The Index Issue 4 Vol 109

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017 tmn.truman.edu @TrumanMediaNet TrumanMediaNetwork

SPORTS | Jasmine Brown on Houston after Harvey Page 12

FEATURES | Lessons from nontraditional students Page 5

Truman works to change LSP

Photo by Nicolas Telep/TMN Edward Rogers teaches his junior interdisciplinary seminar on friendship. The current liberal arts and sciences program has JINS as the only required interdisciplinary course, though other courses are encouraged to discuss how the views of each discipline differ. The current proposal for Faculty Senate suggests instating an additional interdisciplinary seminar for freshmen during their first semester.

BY BRENTLY SNEAD Managing Editor Truman State University is working to change its liberal arts and sciences program, a difficult process which started in 2015 and has seen several proposals and disagreements among faculty and administration.

The current proposal in Faculty Senate was rewritten during the summer and replaces the current modes with four “perspectives.” The setup will continue an hour requirement within each perspective.

There is also the creation of a freshman seminar that would be more interdisciplinary focused.

Bridget Thomas, a nonvoting member of the Undergraduate Council and Faculty Senate, has been a part of the LSP reconfiguration from the beginning.

Thomas said it began with former University President Troy Paino’s challenge to start brainstorming ideas to recreate the curriculum. After the challenge, action committees developed a list of ideas, and the blueprint teams were created.

University budget runs small surplus after state cuts

BY NICOLAS TELEP News Text Editor Truman State University’s student employment budget ran a surplus during the 2016-2017 school year — part of a smaller-than-usual surplus of about half a million dollars in the general budget.

The surplus in the student employment budget was anticipated by the school. In part, the surplus was the product of some money for student scholarships coming from the budget. Additionally, some departments did not use all their allocated funds for student employment.

Dave Rector, vice president for administration, finance and planning, said the surplus is perfectly normal. He said there is extra money in the budget to account for fluctuations in annual spending, citing the utilities budget as an example. Rector said the University generally runs an overall budget surplus, and the extra money goes into a fund to pay for building renovations and upgrades.

“Normally we have a decent surplus, overall,” Rector said. “Most people don’t spend every dime in their budget, and we don’t encourage that.”

This year, though, Rector said the surplus was slightly less than it normally is because of state budget cuts. Instead of the usual surplus of approximately $1 million, the surplus was around $562,000.

Rector said it is not difficult for students to find work on campus, and he said student employees at Truman are generally paid the Missouri state minimum wage. The exception is a small number of skilled students in special positions. He said some colleges have multi-tiered systems where students who work positions longer make more money, but such a system has not been considered at Truman.

“Typically, if students need a job, we’ll find a job for them,” Rector said.

Rector said some departments did not use all of the money allocated to them for student employment and cited Baldwin Auditorium as an example. The Auditorium has some money allocated for student employment, but was closed last year, and therefore didn’t need to employ any students. Rector said it made more sense to keep this money in the budget so it did not have to be removed and put in again for this year.

VOLUME 109 ISSUE 4 © 2017

Thomas said the blueprint teams were charged with reviewing what the action committees had to offer and consolidate those into a more developed idea.

Thomas said after the committees had a basic idea of what they wanted, the proposal moved into the next step. The bill was drafted, and it was presented at a UGC meeting.

The most crucial change of the proposal was the addition of two freshman seminars, as well as a shift from dividing the curriculum into qualitative and quantitative modes, instead into four “worlds” in which students could choose courses from.

“The idea behind changing it to ‘worlds’ was that courses were not tied to disciplines as much,” Thomas said. “The idea is that the preface shouldn’t dictate whether a student takes the course.”

Thomas said the requirements with the worlds setup seemed more manageable because students were only required to take one course per world. She said the idea was students would take classes based on their interests rather than simply fulfilling requirements and checking off boxes.

Thomas said UGC had no serious problems with the bill and voted to move it into the Senate with little hesitation. Since then, though, the bill has been stuck in Faculty Senate to be questioned, revised and questioned again.

During the summer, a committee was created to look at the curriculum plan and make adjustments based on the concerns of Faculty Senate and statewide changes.

Faculty Senate member Candy Young, who participated in the summer committee, said they looked at the current setup and the proposed setup to find the best of each. Young said they also looked at assessment data to decipher what needs aren’t being met by Truman’s current curriculum.

Young said the two places where Truman students are behind competitors are in their amount of writing and critical-thinking skills. Young said the summer committee took this data to create a single seminar for freshmen in which these skills would be emphasized.

Though they are confident in the seminar, they’re facing issues developing a staff.

See CURRICULUM, page 4

Pursue The Future campaign enters final year

BY SPENCER FOUST Staff Writer Truman State University’s five-year “Pursue the Future” capital campaign with a goal of raising $40 million is entering its final year and will officially end June 30, 2018.

Since July 1, 2013, the campaign has been encouraging its alumni and friends to invest in Truman students and their ability to leave a positive impact on the world. The campaign has raised about $35.3 million so far. The campaign’s goal is broken down into four categories — scholarships, academic programs and faculty support, the athletics fund and the Truman Fund for Excellence.

According to the campaign’s website, campaign. truman.edu, fundraising for scholarships sits at 85 percent of its $25 million goal with $21.1 million and academic programs and faculty support is at 63

percent of its $10 million goal with $6.2 million.

Athletics and the Truman Fund each have goals of $2.5 million. Athletics has raised 115 percent with just under $2.9 million, and the “Truman Fund” sits at 157 percent with over $3.9 million.

Dave Rector, vice president for administration, finance and planning, said the reason we see some of these goals as being over or under a certain percentage is because the donor chooses what they want to give toward. A music major, for example, might donate toward the scholarship fund and say they want that scholarship to help out another music major, Rector said. He said some of the best donations to the campaign are surprises to the University.

“The more money the foundation raises for scholarships or academic programs, then that’s money we don’t have to work into the budget — or rather, it supplements it,” Rector said.

See CAMPAIGN, page 4

Submitted Photo University President Sue Thomas speaks during the Mid-Missouri event on April 29 for the Pursue the Future campaign. The campaign is in its final year and has a goal of raising $40 million for the University.

The Index

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

Organizations recruit at Activities Fair

Photos by Samantha Garrett/TMN Above: The Activities Fair took place in the Student Union Building on Wednesday, Aug. 30. The Activities Fair happens once at the beginning of each semester and showcases different activities at booths all around the building.

Left: Students at the Activities Fair in the Activities Room on the third floor of the Student Union Building. Four rooms were used for the activities fair — the Activities Room, the Georgian Rooms, the Alumni room and the SUB Down Under. Student organizations were assigned to a space based on organization type as well as on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Below: Students check out the Alpha Sigma Gamma table at the Activities Fair in the Alumni room. Truman has over 200 student organizations, many of which had a table at the event.

calendar Saturday, Sept. 16

Saturday, Sept. 16

SUICIDE AWARENESS 5K RUN/WALK

FAMILY DAY 2017

8 a.m.

The Be the Light Program, adopted by the City of Kirksville and Truman State University to bring awareness to mental health, will sponsor a 5K Run/Walk. The even will begin at Alliant Bank. Registration is $25, including admission and a T-shirt.

Registration documents can be found at the University Counseling Services in the McKinney Center.

Truman State University’s annual Family Day takes place this weekend. Family Day is an all-day event with multiple activities including library tours, planetarium shows and a family barbeque. The Bulldog football team will also play its first home game of the season Saturday.

The Red Barn Arts & Crafts Festival in downtown Kirksville — which celebrates local art, food and music — is also a part of Family Day.

Monday, Sept. 18

Thursday, Sept. 21

CONSTITUTION DAY SEPTEMBER GLOBAL CELEBRATION ISSUES COLLOQUIUM 12 p.m.

The Quad

7 p.m.

