Truman State University

Truman State University Summary

Truman State University is a public liberal arts and sciences university in the U.S. state of Missouri. Buildings on the Quad include Baldwin Hall, Pickler Memorial Library, the Kirk Memorial, Kirk Building (the oldest building on campus, built in 1922), and Ophelia Parrish (visual and performing arts educational facility). Other structures are generally situated behind or near buildings on the Quad, and these include three of Truman’s residence halls: Missouri Hall, the Blanton-Nason-Brewer Hall complex, and Dobson Hall; Violette Hall (educational facility), a Career and Health Center, and Magruder Hall (a newly renovated science facility). Four university buildings are situated along the border of the traditional university on Franklin Street to the west, including Barnett Hall (science and nursing education facility), the Student Recreational Center, the Student Union Building, McClain Hall (administration and education facility) and two residence halls: Centennial and West Campus Suites. The south of the original campus includes two residence halls (Ryle Hall and E.C. Grim Hall), Fair Apartments (including a small convenience store operated by campus food service, Sodexho) and the Pershing Building athletic facility. Truman State University was founded in 1867 by Joseph Baldwin as the First Missouri Normal School and Commercial College. In 1924 a massive fire destroyed Old Baldwin Hall and the library. Both Baldwin Hall and the library were rebuilt, with $25,000.00 for the new library donated by Samuel M. The college was renamed Northeast Missouri State University in 1972, and in 1983 the university was awarded the G. On June 20, 1985, Governor John Ashcroft signed a bill that designated the university as Missouri’s only statewide public liberal arts and sciences university. Truman State University is designated by statute as Missouri’s premier public liberal arts and sciences institution. The ten members must meet residential requirements defined by Missouri law as follows: In the 1960s the university built Dobson Hall (1961), Ryle Hall (1963), Missouri Hall (1965) and Centennial Hall (1967). Grim Hall (1923), and West Campus Suites (2006). The residence halls are maintained by ResLife, an administrative body of students who live in the dorms and act as advisors/directors (“SA’s”). Incoming freshmen arrive a week earlier than the other students and spend this orientation time in friendly competition against the other halls. Dobson Hall is coed by wing and houses roughly 400 students who share community bathrooms. Mail is distributed in a common mail-box area and packages are picked up by residents at the hall desk. The hall houses a computer lab and in-house laundry facilities. It does not have a cafeteria, so students usually travel to nearby Ryle Hall for meals, though some travel to Missouri Hall (which is currently closed for renovations) or to Centennial Hall. Ryle Hall is the third largest hall and Centennial Hall (or “C-Hall”) is the largest. Missouri Hall (or “MO Hall”) is a coed residence hall that houses nearly 650 students, making it the second largest on campus. Missouri Hall is made up of seven different wings. Missouri Hall opened its doors in 1965 as an all-male residence hall. Truman’s Residential College Program, in its earliest manifestation, was located in Missouri Hall. With a high percentage of first year students each fall term, more students get their start at Truman in Missouri Hall than any other place on campus. During the mid 1990s, Missouri Hall was converted from an all-male dorm to the current coed facility. During the 2006-2007 school year, Missouri Hall will be completely renovated. Missouri Hall will reopen in the fall of 2007. Additionally, it has been confirmed that Missouri Hall will be available for any Truman State student, first-year or not. Blanton-Nason-Brewer (or BNB) is the only single-sex residence hall, offering three floors of suite-style living arrangements to female students. The north wing, Brewer Hall, is primarily populated by members of Greek organizations. The east and south wings, respectively Nason Hall and Blanton Hall, house a total of 256 women. The residence hall is slated for renovation beginning in the Fall of 2007. Grim Hall is the smallest residence hall on campus, with a capacity of 68 residents. The West Campus Suites, just northwest of Centennial Hall, opened its doors to 416 students in Fall 2006. Each room (with the exception of single rooms for eight student advisors and apartments for the hall director and community coordinator) is comprised of two bedrooms attached to a central living room, sink, kitchen cabnets, large bathroom, and independent climate control systems. Alternative media options include The Monitor, published every 2-3 weeks, and Dobson Hall Radio 107.5 FM.

Summary content courtesy of Wikipedia.

Truman State University History

Truman State was founded in 1867 as North Missouri Normal School and Commercial College. The School went through a number of name changes and changes in scope over the following century. In 1972 the institution was renamed Northeast Missouri State University. Nearly 120 years later, in 1985, the governor formally recognized Truman as Missouri’s only public liberal arts and sciences university. Ten years later, the institution’s name was changed to honor Harry Truman, the only Missourian ever to be President.

Truman State University was founded as the North Missouri Normal School and Commercial College. It received university status in 1972, and was designated Missouri’s “statewide public liberal arts and sciences university” in 1985. It was known as Northeast Missouri State University until 1995, when it received its present name. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. Its mission statement says in part that the university “is committed to the advancement of knowledge, to freedom of thought and inquiry, and to the personal, social, and intellectual growth of its students.” It is classed as a Master’s College and University I by the Carnegie Institute.

