The Index Vol. 114 Issue 7

Truman State University

TRUMAN TO HOUSE KRAFT HEINZ EMPLOYEES

GENEVIEVE TLUSTOS Editor-in-Chief

Truman State University’s residence building Centennial Hall will temporarily house Kraft Heinz employees from Guam and Hawaii, according to a City of Kirksville press release.

The housing is for a two-month term while the workers find permanent housing in Kirksville. According to the press release, the workers will take a one-credit class to help them become familiar with and have a smooth transition into living in the area.

Typically groups of only 20-25 workers will be living in the hall at a time, said Public Relations Director Travis Miles via email.

There will not be a student adviser living in the hall, said Tyana Lange, vice president for enrollment management and marketing.

Centennial Hall was closed for the 20222023 academic year because of lower student demand and upcoming renovations.

The agreement will last for one year, at the end of which they may renew the agreement, said University General Counsel Amy Clendennen. Either party can also terminate the agreement at any time with 30 days’ notice, but the students currently in the hall will be able to remain until the end of their two-month term.

Lange said the hope was that employees would stay in the area longterm and that she was excited about the opportunity for Truman to be a partner in the community.

University President Sue Thomas said even if the employees do not end up working at the Kraft plant long term, she hopes they will stay in the area.

“I think that what Truman and Kraft and the city of Kirksville have is a willingness to work together and partner in

Campus sees water damage

SETH JARVIS Staff Writer

such a way that doesn’t always exist in a community,” Lange said. “I actually kind of like being on the cutting edge of this because I think that if it’s going to work any place, it’s going to work here because of the relationships and the partnerships and the communication that we have between all of the players.”

DPS begins use of body worn cameras New provost selected

GENEVIEVE TLUSTOS Editor-in-Chief

Truman State University’s Department of Public Safety has begun to use body worn cameras to increase professionalism and transparency, DPS Chief Sara Seifert said.

The cameras were purchased through a federal “Small, Rural, Tribal Body-Worn Camera” grant program specifically intended for agencies with less than 50 officers, Seifert said.

DPS officers began using the cameras about a week ago.

DPS was one of 20 to receive a perfect score on the grant process out of 300 or 400 departments to apply, said Lieutenant Jeremy Cordray.

Cordray applied for the grant on behalf of the department about a year ago. Seifert said the department received the grant during the fall, they ordered the cameras during November, received them during December and began using them during January.

Seifert said it was a proactive effort to be transparent. If the Truman community has any doubts about DPS’s actions, they can pull up camera footage for the community to know what kinds of services they are providing.

Another reason the department wanted cameras is for documentation and evidence. Seifert said the cameras are also a great way to deescalate situations.

“I feel like if people know that they’re being videotaped and that [there is] the potential for the whole world to see it, one the officer’s going to perform better, and two, if the community that we come into contact with knows that they are being taped, I think verbal deescalation will work better,” Seifert said.

The Kirksville Police and Sheriff’s Departments, the Adair County Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol all received body cameras before DPS because of their bigger budgets, Seifert said.

SETH JARVIS Staff Writer

Truman State University has hired Eric Freedman to serve as the next executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. His start date is still to be determined.

Freedman has held several leadership roles at various public and private higher educational institutions across the United States. Freedman said his first administrative role was at Florida Atlantic University. He was the associate director of the school of communication and multimedia study for 15 years. Later in his career at FAU, he became the assistant dean of the college of arts and letters, where he was responsible for overseeing a broad range of academic programs.

After leaving FAU during 2012, he began working as the dean of the Knight School of Communication at Queen University of Charlotte, a small private college in North Carolina. During 2016, he moved to Columbia College in Chicago, where he serves as the dean of the School of Media Arts. There he oversees programs in media, communications and information.