Baldwin Hall Little Theater

Sections of the constitution will be read at the celebration, which is free of charge and open to the public.

University President Sue Thomas will be in attendance and state officials have also been invited. If it rains, the constitution celebration will take place in the SUB Hub.

The history department and Jean Allmen, J.H. Hexter professor in the Humanities at Washington University will be hosting September’s Global Issues Colloquium. The presentation is titled “A Post-Mortem of the African Revolution.” The colloquium is free and is a part of the history department’s Early-Vreeland Lecture Series.

staff Serving the University community since 1909 Adviser Don Krause Editor-in-Chief Seth Wolfmeyer Digital Director Ben Cook Managing Editor Brently Snead News Editor (Text) Nicolas Telep News Editor (Multimedia) Brea Parnell Features Editor (Text) Rachel Fechter Sports Editor (Text) Rachel Steinhoff Sports Editor (Multimedia) Jeremy Jacob

Copy Chief MacKenna Palazza Assistant Copy Chief Trevor Hamblin Photo Editor Bethany Travis Design Chief Mariah Radle Distribution Manager Jessica Rose Staff Writers Jase Willhite, Ashley

Murphy, Kennedy Martin, Paul Province, Patrick Pardo, Stephanie Hulett, Brooke Bailey, Curt Wichmer, Kayla Perkins, Spencer Foust, Johanna Burns

Copy Editors Katie Puryear, Bethany

Spitzmiller, Ellen Thibodeau, Allyson Lotz, Julianna Foster, Elise Hughes Cartoonists Annie Kintree, August Davis Designers Clarissa Todd, Lawrence Hu, Georgia Gregory, Maddie Kamp Photographers Lawrence Hu, Athena Geldbach, Austin Dellamano, Daniel Degenhardt, Hannah Ahlenius Distribution Representatives Greta Roettechen, Amanda Claywell

Use this to cheer on the Bulldogs against Missouri S&T Saturday, September 16 at 7 p.m.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

[ Our View ] Students deserve a choice in their curriculum

Truman State University’s effort to change the liberal arts and sciences program is not easy to understand and has been even more difficult for the University to finish.

The two-year process has included concerns about the direction the University should take, different philosophies of what the liberal arts should be and a Missouri Senate bill which will directly affect Truman’s curriculum.

We, The Index Editorial Board, think that despite these difficulties, the University must stay true to former University President Troy Paino’s original challenge to improve Truman’s liberal arts curriculum and regain the distinction the University once held.

We are worried the current proposal does not improve the University, but rather only modifies the program Truman already has and renames a few things to make it appear more innovative.

The University must take steps to ensure it lives up to its promises to provide students with a curriculum that encourages study across disciplines — curriculum which requires students to explore academia instead of following a set of course requirments through it.

Students want more freedom in their studies — the ability to take courses that interest them and further their understanding of the world. While this must be balanced with coursework dedicated to their major, students need more choice than they have now.

What might be the most frustrating for students is that they have largely been left out of the conversation. Many Truman students are not even aware of the effort to change Truman’s curriculum. While the results of this process will not be applied to current students of the University, their opinions and thoughts are still important to finding the right direction for the University.

You’re responsible for your own happiness, so think happy

BY MACKENNA PALAZZA Copy Chief You know that saying “fake it ‘til you make it?” I think it can apply to being happy. As humans, we can kind of trick our brains into thinking certain things are true when they’re not. I watched a Vsauce video a couple years ago that I still think about today. The host of the channel, Michael Stevens talked about how laughter makes us happy because it sends serotonin and dopamine to our brains — but the interesting thing is, it doesn’t have to be genuine.

Even a small chuckle in the morning sends these happy chemicals to our brains and contributes to raising your mood. This is the same reason I laugh before taking a picture. I don’t mean that I take the time to tell a joke or check out a meme every time.

I mean I literally chuckle to myself, just so my smile is more genuine .

As trivial as it seems, it’s important to think about the good things in life. I watched a TED Talk from Shawn Achor a few years ago about building habits that reinforce positive thinking. One of Achor’s tips was to write down three positive things that happen to you each day for a couple weeks, or until you build the habit. Regularly repeating this behavior teaches the brain to scan for positives instead of negatives.

I personally am very practiced in thinking positively. I grew up in a Christian family, and I’ve spent a lot of time surrounded by people who were happy to be alive for no particular reason.

Something that came up a lot in biblical discussions I’ve had is the question of what is the difference between joy and happiness? The short answer is happiness is circumstantial while joy occurs no matter the circumstance. As human beings, we are not designed to feel happy all the time. We all experience plenty of emotions throughout our lives — some more intensely than others — and it’s

unnatural to feel happy in a negative situation. But building positive thinking doesn’t mean you’ll become some robot that doesn’t feel other emotions — positive thinking is finding the silver lining.

Part of this is found in not overreacting to negative situations. When a food service employee tells you the ice cream machine is down for maintenance, this isn’t the time to yell. Instead, think about how the machine will be freshly-cleaned.

What you surround yourself with also affects your mental attitude. When I go back home and my parents turn the news on, I immediately become sad. So much of the news is negative. I recently discovered the Goodnewspaper — a project devoted to sharing positive news.

By doing things likes casually reading good stories, we can fill our lives with positivity in a lot of different ways. I’m a very visual person, and I like to paint.

So when it comes to supplying positivity in my life, I like to keep a lot of bright, colorful posters and paintings hung up around my house. I also love to listen to

music, so something as simple as listening to a happy song in the morning can keep me cheery all day.

It’s been said, but it’s so important to take care of our emotional health as much as our physical health or otherwise. It might seem like building these habits takes a lot of effort, but these steps are merely suggestions and should be adapted for your individual lifestyle and current mental health status. Some people might want to focus more on smiling, laughing and filling your life with positive things. Others might want to focus more on remembering and reflecting on the highlights of each day instead of the lows.

The thing is, after taking these kind of steps regularly, it becomes habitual. It doesn’t take any effort to make myself laugh, think about something positive, or recognize the good things just to smile or elevate my mood. We’re at a point in society when information is so accessible, so why not seek out the positive?

leadership positions, and part of that is simply overcoming the image of a submissive assistant.

Unfortunately, we reinforce this trend of women as “order-takers” almost every day. Pew Research Center estimates 77 percent of Americans have a smart-phone, which means 77 percent of Americans have access to a slew of personal assistants right in their pockets — Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, Amazon’s Alexa, Google’s “OK Google.”

There is a disturbing trend regarding these electronic assistants though. When you first unwrap that gleaming little slab of technological wonder, power up your phone, and try voice commands for the first time — what will be the response?

A female voice responds, “Ready for service.”

Why is it that for these big four software packages — Apple, Amazon, Google and Microsoft — your default assistant is female? Is it because people prefer a female to take orders, as if it is more natural for a female voice to order more paper towels, tell me about the traffic, or dictate an email to a coworker?

What this trend reveals is a shocking inclination that women take orders and are gladly there to help you out with your

day. Both men and women who use this software are reinforced with the idea that it is preferable to have a female assistant than one. As an owner of an iPhone, I realize Apple has enabled users to switch the default, female voice to a male voice.

But even then, in all of their product promotions, the default, female voice is used, and many people probably do not even realize there is an option.

Furthermore, Amazon’s Alexa does not even take a crack at a gender-neutral name. Alexa is a woman, and she is there to run the household as seen in the commercials where she is regularly told to add things to the shopping list and to stock kitchen goods and cleaning products. Microsoft’s Cortana is almost just as cruel. Some might not know, but Cortana was originally a female, artificial intelligence program in the popular “Halo” videogame franchise.

Even though she was just a software program, in many ways she was more responsible for saving humanity from an alien onslaught than the playable-character Master Chief. In fact, throughout most of the series, she is the boss — telling the player character what to do and where to go. In one scene, she had to correct the bumbling super-soldier who was about

to inadvertently activate a super-weapon that would have killed all life for millions of lightyears. And how does Microsoft respect this character?

