Notables

Truman led the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) with a total of 116 student-athletes receiving the Division II Athletics Directors Association Academic Achievement Awards. The awards recognize the academic accomplishments of student-athletes at the Division II level. A record total of 10,644 student-athletes from 183 institutions were recognized with the honor. Of the eight GLVC schools with recipients, Truman’s 116 were first, and Indianapolis was the only other league member with at least 100, coming in with 110.

Students in a justice systems class taught by Neal McNabb, assistant professor of justice systems, conducted a public survey for the Palmyra, Mo., Police Department. The class worked with Eddie Bogue, chief of police, to help the department understand public opinion and recognize any potential areas of improvement. Details on the collaboration can be found in the Hannibal Courier-Post.

Tom Capuano, professor emeritus of foreign language, and his team of Truman undergraduate researchers, saw their work published in the Spring 2017 issue of Romance Philology (UC Berkeley). Their publication, which occupies the entire issue, features the first-ever English translation by Chelsea Firra (Spanish and Biology, ’17) of the Compendium aromatariorum, a handbook on the apothecary’s craft by Saladino Ferro D’Ascoli (Italy, 15th century). It also contains an extensive glossary of pharmaceutical, herbal and medical terms researched and organized by Clara Miller-Broomfield (romance language, ’17) and a Latin edition that was transcribed from one of the earliest printed editions (1495) by Jordan Noland (classical studies, ’17). All three researchers received generous support from Truman’s Office of Student Research in the form of Grants-in-Aid or TruScholars scholarships, along with mentoring from Matthew Tornatore, professor of foreign languages, and Capuano.

Barry Poyner, professor of communication, will have his paper “A Proto-theory for Understanding and Appreciating American Midwestern Public Address,” published in the Speech and Theatre Association of Missouri (STAM) Journal in September. This same paper will be presented at the Midwest Popular Culture Association/Midwest American Culture Association Annual Conference, Oct. 19, in St. Louis.

Antonio Scuderi, professor of Italian, published “Coercion, Rapture and Delusion: Why Dario Fo’s ‘Accidental Death of an Anarchist’ Is Still Relevant Today,” in a special edition of Spunti e Ricerche, dedicated to Dario Fo and Franca Rame, Vol. 31, pp 114-22.

Óscar Sendón, assistant professor of Spanish, had his article, “La relación militar de un hombre sin alma: Alonso de Contreras frente al proceso civilizador,” published in issue 179 of Hispanófila. The article reflects on the autobiography of Alonso de Contreras, a 17th-century Spanish soldier.