Freedman said his role at Columbia, similar to Truman, has focused much on the institution’s role in the broader Chicago area. Much of his work has focused on making Columbia a regional partner for the greater Chicago area, working to develop and support the city while also providing greater social and economic

The new provost Eric Freedman works at Columbia College. He said he is excited to work at Truman because of it’s well-rounded liberal arts education. Submitted photo

opportunity and mobility for students attending the college.

He has worked to create partnerships with organizations ranging from local community groups, regional industries, businesses and other educational institutions to accomplish this goal, Freedman said. He said one reason he is excited to come to Truman is it provides a well-rounded liberal arts education for students, allowing them to develop a multitude of in-demand skills regardless of which program they focus their studies on.

Truman State University staff removed thousands of gallons of water from the Student Union Building and Violette Hall on Christmas Eve and into the early morning hours of Christmas Day. Other isolated water damage occurred across campus, with the most destructive event destroying the student recreation center gymnasium floor.

Lieutenant Jeremy Cordray wears a new body camera. The cameras will document evidence.

Photo Illustration by Genevieve Tlustos

Many staff members worked to clear the water. A professional restoration company assisted in repairs. Submitted photo

“Little Big Band” showcases original music

Tim AuBuchon speaks to the audience. AuBuchon is the Truman jazz studies director.

The “Little Big Band” performs in Ophelia Parrish. The event took place Sunday Jan. 22. Photos by Alexander Walcott

John Kizilarmut plays the drums for “Litle Big Band.” The band was made up of professional musicians from Missouri and Truman students.

Pianist Ken Kehner plays during the performance. The nonet featured nine musicians.

Jeff Harshbarger plays the bass. The concert took place in Ophelia Parrish.

Tim AuBuchon, Lauren Peck and Sam Weaver perform in Ophelia Parrish. AuBuchon presented a program of original music.

KRAFT HEINZ| City approached Truman with idea to temporarily house workers from Guam, Hawaii

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Lange said the factory has over 100 unfilled jobs and that if Kraft Heinz can’t fill them, they might move their Kirksville-based line of production, which would be detrimental to the area and therefore to Truman.

“I’ve explained to people that if Truman says we’re really going to support Kirksville, our hometown, we must do more than, for example, putting purple flags on Baltimore, painting windows on the square, inviting people to come to events on campus and doing $5 Fridays in the dining halls,” Thomas said. “While all of these things are important, if we’re going to talk the talk about supporting Kirksville we must also walk the walk and do things that make a real impact in supporting the area,” Thomas said.

Lange said the unemployment rate in the Kirksville area is low, so they are not concerned about the new employees taking away local jobs.

For a cohort of 20 students using the regular rates for room and board at a monthly rate, the income would be $46,400 for their two-month stay, said Dave Rector, vice president for administration, finance and planning, with about one-third of that money going to food costs. Kraft will pay the cost for the individual’s room and food and will also make sure all the students have basic living supplies such as towels and bedsheets.

“We really aren’t doing this to make money, frankly. $46,000 dollars every couple months is great but a third of that is going to cover food costs,” said Rector. “Part of our mission really is supporting the community and the region, and so we saw it as a way, since we had Centennial Hall shut down right now, a way we could help them out and help the community out.”

Rector said there would be some cost in getting rooms ready and they ensured they would be able to get some income out of the partnership. The planned reno-

vations for Centennial had already been postponed because the price of the bid had doubled, and will not begin until they see how the partnership goes.

Lange said there also was no incentive for Truman to have a higher headcount number and that the students won’t significantly affect the more important freshmen cohort or full time equivalent numbers.

Thomas said the City of Kirksville approached Truman with the idea in September, and the only reason Truman administration considered it was because Centennial Hall was open.

“We started having conversations pretty early on in our discussions about how we could most effectively help people transition to the community,” Thomas said. “We want them to come here and fall in love with it like we do and stay. We want them to bring their families and become members of our community. For all of us in the partnership, it was more than just how does Kraft Heinz get people here to work in their plant.”