They turn her into an electronic assistant, just begging to Bing you some results — from savior of the universe to an inferior version of the Siri software — the demotion of the century.

These electronic companies need to realize they are not helping women by defaulting them to order-takers. Perhaps they could use some diversity in advertisements or use a male voice rather than one In the case of Amazon and Microsoft, they might need to go back to the drawing board to achieve a more fair software platform. This subtle form of conditioning people to expect females to act solely as assistants endangers the future of working women everywhere.

These software companies must be made to realize the labels they are placing on women and be encouraged to correct them. They should follow Apple’s lead in allowing users to choose a male voice — in British and Australian accents no less — and Apple needs to promote this feature more. It is our job to call out harmful behavior. Hey Siri, please don’t hold women back.

Mobile assistants adhere to sexist ideals

BY KORBIN KELLER Staff Writer

In the often-stifling environment of the 1950s, one of the few careers predominantly open to women was secretary or personal assistant. She was supposed to organize the daily activities of her bosses — most of whom were men.

Women are now far more empowered in the workplace, and it is clear to see women are capable beyond the position of an office assistant. There is nothing wrong with being an office assistant, but the image of a professional, working woman only capable of being an assistant is inappropriate. Women had to spend decades fighting the stereotype they were best suited for assistant work and they couldn’t be the boss.

Some women struggle even now to overcome this idea that they are not capable of taking professional jobs in the business world outside of being a secretary. Women, though they make up 52 percent of the professional workforce, only account for 14.6 percent of executive positions, according to the Center for American Progress.

Women still face an uphill battle for

EDITORIAL POLICY: The Index is published Thursdays during the academic year by students at Truman State University, Kirksville, MO 63501.

The production offices are located in Barnett Hall 1200. We can be reached by phone at 660-785-4449. The Index is a designated public forum, and content of The Index is the responsibility of The Index staff. The editor-in-chief consults with the staff and adviser but ultimately is responsible for all decisions.

Opinions of The Index columnists are not necessarily representative of the opinions of the staff or the newspaper. Our View editorials represent the view of the Editorial Board through a two-thirds majority vote. The Editorial Board consists of the editor-in-chief, managing editor, section editors, copy chief and assistant copy chief. The Index reserves the right to edit submitted material because of space limitations, repetitive subject matter, libelous content or any other reason the editor-in-chief deems appropriate. Submitted material includes advertisements and letters to the editor.

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Submissions must contain a well-developed theme and cannot exceed 500 words except at the discretion of the opinions editor and/or editorin-chief. Submission does not guarantee publication. Letters containing personal attacks, libelous attacks or inaccurate information will not be published. All letters to the editor must be typed and submitted by email to index.opinionseditor@gmail.com or online at tmn.truman.edu. Include the words “letter to the editor” in the subject line of the email. Letters which are not submitted digitally will not be taken in consideration.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017

CURRICULUM | New state regulations complicate overhaul of Liberal Studies Program Continued from page 1 Faculty Senate member Terry Olson worked alongside Young and others on the summer committee and said though they wanted to integrate these skills in the freshman seminar, it was something that was contested by others for several reasons.

“I know the communication department felt very strongly about public speaking still being a requirement, and I think they made some very valid points,” Olson said.

Olson said there were also questions about how to efficiently and adequately staff a seminar of this type. He said while many faculty members were on board and perhaps even excited, they might be hesitant of teaching a course that incorporates pieces they are not properly trained to teach.

Jay Bulen was also a member of the summer committee and said the greatest challenge for them was making the curriculum plan adhere to the 42 credit hour block mandated by the state. Missouri Senate Bill 997, signed in 2016, requires public colleges and universities to adhere to a similar general education curriculum to help students easily transfer credits between schools. Bulen said they began changing the curriculum requirements to make sure they were adhering to the bill.

Thomas is Truman’s representative for the committee charged with creating the 42 credit hour block for the Missouri Department of Higher Education, and she said she thinks it has been misinterpreted by a lot of people. Thomas said she thinks the misinterpretation of MO SB 997 is part of why the bill that was proposed in March has been transformed and changed so much.

“I don’t understand why we changed it because there’s already a 39-hour plan that is very similar to the new one,” Thomas said. “I think there was just a misinterpretation of the bill because we can still have a distinct curriculum for our natural students.”

Thomas said natural students are those coming in with less than 11 credits, not including dual enrollment. She said she thinks there’s a way for Truman to be distinct and do their own courses while still making things easily transferable.

Thomas said she thinks students learn best when they are curious about the topic, and they’re more inclined to take classes based on their interests. She said she thinks a downfall of the current proposal is it recreated the ties between disciplines and courses rather than allowing students to flow freely between different academic topics.

Bulen said the name change from worlds to perspectives wasn’t anything other than nomenclature because they still align to relatively the same ideals.

Current LSP 31-58 credits

“Dialogues” 29-54 credits

Revised “Dialogues” 47-58 credits

(19-24 credits, with limited double-counting)

(13-18 credits, can double-count with courses in majors or minors)

(42 credits, with limited double-counting)

At least one course from each:

Social Perspectives: History, Social and

MODES OF INQUIRY

3 of 4 Qualitative:

Aesthetic mode: Visual & Performing Arts Aesthetic Mode: Literature Historical Philosophical & Religion

3 of 4 Quantitative:

Mathematical Life Science Physical Science Social Scientific

*Essential Skills (8-17 credits) of additional course requirements

WORLDS

Natural Worlds Social World Creative World Symbolic System

Behavioral Sciences

Communication Skills Perspectives: ENG 190

Two additional interdisciplinary seminars for first-year students *Essential Skills (5-14 credits) of additional course requirements

NEWS IN BRIEF Tutoring opportunities in Kirksville Chicago professional development Kirksville elementary schools have opened up tutoring opportunities to Truman Students. The Kirksville R-III School district is working with United Way to start an Oasis Tutoring Program to assist students who may need extra help with reading and math skills. Students who choose to tutor will work an hour a week with students from kindergarten to fifth grade to help develop these necessary reading and math skills. Staff, faculty and students can help tutor. Students can also use the tutoring for scholarship hours.

The School of Business is accepting applications for the 2017 Chicago Professional Development Event.

Students do not have to be business majors to attend. The event will take place Oct. 4-6.The event will feature various cultural programs, business panel discussions and professional networking opportunities. Accommodations are provided except for transportation to and from Chicago. Interested students will need to submit a letter of interest and résumé to Tessa Prewitt before Sept. 20.

Phi Tau and NEMO sponsor 5K

OSR offers financial research help

Truman’s Phi Kappa Tau chapter is partnering with NEMO Heart Health for a 5K fundraiser. This is an annual event called the Phi K and Heart and Sole Walk. The 5K will take place at 9 a.m. Sept. 23 in Red Barn Park. All of the proceeds will go to Phi Tau’s philanthropy, the United Service Organizations and NEMO Heart Health’s efforts to maintain and promote Automated External Defibrillators. Fraternity members will be hosting registration from 1-3 p.m.

Sept. 13 in Magruder Hall. Registration is $15.

The Office of Student Research is offering a Grantsin-Aid Scholarship and Research program. The OSR is accepting applications for the fall 2017 semester.

All disciplines are encouraged to apply. The grants seek to promote a culture of research at Truman.

Projects supported by these grants need to be original but can contain many preliminary activities including collecting data and information. Students must be current undergraduate or graduate students and can request up to $750.

QPR Training Session

ITS performs updates

The “Question, Persuade, Refer” suicide prevention training will be offered throughout the day Sept. 15 in SUB room 3201. QPR is a 75-minute program designed to train participants in recognizing possible suicide risks and intervening to help someone in crises. The class is limited to 30 students. Sessions will be held at 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Students who want to participate can sign up through the Human Resources registration site.

