1,000 to $2,500. One student will be chosen from the scholarship pool to receive the Stuart Cameron and Margaret McCloud Memorial Scholarship (SCMS) in the amount of $5,000. Students must be at least part-time (at least six credits per semester), an IMA student member (membership number must be included on the application), and have a minimum GPA of 3.0. Applications are available on the IMA website at http://www.imanet.org/scholarships. Deadline for submission of applications is Feb. 15.

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is currently taking applications for their 2009 scholarship. The scholarship is available to permanent residents of the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan area defined as Clay, Jackson, Wyandotte, and Johnson counties. To learn more about their programs visit http://www.hispanicdevelopmentfund.org or call at 816.627.3442. A limited number of applications are also available in the Financial Aid Office in McClain Hall 103. Applications are due Feb. 20. 

The Webster Groves Herb Society is offering a scholarship up to $3,000 to qualifying sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students enrolled in a Missouri college or university who are majoring in Horticulture, Floriculture, Landscape Design, Botany, Plant Pathology, Forestry, Agronomy, Environmental Concerns, City Planning, Land Management or allied subject. Applications for the 2009-2010 academic year must be submitted on the required application form and mailed to the Webster Groves Herb Society. Visit the Truman State University Financial Aid office for requirements and the application form for this scholarship. Deadline for scholarship submission is March 1.

The Missouri Travel Council will offer two $1,000 scholarships to currently enrolled sophomores, juniors or seniors in an accredited college or university in the State of Missouri. Applicants must be pursuing a hospitality related major such as hotel/restaurant management, parks and recreation, etc., must be a current resident of Missouri and must have a GPA of at least 3.0. To obtain further information about how to apply for this scholarship please go to http://www.missouritravel.com. Deadline for application is March 2.

The Missouri Insurance Education Foundation will award scholarships to deserving students attending Missouri colleges or universities in a program that could lead to positions in the insurance industry in Missouri. The C. Lawrence Leggett Scholarship in the amount of  $2,500 will be awarded to a junior or senior Missouri resident majoring in insurance or a related area of study in a Missouri college or university. In addition to the Leggett Scholarship, the foundation has made an additional scholarship available in the amount of $2,000. Application forms are available on their website at http://www.mief.org/. Applications are due by March 31.

The Jack J. Isgur Foundation is accepting applications from students enrolled 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, preferably rural school districts. The scholarship is available to students at the junior and senior levels, as well as graduate students. For further information or an application, stop by the Truman Financial Aid Office in McClain Hall 103.  Deadline for submission is April 15.

Abbott & Fenner Business Consultants recognize the need of most students today to receive financial assistance for their education.  They will be awarding up to $1,000 each year to the winner of this scholarship. To apply students will submit an essay on one of the two topics that appear on the scholarship page of their web site at http://www.abbottandfenner.com/scholarships.htm.  Further information is available at their website. Application deadline is June 20. 

The BigSun Organization is offering a $500 scholarship to a deserving student athlete, regardless of their respective sport. Please visit http://www.bigsunathletics.com to learn how to apply. Deadline for submission is June 27.

W. Michael Ashcraft, associate professor of philosophy and religion, published an article in “Speaking of Students: A Quarterly Newsletter for AAR Graduate Students,” entitled “Friendly Advice from the Other Side for First-Time Academic Job Hunters.”

Sana Camara, associate professor of French, was offered a contract by the Editorial Board of the Indiana University Press for his edition of “The Epic of Kelefaa Saane” in the African oral epic series directed by Thomas Hale and John W. Johnson.

Dereck Daschke, chair and associate professor of philosophy and religion, will have his article “Millennial Studies for the New Millennium,” published this month in “Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions.” He has also signed a contract with Brill to publish a manuscript based on his Ph.D. dissertation titled “City of Ruins: Mourning the Destruction of Jerusalem through Jewish Apocalypse.”

A musical work composed by Girolamo Deraco, visiting international graduate student in music composition, has been selected for performance in Italy. Deraco’s short comic opera “Poster-Gas” will be performed at the Academia Montegrale as part of the internationally-recognized Festival Col Legno. The opera will be performed under the direction of noted Maestro Gustav Kuhn. “Poster-Gas” is one of a projected trilogy of short operas Deraco plans to complete in the near future.

H. David Wohlers, professor of chemistry, traveled to Crystal City, Va., Feb. 9, as an invited speaker to a National Science Foundation/National Institutes of Health diversity workshop.  The workshop, “Excellence Empowered by a Diverse Academic Workforce: Chemists, Chemical Engineers and Material Scientists with Disabilities” included the topic of visual impairment and blindness. Wohlers, who completes 25 years of instruction at Truman this spring, gave a speech entitled “Empowering a Blind Chemistry Professor in the Academic Workforce.” About 60 department heads and deans of major research universities were in attendance to listen to Wohlers’ perspective on the challenges and opportunities pertaining to blindness and visual disabilities.