Thomas discussed it with Truman’s executive leadership team, but information about the agreement was disclosed on a very limited basis since it was in negotiation and wasn’t just Truman’s information to share.

“There’s this balance of figuring out yes can we do it but you can’t work out too many details and share with the world and get input from the world especially when you’re dealing with a company like Kraft that is a private company and doesn’t want their information there until you have an agreement,” Lange said.

Thomas said she spoke with the head of faculty senate, staff council and Student Government, who also kept the information confidential. She also kept Truman’s Board of Governors up to date. She said so far she hasn’t gotten much direct feedback from the Truman community.

An employee at Kraft moved to Kirksville from Micronesia and said it is difficult to move beyond living paycheck to paycheck because of their high cost of living, Lange said. The employee said people from the area might want to move to Kirksville to live a middle class lifestyle and have more opportunities to save and get a good education.

The students who are part of the agreement will have access to the dining halls, recreation facilities and any other resources available to full-time students, Lange said. These are mostly areas already available to the public or other non-degree-seeking students.

Lange said Truman students are welcoming to a wide variety of diverse populations and she didn’t anticipate any issues with discrimination.

While Residence Life had at one point discussed the possibility of having a student adviser in the hall for the program’s students, they decided against it, Lange said. The students will only be there for

two months, they’ll be working a lot of the time, they’ll have their own shift leader and Kraft Heinz will provide a lot of the support an SA would.

Thomas said that given all of the safeguards, she doesn’t have concerns about the students bringing risk to the campus.

Lange said the program is not that different from other non-degree-seeking programs, such as agreements with high schools for dual enrollment. Truman currently has a program where Moberly Area Community College students who are non-degree-seeking students at Truman can live on campus, Lange said.

Clendennen said the agreement itself was different because it took place with a corporation instead of a school. Clendennen said the University will have to be flexible and learn as they go since it is a new type of arrangement.

The proposition was a little bit risky, Clendennen said, so she wanted to make sure the University was protected before she would approve an agreement. She said she got everything she wanted Truman to have in the agreement, including ensuring the students would undergo background checks and had to comply with the same policies full-time students comply with.

“I did a fair amount of research trying to find whether anything like this exists, and I wasn’t able to find anything similar to it, which is cool in a way that we’re doing something that’s really pioneering in a lot of ways,” Clendennen said.

“My focus or priority I guess is just to make sure that we treat them the same as we would any other student,” Clendennen said.

Clendennen said if a student needed to be removed from the residence hall it would be Kraft’s responsibility.

The students will be responsible for following Truman’s student code of conduct, Kraft Heinz’s code of conduct, residence life rules, undergo a Truman background check, a Kraft Heinz background check and drug testing, Thomas said, which is more than anyone else has to do to live on campus.

Lange said Kraft Heinz has the expectation most employees participating in the program will be under the age of 30 and that this appears to be the case so far. This is because Guam and Hawaii have matriarchal societies where those women are interested in opportunities to better their lives and their families’ lives.

“Ultimately this population tends … to be very open to education,” Lange said. “They’re really passionate about it, and so I anticipate that family members would be very interested in coming to Truman to go to school, so I would be excited for that opportunity for us to open a pipeline for not just Kraft employees but for traditional high school age graduating seniors to come to Truman.”

Rector said Truman is not trying to compete with local landlords since the housing is transitional and the employees will move on to permanent housing after.

Lange said if the agreement works here, it could set a precedent for other communities to work together better. She said this is an excellent opportunity to be innovative and change lives and that hopefully other communities could adopt similar agreements.

Thomas said it’s difficult to say if there could be other agreements like this in the future, considering there’s only one company the size of Kraft Heinz in the area. She said they will see if it works well or needs modifications and go from there.