During the summer, ITS began updating technology systems on campus. Updates have been applied to Banner 9, Microsoft Office, printing, the University survey tool, network improvements and a new University website. All of these updates are aimed at making campus technology more user friendly. ITS also added campus-wide training services to accommodate student technology issues and questions.

The new training service, called Hoonuit, offers over 50,000 tutorial videos on skills-based topics such as developing better study habits and transitioning to online learning, as well as the outlet for professors to put videos directly on blackboard.

Travel smarter.

PERSPECTIVES

WACT, COMM 170 Public Speaking and COMP II or a research-based, writing-enhanced course from any discipline STEM Perspectives: Natural, Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Humanities and Aesthetic Perspectives:

Humanities and Fine Arts

*One additional seminar as introduction to interdisciplinary and liberal arts ideas included in Perspectives

CAMPAIGN | Donations for five-year fundraising program may exceed goal Continued from page 1 Charles Hunsaker, director of development and interim co-director of advancement, said the University’s goals are based on the priorities of the University. Hunsaker said he works with the foundation board and the campaign’s steering team and has been responsible for all the fundraising of this campaign.

“Student scholarships remains one of the biggest needs on our campus, and that’s why it’s our largest goal at $25 million,” Hunsaker said. “As much as we try to set goals, people donate to the areas they care about.”

The general fund is doing very well in that respect, and Hunsaker said it’s because the category has the most unrestricted giving — where donors allow the university to decide how they’d like to use the donation.

Hunsaker said money can be donated in multiple ways. Cash gifts are outright donations, like checks. Pledges promise to donate a certain amount of money annually during the capital campaign.

Match pledges offer a certain amount of money for each dollar donated. Finally, legacy giving is for people who have indicated they have left money for Truman in their will, estate plans, life insurance or IRA assets. Legacy giving is a particularly popular category, Hunsaker said.

“People often have the ability to give more when they pass away than during their lifetime,” Hunsaker said. “The commitments that have come through planned giving are normally quite large.”

Hunsaker said the previous campaign — “Bright Minds, Bright Futures” — raised $30 million in five years. Hunsaker said he thinks this fundraiser is on track to raise more than its goal of $40 million in five years as well.

Hunsaker said the University plans to continue driving people to be more engaged with Truman — encouraging alumni to help, whether it’s through their time, talents or treasures.

“We’ll encourage them to really connect with where the University is going and to help us,” Hunsaker said. “We know some of the challenges we face from a budget standpoint, like the state budget, and so the need for private resources continues to grow. We’ll continue to try to inspire philanthropy and generate resources to move that mission forward.”

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

5

The Road Less Traveled: Nontraditional Students discuss experiences

By RACHEL FECHTER Features Editor

Photo by Rachel Fechter/TMN

Juliette Miller — Denise Ellis — Grabbing the bull by its horns Combating the fear of the “it” Senior Denise Ellis has been on her own since she was 15. She was an eighth grade dropout and a teen mom. She’s now 49, has six children, four grandchildren and is in pursuit of a double, possibly triple major at Truman State University.

Ellis moved to Kirksville 10 years ago, and after her youngest son graduated from high school, she was motivated to get her GED and eventually an associate’s degree from Moberly Area Community College.

Now, Ellis said she leads a very busy life, often struggling to balance her work schedule, taking care of her niece and nephews, and her classes.

Despite her hectic schedule, Ellis said attending Truman is opening up a new chapter in her life.

“If we can do it, [they] can do it ... it is never, ever too late. That’s what I have found. I don’t care if you’re 90. Come on, come join me.”

-Denise Ellis, senior Ellis said there was a lot she wasn’t able to do because she didn’t graduate high school or go to college when she was young. While Ellis faces struggles with balancing school and other aspects of her life she said she is happy.

“I wouldn’t change [my life] at all,” Ellis said. “Not one millisecond. Out of all the trials and tribulations and all of the hard struggles … I have my six children, and I have my four grandchildren, and if I were to change just one millisecond, I would not have those beautiful people in my life.”

Ellis said she wishes office hours and tutoring sessions for some of her classes had more flexible hours that catered more to nontraditional students. Despite this, Ellis said going back to school in her late 40s has been worth it because of the people she’s met and the things she has learned at Truman.

“I’ve been homeless, scrounging for food, scrounging for a place to live, and I’ve been at a higher income and doing what I wanted to do, but I was happy at neither place,” Ellis said. “... Yeah, I’m below poverty level. I don’t care, because I’m learning. I found out that there’s only so much you can do. You can either sit and wither away or you can grab the bull by its horns and kick its ass. It’s the best decision I’ve made.”

Ellis said her advice to those her age or older who might be considering going back to school is simple.

“If we can do it, [they] can do it ... it is never, ever too late,” Ellis said. “That’s what I have found. I don’t care if you’re 90. Come on, come join me.”

VOLUME 109

ISSUE 4

tmn.truman.edu

Junior Juliette Miller said she likes to say leaving her home in the Bahamas to come to a liberal arts school in northeast Missouri at the age of 44 didn’t make her brave — it made her insane.

Miller is an international student who said she was drawn to Truman State University because she felt it created an environment for students who wanted to learn and was not the stereotypical party school.

Miller said after she finished high school, she studied to become a chef. Miller said her plans were put on hold, though, when she got married to her husband and had kids. She said she always wanted to go back to school but wasn’t willing to do online classes or be separated from her family. She said she finally waited until her midlife crisis — when her two children were both grown and out of the house — before she decided to pursue a computer science degree at Truman.

After she gets her degree, Miller said she plans to go back home to the Bahamas and to become the main financial provider of the family, allowing her husband to quit his job.

“It’s hard to be away from my family,” Miller said. “I’ve been married 25 years, and the deal I have with my husband is we’ve done the whole kids thing, now he’s going to support me through college, and when I graduate he can quit and do whatever he wants.”

Miller received an associate’s degree in 2007, in the Bahamas, but she said coming to Truman and being a full-time student at the age of 46 has been a challenge especially because teaching styles have changed a lot. Her biggest struggle right now, she said, is tackling calculus and some of the other STEM classes she’s in.

Miller said despite these challenges she is never afraid to ask for help and take control of her own learning.

“One of the advantages to being older is that I’m no longer afraid of the ‘it,’” Miller said. “It’s when you’re afraid for no reason ... I speak to some of the other students who are younger and they are experiencing some of the same things I’m experiencing, but they won’t go to the teachers. They won’t ask the questions. They won’t say what needs to be said. It’s the ‘it.’ If I was younger, I think I might have more problems with that myself.”

Miller said she wants to make the most of her life by going back to school, starting a career and doing something she loves.

“People say, ‘Oh, going back to school at your age is so brave,’ but it’s not,” Miller said. “… the closer you get to the end of your life, the more you realize we’re all going to die. Am I supposed to be taking that easily and gracefully? The whole beauty of being human is we get to choose. You don’t have to go back to school — that might not be the path for you, but life is about choices.

Make those choices. Don’t let life choose you. You choose life.”

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The Index

6

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

NONTRADITIONAL | Nontraditional students weigh in on why they did not go to college right out of high school and where their lives took them instead. parks department. Eventually, he joined a Boilermakers Union for five years, becoming an apprentice and eventually a journeyman.

Blaue said he was suicidal and abusing drugs and alcohol during that point in his life.

“I eventually just got to where I had nowhere to turn, no one could help me, and I got down on my knees and gave my life over to Christ,” Blaue said.

“I realized … there was a God who loved me and wanted me to do things that were better for myself. I started reading. My intelligence level at the time was basically just kind of work with my hands, so I was reading different books. It helped me with my imagination. To be able to think about other things and what was in my environment.”

After turning to religion, Blaue began a quest for knowledge and a more meaningful life. Blaue said he began taking better care of his body, did martial arts and eventually made a trip to Israel volunteering with Bridges For Peace, an organization that tries to bridge the gap between Christians and Jews.

