A Glimpse into the Past
During an 11-day trip, George F. Nason III and his wife, Pat, made a stop in Kirksville, Mo. to visit the Truman campus in October. George has the honor of being the great-grandson of William Pinckney Nason, the second president of Truman State University.The Nasons had never been to Kirksville, so when they planned a trip visiting relatives in the area, they made a stopover at Truman State University part of their itinerary. "We wanted to make the trip to visit relatives both alive and dead," said Pat. Although George and Pat were aware of their connection to the University, they had little information about the school. "We had no knowledge of all this, so it has been a treat. It is wonderful for us and for our children." Although none of their four children attended Truman, Pat said, "We have three grandchildren and maybe we can encourage them to attend here."
While visiting the campus, George and Pat were discovered by Dr. Patricia Burton, associate professor of philosophy, who offered some advice when she learned about their mission. "Dr. Burton said Special Collections in the Pickler Memorial Library was the place to go," said George. With the aid of the campus library staff, the Nasons spent several hours sifting through letters and documents learning about the role of George's great-grandfather in the history of the University. They also spent some time with President Magruder and visited the residence hall that bears the family name, Nason Hall.
W. P. Nason was associated with the Normal School (now Truman State University) for almost two decades. He was a member of the faculty, and from 1881 to 1882, he served as president. In Dr. Walter H. Ryle's book, Centennial History of the Northeast Missouri State Teachers College, W. P. Nason is described as a strict disciplinarian, "but in spite of his severe manner, he was greatly loved and adored . . ." After leaving the school's faculty in 1887, W. P. Nason took up pastoral work until 1892. He died in 1909.
Almost 50 years later, W. P. Nason's great-grandson, George Nason, graduated from Georgia Tech (1957). George went on to receive a master's degree from the University of Southern California, and is currently an electrical engineer for Lockheed Martin. George and Pat live in Melbourne, Fla.
An artist's legacy lives on
Nearly ten years ago, Dr. James A. Harmon, associate professor of art history, began researching the works of William E. Unger. Today, Harmon has collected more than 70 paintings, pastels, drawings and prints, which were on display during the William E. Unger Retrospective Exhibition. The exhibition ran from Sept. 21 through Oct. 25, on the Truman campus.
The lives of many art students, colleagues and friends were touched by Unger during his tenure on the faculty at Truman State University from 1960 to 1979. Unger was born in 1914 in Graz, Austria, and studied at the University of Vienna, the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts and the Pedagogical University in Karlsruhe, Germany. He also worked as a free-lance artist and a portraitist. Winston Churchill was among the many important people he painted. The Austrian-American painter died in August of 1980, however, he is still remembered for his unique qualities as a teacher and an artist.
In addition to his teaching, Unger contributed mural paintings to the Kirksville community and the University campus. More than 20 of Unger's works are in Truman's permanent collection. Truman State University and The William E. Unger Retrospective Fund Committee established the William E. Unger Retrospective Fund to honor and promote Unger's teaching ideals. The exhibition was made possible through private donations and with the support of the Austrian Cultural Institute in New York.
The William E. Unger Exhibition catalog and videotape A 48-page exhibition catalog with 90 color photos is available for a donation of $15 or more. In addition, a one-hour VHS videotape is also available for donations of $25 or more. The videotape shows the grand opening, the exhibit lecture, and a tour of the exhibit conducted by Dr. James A. Harmon. All proceeds from the catalog and videotape go to endowments to benefit Truman students. For more information, contact Dr. Harmon at 660-785-4087; fax 660-785-7463.
Nursing Seniors Study Abroad
This summer, ten senior nursing majors represented the University during a study-abroad course in the Philippines. Kit Hadwiger, assistant professor of nursing, coordinated her second study-abroad trip for "Transcultural Nursing Experience in the Philippines." The students, Rebecca Borgmann, Amy Bragg, Rachelle Collinge, Christina Davis, Heather Greene, Andrea Menke, Patricia Morgan, Kelly Morrow, and Angela Snodgrass, spent three weeks in the Pacific Island country investigating the health-care system and nursing practices.