The deadline to submit an RSVP for the McNair Mentor and Scholar Reception is Feb. 9. The reception will take place from 5:30-7 p.m. Feb. 18 in the Student Union Building Activities Room. Send RSVP to bkuhns@truman.edu.

The Truman Theatre Box Office will be open from 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday starting Feb. 9 for the upcoming mainstage production, “Arabian Nights,” which runs Feb. 18-21. Tickets may be reserved in-person, by phone at 785.4515 or by e-mail at theatreboxoffice@truman.edu.

The Center for Student Involvement will present Event Planning 101, at 7 p.m. Feb. 10 in the Student Union Building CSI Complex. The workshop will go step-by-step through planning an effective event. There will be free food, door prizes and an event planning resource packet. 

The Weekly Lunch Series, sponsored by the Center for Teaching and Learning, will continue the four-part examination of “The Role of the Classroom in College Student Persistence,” at 12:30 p.m. Feb. 11, March 4 and March 18.

The Physics Colloquium continues at 4:30 p.m. Feb. 11 in Magruder Hall 1096. Clifford M. Will, from Washington University in St. Louis, will present “Black Holes, Waves of Gravity and other Warped Ideas of Dr. Einstein.”

Funds Allotment Council membership applications are due at 5 p.m. Feb. 11 in the Center for Student Involvement Office. Applications are available outside the FAC office in the Student Union Building.

Omicron Delta Kappa Circle will host an information night at 6 p.m. Feb. 11 in the Student Union Building. Students interested in joining this national leadership honor society may attend. Requirements include 60 hours of credit by the beginning of the 2008 fall semester (end of 2008 spring semester). Students must also be in the top 35 percent of their class with a minimum GPA of 3.55 for juniors and 3.58 for seniors.

The Nursing Department will conduct free HIV testing from 1-5 p.m. Feb. 12 in the Student Union Building Down Under.

Residence Life will sponsor “Eight Weeks to a Fitter You,” an informational meeting, at 6 p.m. Feb. 12 in the Ryle Hall Main Lounge. A certified personal trainer will discus proper goal-setting techniques and teach students how to write a workout that is tailored to help meet personal needs and goals.

The Global Issues Colloquium presents Julie Flowerday, assistant professor of anthropology, who will present “Writing Colonial History under Postcolonial Conditions: The Unfinished Study” at 7 p.m. Feb 12 in Magruder Hall 2001.

The Roteract Club will sponsor an informational meeting at 8 p.m. Feb.12. in Baldwin Hall 249. The purpose of Roteract is to provide an opportunity for young men and women to enhance the knowledge and skills that will assist them in personal development, to address the physical and social needs of their communities and to promote better relations between all people worldwide through a framework of friendship and service.

The Association of Black Collegians and Kappa Alpha Psi will sponsor an open mic night, “A Night of Heart and Soul,” at 7 p.m. Feb. 13 in the Student Union Building Hub.

The Brewer, Nason and Blanton Hall Senate will host “Super Milk Shake Brawl” at 7 p.m. Feb. 13 on the BNB first floor south lounge. Large chocolate, vanilla or strawberry milk shakes will be on sale for $4. They will also be taking Crush soda orders for $1 for delivery on Valentine’s Day.   

The Truman Chamber Choir will host the fourth annual Madrigal Dinner at 6 p.m. Feb. 13-14 in the Student Union Building Room 3200. For more information about this evening of food and music, or to purchase tickets go online to http://music.truman.edu/madrigal.

The Quincy Symphony Orchestra Association presents “Lincoln’s Ideals,” the 54th Young Artists Concert in celebration of the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth at 3 p.m. Feb. 15 at the QJHS Morrison Theater in Quincy, Ill. This event is free to all Truman faculty, staff and students with an ID.

The Student Involvement Complex in the Student Union Building will present Budget 101 at 7 p.m. Feb. 17. It will provide an opportunity to learn successful organizational money management, business office policies and important legal information. There will be free food door prizes and an organizational budget resource packet.

Amnesty International will sponsor “The History and Future of the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict,” with Mark Appold, associate professor of philosophy and religion, at 8 p.m. Feb. 17 in the Student Union Building 3000.

The deadline to sign up for China 330/530G, the two-week course taught in China during the May interim, is March 1. Contact Jan Grow at jgrow@truman.edu or 785.2356 for more information.