Blaue said he wound up living with his aunt who encouraged him to go to college. Blaue took her advice, and graduated with an associate’s degree from Metropolitan Community College — Longview. Blaue said he was then drawn to getting a bachelor’s degree at Truman because they had the linguistics program he was looking for.

Blaue said now nearing the completion of his degree — when he looks back, he said he wishes he would have gone to college a bit sooner in life because being older makes it that much harder to learn new material.

Blaue also said being an older student means he has less time to figure out what he wants to do with his life.

Photos by Rachel Fechter/TMN “You don’t have as much time to make mistakes, to fool around,” Blaue said.

Senior Matthew Blaue reached a point in his life where he was looking down “Being younger, you can pick a major and commit to that major, but then later the barrel of a gun. Rather than succumb to the challenges in his life, he chan- say, ‘I don’t know if I want to do that,’ and it’s OK because you have a few extra neled them into his faith and became an avid learner and creative thinker. years. But a little later in life, you only have this much time before you have to Blaue is currently 37 years old, lives in Missouri Hall and is studying linguis- get back into the workforce.” tics at Truman.

Blaue said when he was in high school in Independence, Missouri, college was not an option. He said his GPA was poor, and while his family loved him, they had a bit of a dysfunctional dynamic and going to college was never encouraged. Instead he took a job as a dishwasher at an Italian restaurant — the first of many jobs.

Next, Blaue said he went to trade school in Houston, Texas, for automotive technology because he liked cars. He then worked in a warehouse and for the Senior Brynn Yarham said she likes to say she didn’t do things wrong, she just did things out of order.

After graduating from high school in spring 2010 and waiting to take a semester of computer science the following spring at Ozarks Technical Community College, Yarham decided she needed to take a different life path — Taekwondo.

Matthew Blaue —

Taking second chances

Brynn Yarham —

Going out of order

Bill Brazeal —

Putting one foot in front of the other

Senior Bill Brazeal walks upstairs to his dorm room on the second floor of Centennial Hall.

“Hey, Bill!” others on the floor greet him.

He misses his family sometimes — a homesickness most college students feel at one point or another. The difference is Brazeal is 49 years old and has a wife and two kids back home in Springfield, Missouri, waiting for him to get his degree.

Brazeal said when he was growing up, his family didn’t have the money to send him to college. He said because he did not believe college was an option for him at the start of his senior year of high school Brazeal joined the Marine Corps. While he was in the Marine Corps, he got married and had a son and a daughter. After serving as a sergeant in the Marines, Brazeal had various jobs including working as a mechanic at a rock quarry, a fleet mechanic for tractor trailers, and building houses and diesel engines.

Brazeal started at Truman in fall 2016, even though he said going back to school was not actually his decision. He said he came home from work one day and his wife was sitting down at the computer asking him what classes he wanted to sign up for. She then explained she was enrolling him in classes.

Brazeal went to Ozark Technical Community College in Springfield where he received three associate’s degrees. At OTC, he also joined Phi Theta Kappa honors society and eventually became an officer of the organization. He got a full ride scholarship through Phi Theta Kappa, allowing him to go to Truman.

While being immersed in the dorms and his classes with younger Truman students, Brazeal said he’s enjoyed seeing his younger classmates

and peers come into adulthood.

“As a grown person and someone who’s a little older, I’ve had life experiences [and] had those points in life where I felt like I couldn’t move on and the whole world’s against you,” Brazeal said. “College can sometimes feel that way to young people, so I try to tell them that college is a lot like life, you just gotta keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward.”

Growing up, Yarham said she was the shy kid who read books during lunch instead of talking to people. Once Yarham’s parents and older brother signed up for Taekwondo lessons in fall 2011, her life went in a new direction.

“One of the biggest noticeable changes that I have seen in myself over the last couple years — it’s hard to say if it was going to happen on its own or if it was because of Taekwondo — but I was given enough responsibility that I kind of had to figure out what I wanted to do with it,” Yarham said. “I learned pretty quick that I wanted to be responsible, and I wanted to do well with what was handed to me, so I became much more extroverted. I became much more outgoing. I made a much stronger effort.”

Yarham said she was able to get a job cleaning the Taekwondo school which helped her pay for lessons as she moved higher up the ranks of the martial arts school. Eventually, Yarham became a certified instructor and a third-degree black belt.

Yarham said she eventually went back to OTC and took classes part time. Yarham said while she did earn her associate’s degree and is now securing a bachelor’s degree in theatre at Truman, school has taken her a long time to finish.

“Most people think of the associate’s degree as a two-year degree …,” Yarham said. “It took me about three years because I was also working at the time and it will take about 3 1/2 years for me since [arriving at Truman] to get my bachelor’s degree. So I’m spending 6-6 1/2 years in school for a bachelor’s, which is not great.”

Yarham said she sometimes wonders where she would have ended up in life had she gone to college right after high school.

“Knowing that I am older than everyone else, there’s that feeling or perception that I’m sort of just getting started towards real life while other people are already figuring that out …,” Yarham said. “I did have other things I did, [like] developing skills in Taekwondo, that a lot of people do not have. I put in a lot of the same effort just in a very different field in a very different setting. The thing I have to remind myself of is that I didn’t do things wrong, I just did things out of order.”

Yarham also said she feels like waiting to go to school has had its own benefits as well.

“The thing that I do like about the fact that I waited is it feels much more like I’m going to college for myself, not because I’m expected to,” Yarham said.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

The Index

Truman works to expand mindfulness of and resources for transfer students

BY KAYLA PERKINS Staff Writer

This year about 150 students enrolled at Truman State University were transfer students coming from community colleges or four-year universities.

About 8 percent of Truman’s population is made up of transfer students.

Julia Price, the admission counselor for transfer programs, said much of the admission process for transfer students is the same. The timeline is similar to new student applications for admittance and scholarship opportunities.

Price said often when transfer students come to Truman, they will individually meet with counselors so they can have a personal conversation about what that student is looking for.

Price said at the admission level, they try to mirror the personal connections students will make with their academic adviser, their student adviser or their professors.

“When I work with transfer students coming in, I connect with them when they come visit,” Price said, “The next time I see them, I remember their name, I remember what school they’re from and what they’re interested in and pieces from when we talked together …”

Transfer Programs Coordinator Ted Frushour helps the transfer student process at the Center for Academic Excellence. He manages relationships with community colleges, creates and improves programs with community colleges, ensures academic ease for transfer students, and even advise some of the them — specifically those who transferred to Truman from community colleges.

Frushour said there are several ways Truman tries to help transfer students succeed and feel comfortable at Truman including peer mentoring. Now it includes a transfer orientation which ensures transfer students know about the resources available to them, gives them an adviser in their department and one at the Center for Academic Excellence.

The TruMACC Transition Program is one of the programs designed to help students who plan to enroll at Truman upon finishing community college graduate from Truman within four years. Through this program, students enrolled at Moberly Area Community College have the opportunity to take one class at Truman per semester, which is especially helpful for those who want to major in a program not offered at MACC. Frushour said perhaps one of the best programs Truman offers to students is the opportunity to live in a Transfer Living Learning Community in Ryle Hall.

7

LLC’s are residence hallways that focus on a specific topic or identity for students to further bond with people in their residence life community.

“Our goal there is to have a place on campus for transfer students to live, if they want to, where they can meet people who are going through the same experience and create some community there,” Frushour said.

Frushour said he is working on updating program information for community colleges. He said this is so students and faculty at Truman and community colleges are best informed about what classes they should take to set themselves up for success if they transfer to Truman.

Ryle Hall Director Laina Porter said these past two years the LLC has thrived — especially under the leadership of its two returning student advisers, seniors Jake Francis and Amollie Stoermer.