PROVOST| Freedman says his goals are driven by student success

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Freedman said one of the reasons he decided to work at Truman was a desire to return to work at a residential, public university. He said residential universities provide an environment forming academic communities where classroom experiences can be tied to activities outside lecture halls. College towns such as Kirksville provide an environment for students to further grow and develop academically with each other.

“All of my goals are driven by student success,” Freedman said. “What are the existing interdisciplinary branches and how do we either create new ones or strengthen the existing interdisciplinary branches?”

Freedman said he hopes to ensure the University continues adapting and growing to ensure students are ready to begin their careers upon graduation. He said he looks forward to working with everyone at the institution.

Senior Kennedy Cooper, president of Student Government, said the administration consulted Student Government during the process of selecting someone for the role. Student Government members received the resumes of the various candidates and were also invited to the forums hosted to interview the candidates. Cooper said she attended every forum available to her.

Cooper said she was impressed with Freedman’s unique perspective on the role and his attempts to establish connections between educational institutions and the surrounding communities.

Centennial Hall was originally closed for renovations and low enrollment. The Kraft Heinz employees will live in Centennial Hall. Photo by Emily Collins

Freedman’s start date is yet to be determined. He said he is looking forward to working with everyone at Truman. Submitted photo

Truman is charging regular rates for room and board to Kraft Heinz. A third of the money will go to cover food costs. Photo by Emily Collins

Connection

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The Printclub, also known by its formal title “The Bad Acids” is one of the few remaining arts organizations on campus. The club is centered around concepts familiar to the world of printmaking and engaging club participants in learning through active participation about these processes.

The club is probably most well known for its focus on linoleum block carving, essentially creating something akin to a stamp, but we have done everything from hand making paper to bookbinding. Anything the officers and the club express interest in is a possibility. Many of the processes fall into the realm of producing a matrix with which you can create multiples from one.

The club meets Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in Ophelia Parrish 2260. Through the resources we make available members are able to print christmas cards, buttons, postcards, coasters, etc. entirely of their own design.

Some activities are easier than others, and nearly all will require more than a single meeting to accomplish, but the club makes the resources of the print shop available to its members at no

cost. That’s right, we are one of the few clubs on campus that charge absolutely no dues. This is accomplished via participation in our t-shirt printing sales to other campus clubs and organizations. We have screen printed many different orders every year and always have a blast working with other organizations. So even if you cannot participate in the Printclub I hope you will keep us in mind when your other organizations are considering t-shirts. We conduct all business through our organization email, printmaking@truman.edu, which is monitored by several officers. Anyone with questions about us can contact us there, and we will happily answer them, whether it be about t-shirt orders or what the club’s up to this week.

Beyond an arts club though, Printclub is just a fun place to hangout and escape the tedium of scholarly life, to make friends, make some silly art and learn something about an area of the arts that is often overlooked. I’ve also been told that the vibes alone make it a worthwhile visit, even if you can only come to a few meetings. Hope to see you in OP 2260, Wednesdays at 7 p.m.

TY M. BUSHNELL President

New University agreement is uncharted waters

With the recent announcement that Kraft Heinz employees will be living in Centennial Hall, we, the Index editorial board, understand the purpose of the agreement but are wary given it appears to be the first of its kind in Missouri.

It is a new situation, having groups of people who are not fulltime students living in residence halls and consistently using campus facilities. Truman State University is public property, so it is not unheard of to see people who are not students walking around campus or eating in the Student Union Building. It is not that the board feels unsafe about the employees who are living on campus, but we do think it could change the campus dynamic, especially if the number of employees living on campus were to grow.

It is significant to note that the residents will be taking a class for Kraft Heinz employees who are part of the agreement taught by University President Sue Thomas. We believe the class will be helpful for them to get the best experience possible living in Kirksville and give them resources to stay even longer past the agreement. The agreement shows that the University cares about Kirksville and wants to continue the relationship it has with the community and widen its focus beyond campus

wide issues. It is important to us that the town we live in is improving. Perhaps this agreement will positively affect the community and increase economic development in the city and the University as well. Since the University has declining admissions and a vacant residence hall, it seems anything to bring in revenue or increase enrollment would be helpful.