Wanted: Distinguished Scholars
The Distinguished Visiting Scholars Program is a new initiative to enhance campus life by attracting speakers, artists, musicians, and researchers to share their knowledge and experiences. Truman students and faculty will have the opportunity to interact with the visiting scholars on a number of levels. For instance, some of the guests may give classroom lectures or provide a major address in Baldwin Hall Auditorium. Others may participate in intimate discussion groups.The Distinguished Visiting Scholars Program Committee invited recommendations from faculty and students and plans to identify one or two distinguished scholars who can visit Truman for at least three days or for a series of shorter visits throughout the semester.
Funding for the program was provided as part of the Mission Enhancement Proposal contained in the University Master Plan. The program was endorsed by the General Assembly for a total of $500,000 after a four-year phase-in period.
For more information on the program, contact the Distinguished Visiting Scholars Program Committee, c/o Vice President for Academic Affairs Office, McClain Hall 203, 100 E. Normal St., Kirksville, Mo. 63501.
Bringing Fine Arts Together Under One Roof
Groundbreaking for the renovation and new additions to the Ophelia Parrish building will soon take place. For the first time in almost thirty years, all of the Division of Fine Arts will be housed under one roof on campus. Previously, the division was scattered throughout Barnett Hall, Ophelia Parrish, and Baldwin Hall. However, renovation plans for the Ophelia Parrish building are designed to handle all of the specific needs of Fine Arts in one location.The renovated Ophelia Parrish building will house classrooms, alternate gallery space, art studios, shops, practice rooms, an instrumental rehearsal room, a choral rehearsal room, and computer-aided design rooms. After the renovation, the building will also include an art gallery, a theatre, the Black Box Theatre, an acting studio, and a music performance hall, as well as faculty and the Division of Fine Arts offices. The building will include state-of-the-art equipment and everything needed to teach music, art, and theatre.
The new design incorporates the latest technology for teaching, performing, and creating. "For the first time ever, we will have facilities designed for what we do in Fine Arts," says Robert Jones, head of the Division of Fine Arts, "we will have music spaces that are acoustically correct, theatre facilities that we designed specifically for theatrical productions, and art facilities that are designed as studios and not just multipurpose classrooms."
The newly designed Ophelia Parrish facility will not replace Baldwin Auditorium as the public venue for University performances other than those in Fine Arts. When the Division of Fine Arts vacates Baldwin Hall, the Divisions of Language and Literature, Social Science, and Science will gain much needed space for their respective programs.
Funding for the Ophelia Parrish project was approved over three years as a part of the regular appropriations/capital improvements process. For fiscal year 1996, $956,100 in funds were appropriated for the planning and design. During Phase I of the project for fiscal year 1997, $8 million was allotted and another $11.46 million was assigned for Phase II in fiscal year 1998. The completion date for the Ophelia Parrish project is targeted for April 2001.
Crabb Named Missouri Professor of the Year
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching named Dr. R. Paul Crabb, associate professor of music, as the 1998 Missouri Professor of the Year. Currently, Crabb is on sabbatical for the academic year. He is studying the German language and researching Mozart at Salzburg College in Salzburg, Austria, the birthplace of Mozart.
Crabb joined the music faculty at Truman in 1991. He holds a bachelor's degree from Wichita State University and a doctorate from Florida State University. Students recognized Crabb's teaching through his selection as Truman's 1997 Educator of the Year. Crabb also received the 1997 Governor's Award for Excellence in Teaching.
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) established the Professor of the Year Program in 1981 and works in cooperation with the Carnegie Foundation and various higher education associations in its administration. Truman's Yinfa Ma, associate professor of chemistry, and Dean Van Galen, associate professor of chemistry and chief advancement officer, were honored as the 1996 and 1991 Missouri Professors of the Year, respectively.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, a policy center located in Princeton, N.J., is devoted to strengthening America's schools and colleges. CASE is an international association of colleges, universities, and secondary schools.
Students reach out through Tel Alumni
After narrowing down the field from approximately 100 applicants, 40 Truman students were selected to participate in the 1998 fall campaign for Tel Alumni. The project takes place twice a year, once in the fall, with another round scheduled for the spring season. During the seven-week Tel Alumni fall campaign, which runs from Oct. 18 to the first week in December, the student callers will phone Truman alumni, parents and friends to update address, employment and e-mail information and also to ask for gifts to the Truman State University Foundation. The Foundation administers private gifts to the University to support and enhance the University's educational mission. Tel Alumni also provides constituents with an opportunity to ask questions and catch up on recent news about Truman State University.