Porter said as of right now, half of the transfer LLC aren’t filled with transfer students, and she hopes starting next year that will change.

“This year, our goal is to come up with a product to inform transfer students about the transfer LLC,” Porter said.

Porter said Francis and Stoermer are collecting testimonies from students who have lived in the transfer LLC to design a pamphlet for transfer students that will inform them of the benefits of living in the transfer student LLC. Stoermer was a transfer student and once lived in the transfer student LLC. Stoermer said the student advisers for that community in Ryle are mindful about the programming they provide for their students and the information they include when they decorate bulletin boards.

She said she remembered the comfort of coming to live in the transfer LLC and being with people who were learning about things such as JINS and the portfolio at the same time she was.

Stoermer said she was unaware of how many upper-level classes she would have to take to graduate from Truman, ultimately pushing her graduation back a year. Despite this, she said she also gained some great things from transferring to Truman from a community college.

“Having leadership opportunities at a community college helped me become more confident here in a larger setting,” Stoermer said. “Coming from a smaller setting, learning those leadership skills and getting a taste for what a college curriculum looks like and the standards you have to reach, really prepared me for how academically strenuous Truman is.”

Art gallery showcases faculty work

Top Left: Sooah Roh studies “The Decay of Gaia,” by Lindsey Dunnagan. The piece was made with watercolor and ink on top of clear acrylic and meant to represent the Earth as broken, polluted and changing.

Right: Matt Derezinski, art professor, explains his artwork to Amanda Langendoerfer and Kathleen Dusseault. Most of Derezinski’s work was made with textural and organic imagery.

Bottom Left: Students gathered in the Ophelia Parrish art gallery to see various types of artwork created by Truman art faculty. Faculty members that had artwork in the gallery other than Derezinski, included art professors Lindsey Dunnagan, Aaron Neeley, Russell Nelson and Wynne Wilbur.

Bottom Right: Freshmen Maggie Adams and Caroline Lesch touch the rocks included in the interactive sculpture display by Dunnagan. As a part of the display, spectators were invited to write on a rock something they were trying to release and place it in the display.

Photos by Daniel Degenhardt/TMN

The Index

8

Mental Health

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

“Don’t know how to help a friend who may be at risk for suicide? Attend one of the five Question, Persuade, Refer suicide prevention training sessions this Friday in SUB 3201 at 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. or 3:30 p.m.”

Tip of the Week

Courtesy of University Counseling Services

Students listen to local music groups at Aquadome

Photos by Rachel Fechter/TMN Left: Ursa Major, a local band from St. Louis, Missouri plays before American Basswood at The Aquadome.

Right: The show’s headlining band from Kirksville, American Basswood, plays songs off of their new album.

Questions on The Quad Where is the best place to study off campus?

“I really like studying outside. It gives me a chance to gather my thoughts, be present, and look around and relax a little bit.”

“Sweet Espressions. I love the smell of coffee.”

“So far it’s been the library or the study bubbles in the res hall. The study bubbles are really convenient and the library just gets you out of your dorm into new scenery, and it’s quiet.”

“Off-campus, I haven’t been to so many places, but some of the cafes are really cute.”

“I think it’s a pride thing and a history thing. I don’t necessarily think it’s a malicious thing. It might just be how they think they’re celebrating their culture.”

“Probably the library, because it’s quiet and comfortable.”

“Take Root Cafe because it’s cozy and has good hot drinks.”

“I think that they’re either uneducated ... about what the Confederate flag really means, or they have a lack of empathy for who the Confederate flag caused so much hurt for.”

“My friend Kathleen’s apartment because there’s four dogs to study with and help me destress.”

“I think because their parents, grandparents have taught them to stubbornly keep the flag up even though it represents a dark time in our country.”

DáJah Mosley, junior

Peyton Bell, freshman

Why do you think some people in Kirksville still fly the Confederate flag?

Where is the best place to study on campus?

“It gives a sense of ‘Southern pride’, but it’s hard to be proud of something when you don’t know what really occurred ... as a black woman it’s off putting and hard to be proud of something that would have made my ancestors suffer.”

Mary Van Winkle, sophomore

“I went to one of the corners in Pickler, and it was a great place to study.”

Josh Berglar, freshman

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The Index

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

9

‘Dogs look for first win at Stokes home opener Photo by Kennedy Martin/TMN The newly renovated turf and press box are officially open with just two days remaining until Truman football’s home opener Saturday, Sept. 16. The ‘Dogs practiced in the polished stadium for the first time Tuesday, Sept. 12, as they prepared the game plan for their first GLVC contest against the Missouri University of Science and Technology. and return game. He said the team focused better on the small details this time around.

BY JASE WILLHITE Staff Writer Although the Truman State University football team fell to its opponents in the first two games of the season, the players are eager to start conference play on a strong note at the newly-renovated Stokes Stadium.

The ‘Dogs fell 38-14 in their season opener to the Michigan Technological University Huskies in Houghton, Michigan, two weeks ago. The ‘Dogs started strong, keeping pace with the Huskies after sophomore Jaden Barr tied the game with a 75-yard dash to the end-zone. It would be the Bulldogs’ last score of the night.

Despite the rough start, Head Coach Gregg Nesbitt said the ‘Dogs came back and improved from the first game. They put up a better fight against the Morningside College Mustangs — ranked fourth in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics — but ultimately lost 35-30, despite a rally in the second half.

Nesbitt said he was pleased with the improvement.

“We improved significantly from week one to week two,” Nesbitt said. “We particularly seemed to find our way as a team in the second half of our game last week versus Morningside.”

Nesbitt said the team was consistent across the board, including a balanced offensive attack, a strong defense and an improved kicking

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Senior defensive lineman Brett Judkins said this week’s practice is going to be important for the ‘Dogs. He said any loss is tough on a team. He said teams can choose to lay down and keep taking the punches, or they can choose to move forward and take the next week at full speed.

“I think I’m speaking not only for myself but for the whole team that going into this week, we have a very focused and motivated mindset,” Judkins said.

“Coming off of two losses really brings out the competitiveness in everyone.”

Judkins said he is confident the team will translate a great week of practices into success in its first conference game Saturday.

Senior defensive back Ben Chaney said anything can happen on any given night. He said this will be true against Missouri University of Science and Technology based on the game against the Miners last season.

“Last year, S&T was a very competitive game, especially in the first half,” Chaney said. “They have a solid [quarterback] and a good receiving core that will challenge our secondary [defensive backs] on defense.”

The ‘Dogs will face off against Missouri S&T for their home opener at 7 p.m.

Sept. 16 at Stokes Stadium. The team expects a good turnout on Family Night.

The ‘Dogs look to repeat last year’s win against the Miners at Rolla, Missouri.

10

The Index

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

Women’s soccer looks for first win

had considerable playing time Sunday — a game in which two freshmen defenders Camryn Sprague and Leah Bolskar had starting positions. Cannon said the team is going to focus on building up experience for the freshmen and returners.

“We’re really trying to find our identity as a team ...”

- Head Coach Mike Cannon

Photo by Kennedy Martin/TMN Freshman midfielder Chance Douglass hustles to get to the ball before a defender in one of Truman’s preseason scrimmages this fall. The ‘Dogs have now played four scheduled matches, accumulating a record of 0-2-2 with an 0-1-1 record in GLVC play.

BY CURT WICHMER Staff Writer Coming off a 2-0 loss to Quincy University last Friday, the Truman State University women’s soccer team returned to Kirksville tied 1-1 Sunday in its home opener against University of Illinois-Springfield.

The Purple and White had a strong showing in the first half, allowing only three shots total — none were attempts to score. Despite not scoring in the first half, the Bulldogs kept the pressure on the UIS defense with three of their own shots toward the goal. Truman broke the deadlock less than a minute into the second

BROWN | Senior outside hitter Jasmine Brown focuses on her senior season despite flooding in her hometown.

