Author Archives: tmiles

Laser Shows Bring Crowds to Planetarium

Throughout October, the Del and Norma Robison Planetarium drew visitors to campus from across northeast Missouri with a series of musically inspired laser light shows.

In conjunction with the Kirksville Tourism Office, the planetarium hosted daily laser shows from Oct. 8-22. The presentations featured music by artists including the Beatles, Pink Floyd and U2, among others. Utilizing a catalogue of 19 different programs, the planetarium welcomed visitors to a total of 32 separate viewings during the 15-day period.

Due to the success of the first set of shows, the planetarium brought many of the popular October laser shows back for the holiday season. This time programming ran from Dec. 2-10 and included additional holiday shows for the entire family to enjoy.

Although the laser shows have concluded, the planetarium continues to entertain guests with regular showings that focus on planet Earth, the universe and mankind’s place in the cosmos. A new planetarium show, “The Dark Matter Mystery,” will debut in the spring semester. The planetarium can accommodate 60 guests at a time for screenings on its 1,800-square-foot panoramic screen. To learn more about the planetarium and its programming, or to purchase tickets to a show, visit planetarium.truman.edu.

Truman Celebrates 20 Years as No. 1 Public School

For a full two decades, Truman has been the No. 1 public university in the Midwest region.

As the school year kicked off last fall, Truman earned the top spot in U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings for the 20th year in a row. Truman has been No. 1 for so long that nearly 40 percent of the University’s living alumni attended at some point during the school’s reign.

In the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings, Truman also tied for the No. 8 spot overall in the Midwest region among both private and public institutions that provide a full range of undergraduate and master’s programs. Truman far outpaced the other Missouri public schools on the list, the closest of which was more than 50 spots lower.

High praise for Truman came in several supplemental categories. It was the only public school in the Midwest to earn a spot in the “A Strong Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching” section, coming in tied for No. 2. Truman was the only Missouri school to make the section.

The University’s dedication to student research led to Truman’s inclusion in the “Programs to Look For” section in the category of “Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects.” Schools on the unranked list were cited as institutions where “students do intensive and self-directed research or creative work that results in an original or scholarly paper or project that can be formally presented on or off campus.”

Another appearance for Truman came on the “A-Plus Schools for B Students” list. Schools in this unranked category were acknowledged as institutions where such students “have a decent shot at being accepted and thriving” because “spirit and hard work could make all the difference to the admissions office.”

Truman also earned a spot on the “Best Colleges for Veterans” list, coming in as the No. 1 public school in the Midwest, No. 8 overall for the region. To qualify for this list, schools must participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program and have 20 or more students who used GI Bill benefits to finance their educations.

The U.S. News & World Report honor came just weeks after Washington Monthly named Truman the No. 1 master’s university in the nation.

The Washington Monthly rankings are unique in that they place an importance on social mobility, research and service. Along with traditional benchmarks such as graduation rates and costs, schools are rewarded for criteria including the number of first-generation students enrolled and the number of students contributing to community service projects, serving in ROTC and going on to serve in the Peace Corps. Additionally, Washington Monthly looks at the number of bachelor’s recipients who go on to earn a Ph.D. and the success rates and earning potential of students 10 years after enrollment. Truman was the only Missouri school to be included in Washington Monthly’s top 100.

Truman’s affordability led to another distinction in the Washington Monthly rankings. In the “Best Bang for the Buck” category, Truman was recognized as the No. 3 public school, and No. 9 overall, in the Midwest region.

Another notable accomplishment came when ValueColleges.com rated Truman at No. 10 on its list of the “Top 50 Best Value Colleges for 2017.” Schools were ranked based on return on investment, cost and reputation. Truman was the only Missouri school to be included and placed ahead of such nationally known institutions as Stanford, Vanderbilt, Michigan, Virginia and Princeton. Editors of the list said that Truman “is one of the best educational investments in the Midwest.”

For more Truman accolades, visit truman.edu/about/facts-about-truman/points-of-pride.

Back-to-Back

Chris Holmes Earns Missouri Teacher of the Year Honors, the Second in a Row for Truman Alumni

Chris Holmes (’90)

Nearly 150 years have passed since the University was founded with the goal of educating teachers, but some things never change. Truman still produces top-notch teachers, as proven by consecutive Missouri Teacher of the Year recipients.