There was very little communication about this agreement, and while we understand that negotiations had to be kept confidential, we believe it has made students feel wary about something so unexpected. If something like this were to happen in the future or if the agreement is renewed for future semesters, we wonder what kind of communication we could expect. For prospective students, we are curious if the agreement would be discussed in admissions events and how the University will go about explaining what seems to us like an unprecedented and fairly complex agreement.

Since we will not see the changes until a few months from now, it is also unclear how this will impact students. The long term effects of this agreement are yet to be seen. If it goes well, this could be the first of many semesters where the University hosts non-students.

and I encourage you to reflect on how you treated others. A little kindness can make a world of difference. You never know how big an impact one small act of compassion or one kind remark could have on a person you never even knew was listening.

Few, if any, of us will single-handedly change the course of the University’s history. But our collective actions and treatment of one another define who we are as a community. Surely we owe it to ourselves to treat each other as neighbors and colleagues, lifting each other up and helping when we can.

The greatest goal we can achieve is helping to remind someone that they are seen and valued, just the way they are. To show them that they have purpose, meaning and always deserve to be treated with kindness, decency and respect. Although my job can be challenging, I am incredibly fortunate. I get to live and share these values every day. Even in the worst of times, I can still tell our students they belong, what they feel is valid, and they are appreciated and worthy of every opportunity they can find. Few others are half as lucky. I am forever grateful for the chance to serve in this way, and I thank you all for trusting me with this responsibility.

“These are the moments that define us.”

I still remember the day my mentor shared these words with me in McClain Hall 10 years ago. Challenging times and how we respond to them determine who we are. The past few years have brought monumental challenges for all of us. Yet, for better or worse, these difficult times have indeed reminded us all of what matters. Whatever your role here, I hope you know that you are appreciated and have a place in the Truman State University community. Welcome back, and congratulations on successfully completing another semester.

To our students: know that all of us at the University want you to succeed and thrive here — yes, even your most difficult professors. Please ask if you ever need help or extra time to complete an assignment. I cannot guarantee that you’ll get what you want every time, but the worst that could happen is your instructor saying no, and they might even surprise you with more flexibility than you expected.

With the arrival of a new year, we will inevitably look back at the past twelve months,

This year I challenge each of you to practice a conscious sense of kindness and gratitude. Share your kind thoughts. Express your appreciation for your friends and family. Let your friends and loved ones know what they mean to you. Perhaps we can create a more empathetic and supportive campus community together. If nothing else, you never know what difference a single kind act can make.

RYAN NEELY Institutional Compliance Officer

CORRECTION: Last issue’s story, “Library adds new innovation lab” incorrectly stated that the donor who provided funds to complete the project was Greg Willard. The correct name is Doug Villhard.

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.

LETTER POLICY:

The Index welcomes letters to the editor from the University and Kirksville community. Letters to the editor are due by noon the Sunday before publication and become property of The Index upon submission. Once submitted, the letter is subject to editing for grammar, punctuation and spelling errors.

Submissions must contain a well-developed theme and cannot exceed 500 words, except at the discretion of the opinions editor and/ or Editor-in-Chief. The Index suggests that submissions be written about current events or public issues that need to be brought forth, and should offer a valid argument. Submission does not guarantee publication, especially when submissions fail to add something to the current discussion. 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.editor@truman.edu 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 into consideration.