Contributions from alumni and parents provide a variety of benefits to Truman students. More than 200 Truman students receive scholarships each year, and student loans are provided for computers, research opportunities, and study abroad. Computer and technology improvements for students are also funded by contributions, as are cultural programs, including the popular Kohlenberg Lyceum Series and the state-of-the-art technology and resources located on campus in Pickler Memorial Library. Support for Truman's nine academic divisions, guest lectures, and faculty development workshops continues to enhance teaching and learning through the support of Tel Alumni. Tel Alumni also offers students an opportunity to gain valuable experience and increase their work skills. Laura Cook, manager of the annual fund and organizer of Tel Alumni, said, "Many students receive tips about employment opportunities and some even get job offers through the contacts they make while working on Tel Alumni."
During the fall Tel Alumni campaign, 40 student callers are contacting 10,000 alumni, parents, and friends with a goal of raising $330,000 in pledges. The next Tel Alumni session is scheduled for Jan. 24 through Feb. 25, 1999.
Communications Disorders Program
Receives Continued Accreditation
The Division of Human Potential and Performance at Truman received notification of continued accreditation for its Communications Disorders Program by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).The accreditation for the program, received initially in 1971, is based on several factors, such as the academic preparation and the clinical experiences provided by the curriculum. As part of the process, it must be clearly identified that all students in the program have a broad liberal arts and sciences background. In addition, the students must be closely supervised when engaged in clinical practice, and the program must demonstrate that it maintains accurate records of each student's progress. Although the program is accredited until the year 2001, it is evaluated on an ongoing basis, and a report must be submitted each year. Furthermore, the program must demonstrate that it is in full compliance with the professional (ASHA) code of conduct.
Having the accreditation enables the Communications Disorders Program to be nationally competitive. "Our students enjoy a very high level of academic understanding and receive comprehensive clinical training," says Dr. Cornelis Koutstaal, head of the Division of Human Potential and Performance. Dr. Koutstaal added, "It also means that our graduates have an easier way to get licensed to practice in the state." The job placement rate for the Communications Disorders Program at Truman is 100%, and graduates are placed in hospitals, schools, clinics, rehabilitation programs and HMOs.
Parents Council Project:
Keeping up with Technology
Following the successful campaign of the Parents Council Project last year, Truman parents are organizing once again to raise money to help students. The Parents Council met on campus Oct. 10 to discuss plans for the 1998-99 Parents Council Project. The goal is to raise money for a fleet of laptop computers, complete with projection systems. The laptops will be available for students to check out and use for group presentations or individual projects. The project also included new computers for the residence halls, making computer access even easier on campus. The demand for these items continues to grow, and with the support of Truman parents, the University can keep pace with ongoing technological advances to aid students.Last year, parents of Truman students showed record support during the Tel-Alumni season. Truman students made calls for gifts to the Parent Gift Campaign and received more than $54,000 in pledges to equip a newly constructed computer multimedia laboratory in Violette Hall. The Parents Council Project Computer Lab, featuring new high-powered multimedia computers, will be open for use when classes begin in Violette Hall. A plaque has been placed on the wall outside the room to acknowledge the generosity of Truman parents.
Members of the Parents Council: (front row, left to right) Ruth Bush, Doug Bush, Millie Schell, Gary Schell, Wanda Woods, Tim Woods, Carol Askew; (middle row, left to right) Ted Ayres, Marcia Ayres, Ray Price, Susan Price, Bill Quigley ('71), Becky Quigley ('69), Brad Westre, Barb Westre; (back row, left to right) Ana Poehling, Jim Poehling, Rita Padberg, Gary Padberg ('73), Nancy Wilson, Dick Wilson, Kate Haggans, Michael Haggans; (not pictured: John Askew, Bob Marischen, Michelle Marischen, Charles May and Loistine May).
Features | Around the Quad | Foundation News
Spo rts | Alumni News
Winter 1998 - Vol. 3. No. 2
Features
Bud Hunter
Homecoming 1998
Preparing Teachers
Violette Hall Renovation
Departments
Around the Quad
Foundation News
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Alumni News
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