Truman State University is the highest rated Missouri public school to be included in the 2018 Best College Values ranking conducted by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.
Kiplinger combined public schools, private universities and private liberal arts colleges into a single comprehensive list and rated the 300 Best College Values for 2018. Overall, Truman came in at No. 71, while the only other Missouri public school on the list is ranked 234.
In total, eight Missouri institutions are on the Kiplinger list. Rated against its Show-Me-State peers, Truman was by far the best financial option. On average, Truman’s annual cost is nearly $20,000 lower than the other Missouri schools.
Along with its comprehensive list, Kiplinger also rated the 100 top values in public colleges. Again, Truman was the highest ranked Missouri institution, coming in at No. 19 overall. In terms of affordability for out-of-state students, Truman was No. 8 on the list for public schools.
Kiplinger’s quality measures, which are weighted more heavily than cost, include admission rate, percentage of students who return for their sophomore year, student-faculty ratio and the four-year graduation rate. Cost criteria include total costs, financial aid and average debt at graduation. The complete rankings are now available online at kiplinger.com/links/colleges and appear in print in the February 2018 issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.
Truman has the highest graduation and retention rates among Missouri public schools according to the Missouri Department of Higher Education.
Volunteers participating in the Big Event on April 2, 2016, posed for this group photo before heading off to their assigned tasks around Kirksville
Around 1,200 Truman students rallied together on Saturday, April 2, 2016, to donate a day of service for the Big Event, the largest service project on campus. The day-long, student-run event, which is organized through the SERVE Center at Truman, helps students form connections within the Kirksville community by giving some of their time to work on service projects for local residents.
For this annual event, enthusiastic volunteers assigned to specific worksites fan out across the community and spend the day volunteering for projects ranging from painting, to yard work, to street clean-up and more.
Elizabeth Roe, a member of the SERVE Center staff, was among the students who helped organize this year’s Big Event. “We love when students help out elderly community members who physically can’t complete jobs themselves,” says Roe. “We have received many thank-yous from elderly people who thought the students did an excellent job and were very respectful.”
Local residents all across Kirksville benefit from this huge volunteer effort, while students have a chance to make new friends in the community.
Jim White, whose story inspired the movie McFarland, USA, will kick off the Kohlenberg Lyceum Series 2015-2016 season. Jim White, known affectionately by the locals as “Blanco,” is considered a legend in McFarland
During his 20 years as the cross-country coach, he not only won an unprecedented nine state championships, but he managed to transform his community by training the young men on his team, mainly children of immigrant field workers, to run fast, work hard and dream of bigger things than picking almonds and avocados. Thanks to White, dozens of his runners have ended up going to college or into the armed forces.
White’s talk is being co-sponsored by the Kohlenberg Lyceum Series, the Multicultural Affairs Center and Ekklesia.
MOVIE: “McFarland USA” The movie “McFarland” will be shown following White’s presentation in Baldwin Auditorium. The screening is sponsored by the School of Social and Cultural Studies in conjunction with the Communication Department and the Athletics Department.
The foundation was selected as the nonprofit of choice by Preferred Family Healthcare of Kirksville after the organization received the 2015 “Excellence in Addictions Treatment Innovation Award” at a recent conference of the National Council for Behavioral Health.
The prestigious award recognizes behavioral health organizations for excellence in delivering treatment and support in the community to persons with mental illnesses and addiction disorders. It also honors passionate, committed and outstanding behavioral health leaders. Part of the award included the opportunity to contribute $10,000 to a nonprofit of the recipient’s choice.
The $10,000 grant will be added to the endowment of the Preferred Family Healthcare Scholarship at the Truman State University Foundation. The scholarship, established in 2004, provides support to Truman students who are psychology majors, residents of Missouri, are in good academic standing and have compiled a record of service to community and civic organizations. Preference is given to employees or dependents of employees of Preferred Family Healthcare.
The grant will boost the endowment value of the Preferred Family Healthcare Scholarship to more than $85,000. Since its origination, a total of $9,200 has been awarded to 14 students from the fund.
Michael Schwend, president and chief executive officer of Preferred Family Healthcare, presents a check for $10,000 to Truman State University President Troy Paino (left). The donation will support the Preferred Family Healthcare Scholarship, which is awarded to Truman students through the Truman State University Foundation.
Students at Truman State University start preparing for their professional careers long before the tassels are turned at the Commencement ceremony.