Chris Holmes (’90), a journalism teacher at Hazelwood West High School near St. Louis, was named the state’s Teacher of the Year in August. His award comes on the heels of Jamie (Smith) Manker (’98, ’00) earning the honor the previous year.

For Holmes, the award itself might not be as much of a surprise as the fact that he ever became a teacher in the first place. He originally had designs on a career solely in journalism.

“I was planning a lifetime of writing, covering news from every corner of the world,” he said.

It was not until his journalism advisor at Truman, Les Dunseith, asked him to present a session on newswriting to prospective students that he felt the urge to teach.

“That’s when it happened. When I was speaking to this group of wide-eyed teenagers,” he said. “Something clicked. Then sparked. Then caught fire. That utterly unique feeling of connecting with kids has been burning ever since.”

Holmes would go on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Education degree with a specialization in journalism, a field not usually explored by future teachers.

“If memory serves me correctly, I was the only education major studying journalism during my time at Truman,” he said. “However, my professors were flexible in providing opportunities for me to focus on journalism, while the majority of my peers studied core subjects.”

Holmes tries to maintain flexibility in his own teaching curriculum. He was the catalyst in creating a journalism field trip program at Hazelwood West. Last year, he took a group of students to the border town of Weslaco, Texas, so they could examine, firsthand, the topic of immigration reform and explore teenagers’ perspectives on the issue (Truman Review, Summer 2014). He hopes to plan similar trips with a variety of locations and topics.

When the events in nearby Ferguson, Mo., were taking center stage in the national news, Holmes visited the area in person so he could fully understand and discuss the matter with his students when the school year started. While some teachers might shy away from controversial topics with high school students, Holmes thinks it is important, and he feels it might actually give him a distinct advantage in inspiring them.

“The students are instantly engaged because it may seem more real or relevant to them than traditional subjects,” Holmes said. “I suspect that getting ninth graders excited about algebra is much more difficult than what I do.”

An Education for All Ages

Although Truman was founded as a school for teachers and has grown into a nationally recognized university, it does not cater exclusively to undergraduate and graduate students. Truman’s Institute for Academic Outreach (IAO) oversees a variety of programming for a wide range of audiences.

Perhaps the best-known IAO program is the Joseph Baldwin Academy for Eminent Young Scholars. Commonly referred to as JBA, it provides highly talented middle school students the opportunity to spend three weeks on campus in the summer where they can get a head start on their future college careers. The students live in the residence halls and take classes with Truman faculty members.

“For many high-ability young people, school isn’t always challenging enough, and sometimes it feels less-than-cool to be smart,” said Kevin Minch, associate vice president for academic affairs and Institute director. “We try to create an environment at JBA where students not only learn it’s OK to be smart, but that attending college is something they eagerly look forward to.”

Typical summers see roughly 400 seventh, eighth and ninth grade students participating in JBA. To be admitted to the program, all students must be nominated by a school principal or guidance counselor and they must meet exceptional academic criteria.

Created by the University in 1985 to provide the benefits of a liberal arts education to students beyond its own undergraduates, JBA has also become a successful recruiting tool. Hundreds of former JBA students have gone on to make Truman their college choice.

In recent years, the IAO has added additional summer programming for younger students. The Summer Talent Academy for Professions in Health (STAPH) is a one-week, intensive residential program aimed at students who have just completed 10th or 11th grade and are interested in becoming doctors, nurses, therapists, technicians or entering any other health profession. In addition to Truman faculty, STAPH is conducted in partnership with doctors and clinical faculty from A.T. Still University.

Capitalizing on recent popular culture trends, the IAO created the Zombie Scholars Academy. The program, which debuted in 2013, focuses on developing critical thinking, leadership and disaster preparedness skills and was inspired by zombie initiatives by the Centers for Disease Control and other public health groups.

“With 30 years of experience learning about what gets young people excited about scholarship, we’ve reaffirmed the notion that learning is more effective when its hands-on and fun,” Minch said. “Popular culture–and zombies in particular–gives us access to so many fascinating topics in the arts and sciences. The kids love it!”

IAO programming reaches other demographics besides middle and high school students, and participants do not always have to venture to Kirksville to reap the benefits. Working adults can take advantage of professional development courses and online graduate certificate programs. There are also a host of online courses, test preparation services and options for non-degree seeking students.

“We are growing our programming every day. We really want to help people embrace the idea of learning as a life-long experience,” Minch said.

