Action Projects, a component of the Truman Symposium (TRU 100), will get you working with members of a team on a common enterprise. Check out this list of projects and consider how you want to get involved. First-year students will enroll in one of these courses during registration.

Walk

Bridget Thomas, Classical and Modern Languages Department

Move in Community. What’s the best way to get oriented to a place? Walk with new friends. Walk alone. Walk with your phone on (Hi Mom!) and off. Get to know the lay of the land. Where is the post office? Where is the best Mexican food? Walk to socialize. Walk the dog. Walk for a cause. Walk to claim the streets and protest. Walk to belong to something, some place. Students in this class will explore the literal and metaphorical values of walking, as we reflect on our place in this landscape.

Engage

David Price, Communication Department

This course focuses on the promotion of the Symposium and Symposium-related activities. Students will learn the basics of communication, engagement, and marketing and will apply these skills to create awareness of other groups’ projects and activities, as well as create a sense of community for all of the Symposium projects and affiliated partners. Students will have the opportunity to plan a final event or festival that showcases the projects being completed by their fellow students.

Illuminate*

Vayujeet Gokhale, Physics Department

This course focuses on analyzing and acting on the problem of light pollution. Light pollution is the inappropriate use of artificial light at night. It is a pollutant that adversely affects human, animal, plant, and environmental health and robs us of the opportunity to experience the wonders of the night sky. Students will learn about the harmful effects of light pollution and ways to mitigate it. Students will participate in civic engagement and activism by engaging park officials and city administrators to install night-sky-friendly outdoor lighting and work towards obtaining an “Urban Night Sky Places” designation for Thousand Hills State Park.

* Note: This course will be offered in the first block. Students will meet twice a week (Monday and Wednesday)

Design

Brad Carlson, Theatre Department

Learn about theatre for social change through puppet construction and performance. Using materials that otherwise would end up in landfills, students will collaborate to create large parade-sized found object puppets. By using puppet theatre to raise community awareness about sustainability, waste, and recycling, students will create engaging characters and stories that advocate for social change.

Innovate

Dean Rashmi Prasad, School of Business Department

Innovation for the Community. This course focuses on understanding and acting on the challenge of place-based economic development and cultural thriving. While the dynamics of the 21st century global economy do not favor economic development and cultural thriving in Northeast Missouri, Truman State is a critical player in the region’s economic fate. Students will learn about cases of successful place-based economic development, rural and urban, and about the history and institutions that have shaped Kirksville and Northeast Missouri’s economy. Students will learn innovation, entrepreneurship, and organizing skills and apply them in addressing challenges of economic development and cultural thriving focused on the downtown area of Kirksville. Groups of students will work with businesses and business associations in the downtown area to craft innovative solutions to the critical challenges identified by these organizations.

Belong*

Martha Strange, Education, and Wendy Miner, Education Department

Cultivating Belonging through a Creative Culture. This course is about finding your space in a new place, tapping into creativity to connect with others. We will explore Kirksville and the surrounding areas to see with new perspectives, discover hidden treasures, examine equity, find a voice for inclusion, and have fun. Learn about communication, engagement, and contribution as a supported member of the Truman community.

* Note: This course will be offered in two sections. One section will be offered in the first block, and the other will be offered in the second block. Classes will be held twice a week, meeting on Monday and Wednesday.

Access

Patricia Mickey, Music Department

In this course, students will examine the diverse roles music plays in society. Music has many uses, including entertainment, therapy, communication, education, and emotional expression. Students will explore the impact of music on their personal lives and on society as a whole. No prior musical training is needed to enroll in this course.

Updated May 18, 2023