Continued from Page 14 She said she wants to look back and know she left an impact on the team, beyond her stats and wins.

“Obviously, winning is a legitimate goal of mine this season, but aside from that, I want to leave a legacy behind,” Brown said. “I want to inspire the girls to look up to me and talk about me after I’m gone and talk about how I carried myself on and off the court.”

Since her freshman year, Brown has improved each season, and Head Coach Ben Briney said he attributes this to her gaining confidence.

During her freshman year, Briney said she was thrown into the fire — debuting her collegiate career against powerhouse Rockhurst University to take the place of injured player Allie Brak, then senior and All-American player.

“I think it goes back to her having that confidence that she can be a force at this level,” Briney said. “That’s been a huge part of her development, and it’s been great for her teammates, and it’s been great for the program.”

Briney said the team is looking forward to see what Brown has in store for her final collegiate season. He said he expects to see her play her best volleyball in the next four months.

Briney said starting last spring, Brown has really developed into a vocal leader on the team. She is the only graduating senior, but redshirt juniors Claire Wandrey and Holly Hildebrand were in her recruiting class. Brown said teammates look up to them, but she said there is no set leader. Brown said she will cherish the two GLVC Championships the team has won, but she will hold on to more than just that.

“In 10 years when I look back, I won’t remember game-winning points or sets, but the relationships I have formed with these girls,” Brown said. “That aspect is really important to me and something I will take away when I leave.”

The ’Dogs played in the Lindenwood Last Minute Challenge last weekend after not being able to travel to Florida because of Hurricane Irma. Truman is split 2-2 with wins against St. Mary’s University and West Texas A&M University. This weekend they travel to Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY, to open up GLVC play on Sept. 16.

half with a goal from senior midfielder Delaney Kooken, assisted by redshirt sophomore midfielder Erin Chynoweth. The Bulldogs kept their lead for another 25 minutes during the second half, until UIS evened the score with a goal of their own and forced overtime.

Head Coach Mike Cannon said the game against UIS was probably the most balanced match Truman has played this season. He said the team wants to follow through and capitalize on leads, but lead changes are rampant in sports. He said the momentum swung to Springfield this time, and the Bulldogs might have played it too safe when trying to break the tie. He

said a lot of the goals scored against the Bulldogs this season have resulted from small errors, but errors that can be corrected and controlled.

“Even in games where we’ve given up an early lead, we played really well for the opening 10 minutes,” Cannon said. “It’s just a matter of keeping consistent. Like any sport, there are momentum swings back and forth, and you don’t want the swing to be so much that they’re all over you and you’ve lost your rhythm completely…

There are still a lot of positives out of [Sunday]. We’re really trying to find our identity as a team, too.”

Cannon said the team’s seven freshmen have big shoes to fill and

Senior defender Caity Schmitt said the freshmen pulled their weight against UIS and nearly all of them got to participate in the game. She said a major reason the lead slipped from Truman was because the players were tired, and she said the hardworking freshmen will be a great addition to the team. She said a lot of practice will be needed going into this weekend against William Jewell College and Rockhurst University.

Schmitt said practices this week would be designed to physically and mentally challenge the team. “We’re going to work on our fitness, playing while we’re tired, definitely on shooting and scoring — after all, that’s how you win games. We’re just trying to stay really focused to try and get the win.”

Moving into this Friday’s match against William Jewell, senior midfielder Kelsey Murphy said the team is going to focus on working as a unit — by helping out teammates instead of defending only their own marks, and by being mobile with the ball and going on the attack. She said if the team focuses on unity on and off the field, other factors will fall into place.

Truman hosts two home games this weekend, Friday against William Jewell and Sunday against Rockhurst. The 0-2-2 Bulldogs are looking to snag their first win of the season, and the Bulldogs are looking to improve their conference standing from 0-1-1.

COLUMN | Staff writer discusses the responsibility of older siblings to set an example for younger siblings as they embrace their role in their athletic careers.

Continued from Page 12 Most importantly, I can show Kate and others how to be thankful because there are so many young athletes out there begging to be in our position.

Yes, being a Hawkeye was my dream at one time, but it’s not my reality nor my purpose. Though Div. I comes with the “fame and fortune,” that lifestyle is not for me. Attending a school with 40,000 plus undergrad-

uate students? No, thank you. That school would swallow me whole. In fact, this visit made me appreciate Truman even more. I realized how grateful I am that my professors all know me by name, and I’ve been able to develop friendships in my small major classes.

Playing basketball at Truman has put me in the position to create countless memories and take advantage of opportunities that would not have been available if I were playing at the next level. Don’t get me wrong, I am extremely passionate about the game, but having summers off as a Div. II athlete has allowed me to do so much more than just basketball, such as a lifechanging study abroad program and an internship that will benefit me in my future career and always hold a special place in my heart.

Knowing what I know now, these are things I would not be willing to give up. Kate, on the other hand, she belongs at a school like Iowa and will not be swallowed up by such an environment but will rise above the rest.

I know Kate will thrive at Iowa because, for her, basketball is her life, and she hopes to play professionally one day before eventually using her degree. As for me, I realize I’m not a first-round draft pick for the WNBA, or even a pick at all.

Truman has been such an incred-

ible experience, and I am so thankful for Head Coach Amy Eagan giving me the opportunity to learn and to grow not only as a basketball player, but as a future employee and even better person. I’ve found my purpose in my four years as a Bulldog, and this last year I will wear Truman across my chest more proudly and gratefully than ever before.

After seeing the ear-to-ear grin on my sister’s face last weekend as she put on her Hawkeye jersey for the first time, the initial jealousy was overcome with immense pride and happiness for my not-so-little sis. It’s bittersweet that as I end my collegiate career as a Bulldog, Kate will just be beginning her’s as a Hawkeye.

I feel I can finally relax as an older sister because though her left-hand hook shot is strong, her character is even stronger. Yes, Kate is a naturallygifted athlete, but she is more than talent. Kate’s purpose as a college basketball player might be to go down in history as one of the best players to step foot in Carver Arena — and, as her biggest fan, I hope she does.

More importantly, I hope she will continue to show others “how it’s done” in regards to character, and I already know she is on her way to leading a legacy of hard work and selflessness as a Hawkeye.

The Index

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

Clark begins inaugural season in pros

11

BY PATRICK PARDO Staff Writer After her two seasons as a Bulldog, Truman State University alumna Cassidy Clark has taken her talents overseas to play professional basketball with the Avides Hurricanes in Germany.

Clark signed her contract in the summer. While it has been different playing basketball in a foreign country, she said she is enjoying the experience over there.

“My teammates are amazing,” Clark said. “The organization I play for is so supportive. I feel bad for admitting this, but I’m not even a little homesick. Of course I miss everyone back home, but I really do love it here.”

Naturally, Clark had to alter her approach to basketball to fit play in Germany. She said the style of play is slower, even though the shot clock is only 24 seconds. Clark said she expects to play against women who are larger than herself. She said she will have to adapt to the physical game to keep these players out of the lane. Clark said these differences in playing style have improved her overall game.

“The game is also way more physical,” Clark said. “I swear you can actually jump on someone’s back to get the rebound.”

Clark said she is playing more frequently outside the perimeter and taking more shots from that range.

On and off the court, Clark said she has run into a few cultural barriers.

Clark said she likes the facilities in Germany, even though the gyms are different from what can be found in America.

She said the floors are rubber and the gyms are smaller.

“My teammates all speak a little English, but outside of basketball it’s hard to communicate,” Clark said. “I get really nervous when I have to order food at a restaurant.”

Junior forward Rachel Edmundson said Clark has left her mark on the Bulldogs. She said Clark was a confident leader and worked hard when pursuing a championship.

“She is one of my favorite teammates ever, and I wouldn’t pick anyone else to go out and compete with every day,” Edmundson said.