More detailed information about programming available through the IAO can be found online at institute.truman.edu or by calling (660) 785-5384.

Soccer

The 10th NCAA tournament trip in school history highlighted the 2013 women’s soccer season, as the Bulldogs finished second in the Great Lakes Valley Conference during its first year in the league.

The Bulldogs won 12 matches during the regular season and GLVC tournament, advancing to the NCAA tournament where it fell 2-0 to Rockhurst in the first round. Head coach Mike Cannon’s team landed seven players on all-GLVC teams, including first-team senior Trisha Shoemaker, second-team senior Emily Bozdeck and junior Lauren Seawright, and third-team seniors Suzanne Pelley and Kristina Weishar, along with sophomores Alexis Heffernan and Jessica Hanson.

Truman posted a 12-match unbeaten streak during the middle of the season and allowed just 12 goals during the year while scoring 30. Shoemaker was the team-leader with eight goals, while she, Heffernan, Weishar and senior Sally Smith each added four assists.

The Bulldogs are set to return five starters for the 2014 season, which will begin in September.

——————————————————

The Bulldog men’s soccer team finished tied for 11th in its inaugural season of Great Lakes Valley Conference play, running into a rough patch late in the season after starting the year 6-3-1 in its first 10 matches.

The year got off to a fast start, as Truman poured in 11 goals in its season-opener against Iowa Wesleyan en route to 34 total goals on the season. The Bulldogs gave up 24 goals for a +10 differential, while out-shooting its opponents 113-95 on goal.

Junior Nick Franta and sophomore Nick Tolmais co-led the squad with six goals apiece, while junior Chris Mansfield added a team-high five assists.

The Bulldogs are set to return nine starters for the 2014 season, which will begin in September.

Football

The most wins since the 2001 season and eight first-team all-Great Lakes Valley Conference players highlighted the Truman football season.

The Bulldogs were in the GLVC title chase all season long with a chance to share the league title in the final week, but fell 21-14 to champion Indianapolis with a touchdown in the final minute of play.

Garrett White

Junior running back Garrett White led the Bulldogs with 997 yards rushing, the second most by a Bulldog since 2003. White gained more than 100 yards in four games with a season-high 158 yards in Truman’s victory at Kentucky Wesleyan. He had three rushing touchdowns of more than 50 yards and led the GLVC in rushing.

Senior receiver Dallas Grier ended his stellar Truman career ranked second all-time in receptions with 214, and third in receiving yards with 2,763. Grier earned his fourth straight all-conference honor with a first-team selection.

He was joined on the first team by White, junior punter Jacob Lamp, senior offensive lineman Eric Stone, senior defensive back Tremaine Millender, junior defensive lineman Nic Abbate, junior linebacker Matthew Bell and senior defensive lineman Jeramey Dockery.

Volleyball

The Truman volleyball team capped its 2013 regular season with its 14th NCAA tournament appearance, having also finished as runners-up in the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament in late November.

The Bulldogs reached the NCAA tournament during their first season as members of the Midwest region, but fell 3-1 in the first round to region top-seed Grand Valley (Mich.) State in Allendale, Mich., Dec. 5. Prior to that match, the Bulldogs finished the regular season ranked second in the GLVC West division and put three players on the all-GLVC teams. First-teamers Allie Brak, a junior, and Ali Patterson, a sophomore, were joined by honorable mention setter Meghan Zimmerman, a junior, on the GLVC’s top listing of performers during the 2013 season. Both Patterson and Brak, along with sophomore Abby Heise, earned all-region accolades by either the AVCA or Daktronics.

Truman put together a 10-match winning streak during the middle of the season and caught fire late by advancing to the GLVC championship match after defeating Southern Indiana and Lewis in the quarterfinals and semifinals. Brak (506 kills), Patterson (327 kills) and Heise (324 kills) were the top offensive weapons for the Bulldogs, with Zimmerman (1,433 assists) and junior Abby Moser (568 digs) adding extra help both offensively and defensively.

The Bulldogs will return six starters for the 2014 season, which is set to begin in September.

Cross Country

Junior Brad Hart, along with seniors Andrew Sheets and Chad Petrofsky, paced the Bulldog men’s cross country team in 2013. Hart had two overall first place finishes and was the top Bulldog in five of the six events. He was second overall at the Forest Park Festival and was Truman’s top finisher in their first GLVC Championship meet in 18th position.