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Truman State University Academics

Truman State offers majors in a number of “academic divisions,” including fine arts, business, language & literature, math & computer science, natural science, social science, and human potential & performance. There is a pre-medical concentration offered through biology, chemistry, health, and exercise science. The pre-law concentration is offered through English, history, and political science. In addition, there are pre-professional programs in dental, education, engineering, medical technology, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physician’s assistant, physical therapy, special education, and veterinary medicine. The General Honors Program encourages in-depth exploration of a list of topics and encourages a well-developed viewpoint of these topics. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, with the average class size of 22 students. Classes in a particular major may have as few as 8 to 10 students.

Truman State University has academic programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level. There are 13 divisions: Business and Accountancy; Education; Fine Arts; Human Potential and Performance; Interdisciplinary Studies; Languages and Literature; Libraries and Museums; Mathematics and Computer Science; Military Science; the Residential College Program; Science; Social Science; and Study Abroad.

Bachelor’s degrees are offered in a variety of fields within the various academic colleges; however, the Division of Education offers only graduate programs. Degrees at the bachelor’s level can be received in such areas as accountancy, art history, music, communication disorders, exercise science, nursing, classics, English, Russian, computer science, mathematics, agricultural science, physics, economics, justice systems, sociology and anthropology, and interdisciplinary studies.

Graduate programs are offered in 6 fields at the master’s level: accountancy, biology, communication disorders, education, English, and music.

Both graduate and undergraduate students are invited to participate in the annual Student Research Conference.

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Truman State University Unique Programs

The Human Potential & Performance division offers concentrations in Communication Disorders, Health & Exercise Science, and Nursing. The Speech & Hearing Clinic houses therapy rooms and materials for improvement of communicative disorders, and is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The Health & Exercise Science concentration encourages students to improve the health of the people around them. And the Nursing Program prepares beginning practitioners to care for patients of all ages in a variety of environments.

The Child Development Center, previously a part of the Human Potential & Performance division, is now housed in the Education division. The Center focuses on the importance of play, and aids development by integrating academic subjects into play throughout the day. The goal is to give children the freedom to interact with one another, which is the environment in which they learn best.

Truman State University has an undergraduate Honors Program. All students who meet the highly selective admissions criteria to the university are eligible to take part in the Honors Program. Students who choose to participate must take 5 General Honors Courses distributed through 4 areas.

Truman State has a required undergraduate portfolio program. Students are to include in their senior portfolio samples of their work which reflect areas such as critical thinking, interdisciplinary thinking, historical analysis, scientific reasoning, and aesthetic analysis. Students also write a letter reflecting on their educational experience at Truman. There may be additional requirements.

The Study Abroad program allows students to take part in semester or summer-long learning in over 30 countries. Students can also take part in unpaid internships for companies or institutions in 11 countries.

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Truman State University Financial Aid

Truman State offers three kinds of scholarship awards: automatic scholarships, competitive scholarships, and talent-based awards. Automatic scholarships require no additional application and students are considered for them upon review of the student’s admission paperwork. Competitive scholarships are available to those students how demonstrate the greatest aptitude and skill in a particular area or subject. And talent-based scholarships are available to students in the fine arts or student-athletes who possess outstanding abilities in a sport or in an artistic discipline. Talent-based awards are the responsibility of their respective departments and applicants must contact those departments to inquire about scholarship opportunities.

Tuition at Truman State University is $5,740 per year for the 2005-2006 academic year for in-state, undergraduate students attending full-time. Students applying from out of state and graduate students have higher costs.

Financial aid is available in the form of grants, scholarships, and loans. Work-study programs are also available for eligible students. Students who seek financial aid will need to fill out the Federal Student Financial Aid Form, available on-line. There are several special loan programs offered by the university, including “cultural loans” for students in the Study Abroad Programs.

Graduate students may also receive financial aid in the form of teaching or research assistantships, including a stipend and a waiver of some or all of the tuition and other fees. Graduate students should consult with their individual department about what sort of assistantships or fellowships are available and about the details of the application process.

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Truman State University Students

Truman State is home to more than 200 student clubs and organizations, including academic and social clubs. There are eight residence halls available for on-campus living, and the Student Recreation Center offers games, food, and entertainment programs nearly every night of the week. Truman State considers academic research to be an important part of a student’s life outside the classroom. While classroom instruction results in the acquisition of knowledge, students learn to apply that knowledge in the laboratory. But students can initiate research projects outside of particular coursework they are enrolled in, making undergraduate research an important extracurricular activity.

Student life at Truman State University includes opportunities in a diverse range of activities and organizations. There are fraternities and sororities, academic and professional groups, religious organizations, cultural organizations, political groups, and special interest groups such as the Rock Climbing Club, the Art of Living (a yoga group), the Herpetology Club, and two a capella choirs. Intramural sports include table tennis, basketball, and a 3K run. There is a student newspaper, a yearbook, a radio station, a television station, and a literary magazine.

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Truman State University Traditions

The bulldog became Truman State’s official mascot in 1915. Today, two mascots, Spike and Simeon, represent this strong and tenacious symbol of the University’s resilience.

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Truman State University Local Community

The population of Kirksville is approximately 17,000. It is the county seat of Adair County, and classified as a “micropolitan area.” In addition to being the home of Truman State, Kirksville is also home to the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Thousand Hills State Park, and the region’s ABC affiliate station. The surrounding environment is rural. There is a nearby state park with an artificial lake for water activities.

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