Edmundson said Clark has the capacity to get even better. She said she is looking forward to see Clark’s professional career continue.

Clark led the team in scoring, rebounds and blocks as a senior last season, after she transferred from Kirkwood Community College. Senior forward Ashley Hartwig said Clark will develop into a better player and teammate from her time overseas. “[Clark] was already a skilled player coming into Truman, but with her passion for basketball she was really open-minded and willing to learn more,” Hartwig said.

“I’m so proud of her progress and can’t wait to hear about her success overseas.”

Photos submitted by Cassidy Clark Top: Clark, back row in the far right, takes a photo with her team on media day. Clark has been adjusting to life playing overseas, including the gyms, language and style of play.

Bottom: Clark signs her contract with the Avides Hurricanes in Truman women’s basketball Head Coach Amy Eagan’s office. Clark led the team in various categories in her farewell season with the Bulldogs, including points, rebounds and blocks.

Men’s soccer seeks advantage of experience and depth

BY PAUL PROVINCE Staff Writer The Truman State University men’s soccer team has begun revisiting conference rivals after a challenging start to

its schedule that involved playing two nationally-ranked opponents — Lindenwood University — St. Charles, Mo.— and Saginaw Valley State University.

Neither of the games went the way the Bulldogs hoped, but the Bulldogs

Photo Submitted by Kennedy Martin/TMN The soccer team participates in drills during practice last week. The ‘Dogs have opened 2017 with a 1-4 record overall, and 0-2 in GLVC play.

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applied these lessons in the team’s third and final nonconference game when they beat Southwestern Baptist University 4-0.

“The preseason really gives us time to figure out the team and figure out our chemistry,” senior forward Jeremy Rehagen said. “Every time we play we get a better feel for where everyone fits best.”

Redshirt junior defender Brain Kane said the Bulldogs know what they need to succeed, with a majority of the team consisting of juniors and seniors, however, there are always newcomers who are ready to fill the shoes of the upperclassmen when they leave. The starting lineup is mostly comprised of returners, but freshman midfielder Ryan Stites traveled and saw some playing time during the preseason.

“Right now, we have a lot of older guys on the team,” Kane said. “It’s difficult to get them into the rotation with so many experienced players here, but they’ll get to watch and learn, and they will get chances to contribute down the road.”

Key players have started to emerge showing their leadership and desire to succeed even though the season has just begun. Some players who have stepped up include redshirt freshman defender Zach Vahlkamp, redshirt junior midfielder Tyler Nord and Rehagen.

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Senior defender Nicholas Klemm said the team has shown a lot of balance so far. He said many players have come off the bench to contribute.

“Players who haven’t seen a lot of minutes in years past are coming into big games and putting in a lot of minutes,” Klemm said Rehagen said the team is optimistic about the future and plans on doing everything possible to improve as the season progresses. He said their current focus are to keep high intensity from start to finish of games and to minimize errors.

“We want to come out of the gate firing,” Rehagen said. “We have to keep that energy throughout and play hard every minute.”

The Bulldogs believe they can continue that style of play with a deep roster. Kane said another important area of improvement is the team’s ability to get results on the road and at home.

Kane said the team has to work hard to avoid losses. He said this will come into play when the conference tournament rolls around.

“Of course, we have to be able to defend our home turn,” Kane said.

“When teams come to Kirksville, it’s our job to defend the fort and get the results we want.”

The Bulldogs have an upcoming home game at noon Sept. 17 against former nationally-ranked Rockhurst University.

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12

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

Photo by Truman Athletics Senior outside hitter Jasmine Brown take a kill attempt in a match last season. Brown returns to Truman as the lone senior for Bulldog volleyball after finishing 2016 with a red hot kill percentage of .351 and being named Second Team All-GLVC.

Houston native reflects on flooding, focuses on season

BY STEPHANIE HULETT AND JEREMY JACOB Staff Writer, Sports Multimedia Editor Jasmine Brown — Texas native and lone senior for Truman State University volleyball — looks to leave a legacy behind, despite the destruction in her hometown of Houston from Hurricane Harvey.

Brown said these last couple weeks have been hard on her, with her hometown facing this extreme level of devastation from Hurricane Harvey. Fortunately for Brown, her family and her home were not severely affected by the flooding, but the floods did impact her neighborhood. Brown said she has to momentarily forget the problems at home to focus at practice.

“It was a struggle because I was constantly worried about the safety of my family, my friends and my entire hometown,” Brown said. “I was wondering, ‘Will Houston even be there when I get back?’”

Brown said she first found out about the hurricane and its projected path on Twitter two days prior to its impact with Houston. She said she called her mother to warn her of the impending storm. She said her mother insisted her family would be fine, but Brown still worried for their safety.

“I was wondering, ‘will Houston even be there when I get back?’”

- Senior Jasmine Brown

Brown said she continued calling friends and family before the hurricane to make sure they had taken the necessary precautions like having nonperishable food, water and the emergency numbers they could call in the event of distress. She said she had difficulty reaching her mother during and after the hurri-

cane because of the damaged cell phone towers. She said her immediate and extended family are all safe from the catastrophe.

Brown said the water rose about 6-7 feet in her neighborhood. She said she is thankful her house is elevated so the water didn’t get into the house. She said there were other places around the city that weren’t so fortunate, like the many bypasses that are no longer visible under the water.

“There were a lot of unrecognizable places around the city,” she said.

“It literally looked like ocean. You couldn’t see anything.”

Brown said her confidence and the experience she gained from Truman’s volleyball program shaped her into the player she is today.

Brown earned Second-Team All Conference honors last season, while racking up a career high of 234 kills in the ‘Dogs’ 2016 championship winning season — 101 more kills than the year before.

See BROWN, Page 12

“Show them how it’s done:” advice to my Hawkeye.

BY KENNEDY MARTIN Staff Writer Last weekend, I joined my sister, Kate Martin, on her official basketball visit to the University of Iowa. It was truly special experiencing this milestone with her, but I couldn’t help but feel a touch of jealousy toward my sister.

All our lives, we both wanted to play basketball for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes. We attended the University of Iowa women’s basketball camp every summer since I was nine years old and my sister five.

We knew all the players by name and number. We worshipped the coaches, and it was our dream to one day compete in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Naturally, I contemplated the purpose of my rocky career as a Div. II basketball player who’s rarely seen the floor on game day.

I think the jealousy factor stems from my role as the older sister.

The oldest child almost instinctively wants to be the best — and typically is for the majority of childhood — and wants to show younger siblings “how it’s done.” But how do I teach my younger sister how a left-handed hook shot is done when her’s is better than mine now?

After last weekend of celebrating Kate, I started reflecting upon my own basketball career, and I came to a enlightening realization — there is more to basketball than making a hook shot. There’s so much you can teach your sibling — or anyone for that matter — that has nothing to do with skill or athletic ability. Character can be taught, and it’s what gave me purpose as a Div. II college basketball player.

My purpose isn’t to go to Iowa and play basketball like Kate. My purpose is to be a Truman State University Bulldog, to set the standard high for hard work and to help create a team culture of selflessness in the Truman women’s basketball program. Maybe I was meant to show my sister and my teammates “how it’s done” regardless of my talent, playing time or accolades.

Maybe I was meant to show them what hard work, grit and determination look like, even when things don’t go your way — to show that it’s alright to fall, but you must pick yourself back up. My dad always said to not only “rub some dirt on it,” but also “rub a brick on it” to show your toughness. I want to show them how to be the best teammate possible, cheering even louder for teammates that I directly compete with for playing time. I can show them how to be coachable and how to treat coaches and teammates with respect, even if there’s disagreement with what they do or say.

See COLUMN, Page 12

VOLUME 109

Issue 4

tmn.truman.edu

Photo by Truman Athletics Senior staff writer and Truman women’s basketball player Kennedy Martin poses with younger sister Kate on her official recruiting visit at the University of Iowa.

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