LETTER POLICY: e Index welcomes letters to the editor from the University and Kirksville community. Letters to the editor are due by noon the Sunday before publication and become property of e Index upon submission. Once submitted, the letter is subject to editing for grammar and spelling errors Submissions must contain a well-developed theme and cannot exceed 500 words except at the discretion of the opinions editor and/or editor-in-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 ADVERTISING POLICY: For up-to-date information on current advertising rates or to inquire about the availability of classi ed ads, contact Truman Media Network’s Advertising Manager, Joey Iaguessa, at 636-785-6004 or jai6847@truman.edu

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Truman to offer one credit hour class for employees in Kraft Heinz agreement

GENEVIEVE TLUSTOS Editor-in-Chief

University President Sue Thomas will teach a one credit hour class for Kraft Heinz employees who are a part of Truman State University’s agreement with the company.

The class is intended to ease the transition of the employees recruited from the American territory of Guam and Hawaii to the Kirksville area and set them up for longterm success, Thomas said. The class will be required for those living on campus.

The class will be pass/fail and will take place over the two months the students are on campus.

Tyana Lange, vice president for enrollment and marketing, said the class will be a hybrid course based on the onecredit class international students are required to take. That class’ syllabus will be the basis for the new class, with some adjustments specific to these students.

“That’s kind of the goal of this transition is, to be able to use our resources to help them, help the students, and this one credit hour course allows them to learn about not just Truman, but part of that is about Kirksville,” Lange said.

Thomas said she is a tenured, full professor and has a Ph.D. in social psychology, which has helped her understand transitions and cultural differences. She also wanted to teach the class because she did not want to add the class on top of another faculty member’s current workload.

Thomas said the class was important enough she would make time for it despite her busy schedule.

“I felt very clearly that I could do it well, and I’m very committed to making it successful,” Thomas said. “I have a lot of teaching experience and an understanding of how to support transitions, so it made sense for me to do it.”

This class will be a way for her to teach without it being too demanding of her time.

Lange said the students, who will live in the currently-unoccupied Centennial Hall, will be able to use the Centennial common area as a classroom to build community and make it easy for them to get there.

Thomas said the course will cover a variety of transition topics including financial literacy, making Kirksville a home and cultural differences.

She has missed teaching during her time in administration, Thomas said.

CAMERAS| DPS to create a form to request footage

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In the past, the KPD’s footage has been helpful to review for DPS when they have worked on the same incident, Seifert said. Being able to review the footage allowed them to see how it can be helpful to make officers and the community more professional and are helpful in resolving issues quickly.

“I think that it’s important because, just [in] this day and age, that’s the expectation,” Cordray said. “So that’s a big thing, and if you don’t have that, you’re almost … looked at differently, and so we want to be a transparent police department and kind of have a positive image that we don’t have to be looked at in a negative light. We don’t have anything to hide.”

Cordray said larger departments might rely on the footage to review complaints or use of force incidents. However, since DPS is a smaller department with barely any complaints, the footage will be for increased transparency and to have footage available to review.

Officers will turn on the cameras any time an officer has contact with a community member, Seifert said. Since Missouri’s recording policy is one-party consent, officers will not have to ask before they start recording. The cameras will beep every 60 seconds while recording. Officers will download their footage of encounters and categorize them at the end of their shifts.

Seifert said the storage time of the recording will depend on the type of encounter. Recordings will be categorized as contacts with no conflict, contacts with possible conflict, misdemeanors, felonies, arson, accidents, use of force or extended felonies. Recordings will

be kept for lengths of time from 30 days to forever, depending on the category.

Seifert said categorizing the footage would likely take less than 10 minutes at the end of a shift.

The SRT BWC grant was one of two the department applied for, Cordray said.

The SRT BWC grant is a matching inkind grant, meaning DPS must match the grant’s $18,000 with their own $18,000, mostly in work hours related to the cameras such as training hours and footage review hours, Seifert said.

A condition of the grant is that DPS must report on various statistics related to the cameras such as the number of officer complaints or use of force numbers for the next three years.

The grant covered all costs associated with the cameras except the software and training, Seifert said. The cost for Truman was $3,000 out of a $25,000 total cost.

A condition of the grant was that officers would be trained to use the cameras, which Cordray conducted, he said. He also was in charge of spot checking footage.

