The weather turned out to be perfect as President Troy Paino welcomed graduates, families, friends and members of the Truman community to Stokes Stadium to celebrate Truman State University’s Spring Commencement on May 9, 2015.

During the Commencement Ceremony, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon offered remarks for the graduates, and Brother Guy Consolmagno, S.J., an astronomer and president of the Vatican Observatory Foundation, presented the Commencement address.

Consolmagno told graduates that life is making decisions based on inadequate data. “Our lives are the sum of our choices; the sum of the places where we put our faith,” said Consolmagno. “Whether your life leads you to working with Popes or Nobel Laureates or the poor, there is one thing you can believe — you can have faith in the things you learned here; you can have faith in the magic.”

Truman alumnus Joshua Johnston, a  Hazelwood (Mo.) Central High School social studies teacher, who was selected as the honoree for the James and Margaret Mudd Teacher Recognition Scholarship, was also introduced during the ceremony. Earlier in the year, Truman’s spring graduates were invited to nominate high school teachers whom they felt made a significant impact on their lives as students, and a selection committee chose Johnston. A $1,000 scholarship will be given in his honor to an incoming Truman student from Hazelwood Central High School.

Near the end of the ceremony, Keith Epperson (’82), vice president of the Truman Alumni Association, instructed the graduates to turn the tassels on their caps signaling their transition from students to Truman’s newest alumni.

Earlier in the week, the Truman Alumni Association held its annual Graduation Picnic for all of Truman’s spring  graduates. The Alumni Association also teamed up with Truman’s  Graduate Studies Office to host a Graduate Studies Celebration and Social Hour.

Each year at the Graduation Picnic, the Truman Alumni Association presents the University’s most recent graduates with an “alumni” T-shirt to celebrate their new status as they join the group of nearly 60,000 alumni living around the world.  The graduates are also invited to get involved with Truman’s regional alumni chapters and clubs which provide a network to bring together Truman alumni, friends and parents who live in a specific geographic region.

During the days leading up to the Commencement Ceremony and on Commencement Day, graduates took time to record this milestone event by taking photos around campus. Some of the most popular spots included the Campus Gates on the north edge of campus, the fountain in front of the Student Union Building, and the restored cupola from Kirk Memorial that now resides by the Ruth Towne Museum, which all provided the perfect backdrop for memorable photos.

Congratulations to all the graduates as they embark on the next part phase of their journey and continue to pursue lives that matter.

Details for Commencement on May 9, 2015

Congratulations graduates! Your hard work has paid off and with graduation fast approaching, all degree candidates are encouraged to review the procedures for the Commencement Ceremony in Stokes Stadium on May 9.
Details & Instructions for Graduates»

Special Events for Graduates

• Seniors Encouraged to Get Cupola Photos Before Leaving
  Wednesday, May 6
  11 a.m. — 12 p.m.
  More details»
• Graduation Picnic for ALL Truman May Graduates
  Wednesday, May 6 (Reading Day)
  On the Mall (rain site: SUB Georgian Room)
  11:30 a.m. — 1:30 p.m.
  More details»
• Master of Accountancy Hooding Ceremony
  May 9
  10 a.m. Reception immediately follows
  Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall

It’s no secret that the Truman State University campus is absolutely beautiful with unique gardens that remind us of the wonders of nature. One of these places, the Gaber Clock Garden, provided the perfect setting for an event on Earth Day which is celebrated around the world on April 22. Special events in the Truman community included the Gaber Clock Garden Celebration which welcomed the season’s pollinators, such as birds, bees, and butterflies including a black swallowtail butterfly that stopped by right on cue to sample the nectar from a rose verbena.

Located on the south end Magruder Hall, the Gaber Clock Garden may look like just another pretty garden to the casual passersby, but on closer observation, you will discover the story behind its name. Constructed in 2005 by Truman students, faculty, staff, and Kirksville community members, the garden is named for the generous alumni couple who funded its creation, Elsie (Kins) Gaber (’87) and Ron Gaber (’82). It was designed as a solar timepiece. On a sunny day, the tall gnomon in the center of the garden casts a shadow on the ground so you can deduce the approximate time of day.

This special place also serves as a Pollinator Garden which includes diverse plants selected to provide food for different types of pollinators throughout the growing season. “Emphasis is placed on including a large number of native species of plants,” says Anne Bergey, instructor of biology at Truman, who oversees the garden. “Pollinators are in trouble these days, and a garden like this not only provides a small oasis for them, but potentially also demonstrates that this type of garden can at the same time be a place of beauty and inspiration for people.”

The garden space also serves as an outdoor classroom, and everyone in the Truman’s community of engaged learners is invited to enjoy and be a part of this ongoing project. Ashley Henry, a Truman Leadership Scholar, worked with Bergey to coordinate the Earth Day Celebration. “I loved seeing people of all backgrounds enjoying the nature that has always been around them and taking time to enjoy and understand the importance of nature,” says Henry. “Professor Bergey and I shared information about pollinators, such as plants they need to survive (such as the milkweed for monarch caterpillars) and their importance to our ecosystem.”

Dozens of other students contributed in a variety of ways to the success of the Earth Day event, which provided an opportunity to share information on how we can provide quality habitat for other species even in an urban setting.