Petrofsky was third overall as Truman took the team title at the Haskell Indian Nations Invitational and placed 71st in the NCAA Regional. Sheets was second on the team in five of six meets and had three top 10 overall finishes.

——————————————————

The women’s cross country team placed seventh in their first Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships this fall. They won the Haskell Indian Nations Invitational, placed second in the Forest Park Festival hosted by Saint Louis University, and won a dual meet with Lindenwood University.

Junior Emma Burditt was the first Bulldog to finish in four races, including the team’s top placer at the NCAA Division II Regional. Burditt’s best overall finish was second at the Haskell Invite.

Freshman Laura Tarantino was the first runner to cross the finish line at the Lindenwood dual to start the season and finished 20th at the GLVC Championships. Tarantino and senior Katie Hirsch each had three top 10 overall finishes.

Notable Performances

Tremaine Millender

Football’s Tremaine Millender tied a school record with a 100-yard kick return in the Bulldogs season opener against Southwest Baptist. Millender joined Jason Douglas (2002), Larry Jones (1971) and Lloyd Weise (1967) in the record books with the return.

Volleyball’s Allie Brak became the 14th member of Truman’s 1,000-kill club, joining the top ranks during the team’s 3-0 sweep of Drury, Oct. 19. She was also named the GLVC Offensive Player of the Week twice during the regular season, while teammate Meghan Zimmerman was named the GLVC Defensive Player of the Week once.

Senior tennis player Mike Merchant posted a 4-0 record during the Men’s Tennis Fall Invitational and went undefeated in all four years during the event with a 14-0 all-time record.

Women’s tennis player Hannah Runez finished the fall season with a 10-3 singles record. Runez and doubles partner Marisa Thome won the “B” doubles consolation bracket in the USTA/ITA Fall Tournament in Allendale, Mich.

Amy Briggs

Women’s basketball player Amy Briggs was named the Winstead-Reeves Tournament Most Valuable Player following two wins for the Bulldogs in early November. Briggs was key with 13 points in the first half as Truman downed host Northwest Missouri State in the tournament opener.

Ryan Maus

Wrestlers Ryan Maus and Colton Schmitz won individual titles for the Bulldogs at the season opening meet conducted at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill. Maus is the top-ranked wrester in Division II at 149 pounds.

Six Bulldog football players won the GLVC Football Players of the Week award. Junior Garrett White and senior Conrad Schottel were selected for the offensive player, and redshirt freshman Austin Zoda was a defensive player of the week, while junior Jacob Lamp (twice), sophomore Aaron Hartfield and senior Tremaine Millender were named special teams players of the week.

Women’s soccer had three players named to the Capital One Academic all-District team. Seniors Emily Bozdeck and Suzanne Pelley, and sophomore Jessica Hanson, were recognized by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Truman Inducts Three Into Athletics Hall of Fame

Justin Naumovitz, Saundra Hester and John Cochrane

Longtime track & field/cross country coach John Cochrane, along with all-Americans Saundra Hester and Justin Naumovitz were inducted into the Truman Athletics Hall of Fame during Homecoming 2013.

Cochrane served on the Bulldog staff for 33 years coaching five national champions, 52 individual and seven all-Americans along with 14 academic all-Americans during his tenure. He was a five-time MIAA Coach of the Year award winner and has also earned NCAA Distinguished Service awards. Cochrane retired in June 2013.

Hester was one of the individuals that won a national championship under Cochrane. She won the 400 meter hurdles at the 1990 Division II Championships and qualified for two other national championship meets, earning all-America honors in 1991. She was a two-time MIAA Champion in the 400 and competed in two NCAA Indoor National Championship meets. Hester broke two individual Truman records and was part of two record setting relay teams.

Naumovitz broke a 12-year drought for the Bulldog wrestling team when he earned the first of his two all-America honors at the 1993 NCAA Division II Nationals. He would place fourth that year and followed up with a seventh place finish his senior season. He was team captain for four seasons and a member of the 1992-93 team, which finished 11-0-1 in dual matches. He placed three times in the Midwest Regional and was a three-time team Most Valuable Wrestler while finishing his career with a 91-12-1 overall record. His 34 wins during the 1992-93 season were the third most by a Bulldog. Naumovitz represented Truman at the 1994 Chicago Model U.N. convention and was named the top delegate. Naumovitz would go on to be an assistant coach and help guide the Lindenwood (Mo.) Lions to the 2002 NAIA National Championship.