Using resources ranging from internship opportunities, to Career and Grad School Expos, to guidance from faculty and staff, students at Truman State University start exploring their career options early on so they are well-equipped to make smart choices about their future. This strategy is paying off as placement statistics show 90 percent of Truman’s recent graduates have a job or were enrolled at graduate and professional schools within six months of graduation.
And many of Truman’s newest degree holders are discovering the valuable experience gained from high-impact learning opportunities, such as internships, can help secure a job before they collect their diplomas.
Prior to graduation day at Truman this past May, Gina Wang already knew she would be applying her Bachelor of Science in business administration working as a procurement agent for Boeing in Seattle, Wash. Wang began developing connections with Boeing during her first year at Truman when she participated in the Future Leaders in Thought and Experience (FLITE) program ― a partnership between Truman State University and Boeing that seeks to bring new, younger talent into Boeing through summer internships.
“I applied to the FLITE program and was accepted, and so began a three-year journey at Boeing that has eventually led to a job offering,” says Wang.
Andrew Gress, who came to Truman as a transfer student after graduating from a community college, also took advantage of internship opportunities to enhance his career experience. Through an internship at Enterprise Fleet Management, Gress not only learned how the business world works, the experience also confirmed he was on the right career path. Planning ahead for his career, Gress researched the list of companies that would be visiting campus for one of the Career and Grad School Expos hosted by the University’s Career Center.
“L.J. Hart and Company was one of these companies and speaking with representatives at their booth was practically an interview,” says Gress. “One representative was a fellow brother through the business organization on campus, Delta Sigma Pi, and she also provided me with great details about the company as well.”
Gress’ extra effort paid off when he secured the position of financial analyst with L.J. Hart and Company prior to receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration in May.
Rachel Foster, another member of the Class of 2015, found that internships, combined with the right guidance and support, can make all the difference when it comes to advancing one’s career. Prior to earning her Bachelor of Arts in communication this spring, Foster accepted an offer to join the 2015 Teach for America Corps (TFA) and will be teaching first grade in Kansas City in the fall.
“Before my TFA endeavor, I had several really great internships with radio stations―I wouldn’t have had these internships without the help of Brandi in the Career Center and Dr. Kleine in the Communication Department,” says Foster.
While around half of Truman’s graduates enter the workforce, the other 50 percent choose to further their education, like Chelsea Rickman, who recently earned a Bachelor of Science in biology along with a minor in disability studies. After graduation, Rickman moved to Houston, Texas, to pursue a Master’s degree in genetic counseling at the University of Texas-Houston, and she plans to become a practicing genetic counselor in the next few years.
“I will truly miss Truman and all the opportunities, both academic and social, I experienced here,” says Rickman. “I’m so glad I chose to attend Truman, Bulldogs forever!”
Interested in recruiting bright students?
During the Career and Grad Expos held at Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo., each spring and fall, representative of various businesses, schools, and organizations come to campus to recruit Truman students for jobs and internships. For information about how you can participate in Truman State University’s Career and Grad School Expos, contact Polly Matteson, assistant director of the Career Center, pollym@truman.edu.
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.
Construction projects taking place this summer on the Truman campus:
McClain Hall/Student Union Mall Replacement Construction has begun and will continue through mid-August. The bricks will be replaced and new seating, lighting and landscaping will be included in this project.
Pickler Library Window Replacements Construction will begin in mid-May with equipment working on the east side of the Library. Access to the Library will be maintained during construction.
Recreation Center Roof Replacement Construction will begin mid-May.
Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement Major work will occur on the walk at the east side of Pershing from late May through June. Sidewalk replacement near the Library Bell Tower will occur in July.
Missouri Hall Masonry Repairs Construction has begun on this project with the completion scheduled for early August.
Congratulations May graduates! Your hard work has paid off, and to celebrate this milestone in your life, all of Truman’s May 2015 graduates are invited a Graduation Picnic on Reading Day, May 6. Take a break from studying for finals and stop by for a free picnic lunch. You can pick up your first official Truman “alumni” T-shirt and other gifts courtesy of the Truman Alumni Association. More details
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
An event celebrating Earth Day was held in the Gaber Solar Clock Garden on the Truman State University campus
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.
Volunteers participating in the Big Event on April 2, 2016, posed for this group photo before heading off to their assigned tasks around Kirksville
An event celebrating Earth Day was held in the Gaber Solar Clock Garden on the Truman State University campus