Cordray said some officers did not like seeing themselves on camera, so they were somewhat apprehensive, but that officers did not have any major problems with the cameras. They are still in a training phase and adjusting to remembering to turn the cameras on.

Seifert said she was wary about how the officers would respond to the decision to use cameras, but the officers received the news well. She said they were helpful in writing reports and showing people the situation from the officer’s perspective.

For example, footage can show an intoxicated person’s slurred speech and watery eyes through the eyes of a police officer, Seifert said. She said the only downside is that the cameras have a limited scope.

DPS is in the process of creating a form for the public to request footage. Private information will be redacted, Seifert said. There will be a fee associated with the amount of time spent preparing the footage, time spent redacting information and any storage materials.

Cordray said he wanted students to feel comfortable with the cameras, and he thinks they will be positive for the community.

“I’m excited about the program — the officers are excited about the program,” Seifert said. “We definitely — we’re committed to the Truman community and providing the best service we can, and we are excited about the transparency and kind of showcasing our professionalism to the students.”

DAMAGE| Staff worked to clear water on Christmas Eve

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She will bring in community members to share opportunities in Kirksville as guest speakers. 12/5

Laura Bates, executive director for student union and campus recreation, described the water damage at the gym in the recreation center. Bates said the water source came from a broken water fountain, with water spilling on top of a large section of the gym floor and under it. Bates said the damage first occurred the Thursday or Friday before New Year’s, and was discovered the same day.

The water damaged the gym floor beyond repair, warping large portions of the floor. Bates said nearly 100 gallons of water in total was removed from the gym area with shop vacuums, dehumidifiers and floor scrubbing machines. Bates said despite these efforts, a large amount of water remains under the gym floor that can’t be removed without taking out the gym floor.

“Unfortunately, the gym is unavailable for play until further notice,” Bates said. “We are recommended for a replacement. A bid is going out to companies to know how much it’s going to cost. From there, a vendor will be selected to redo the floor,” Bates said. Bates said a timeline for reconstruction is challenging to estimate. A wide variety of buildings suffered damage over winter break across the state, and as a result, the availability of products and vendors is unknown due to greater demand for personal and materials. Bates said they moved activities taking place in the gym into the multipurpose gym. Intramurals will still take place and they are working to put together a schedule for free play to occur.

Sam Guth, director of the physical plant at Truman, described some of the other damage that occurred over break. Guth said a heating coil at the top floor of the Student Union Building broke, allowing water to enter the building. This set off a fire alarm, which alerted DPS, who then alerted the physical plant. Workers then began the process of cleaning up the water from the building. This occurred around 6 p.m. Christmas Eve.

The same day at around 9 p.m., DPS alerted the physical plant that another water-related issue occurred in Violette Hall. Guth said the sprinkler in Violette was triggered, with water flowing down all three building floors. Physical plant workers called the Kirksville Fire Department, who shut the water off in the building. Guth said the same workers at the SUB moved to Violette Hall to begin removing water from the building.

Despite their efforts, the scope of the disaster was too much for the limited staff to take care of before the beginning of school, so a professional restoration company, Servpro, was called in to assist repairs in Violette Hall, where they worked for about two weeks. Guth said additional work is ongoing in the building, such as replacing baseboards. Guth said Blanton-Nason-Brewer Hall also faced water damage, with a leak occurring in one of the rooms in the building. West Campus Suites and the Kennels by Stokes Stadium each had a pipe burst.

Guth said problems such as this are common but that usually breaks do not occur in quick succession as they did over the break. A combination of cold weather, wind direction and coincidence resulted in pipes freezing and subsequently bursting.

In total, Guth said 5,000-6,000 gallons of water poured into Violette Hall. The SUB accumulated around 1,000 gallons. Guth said the total amount will not be known until he receives the water bill.

Guth said there was little equipment damage in Violette Hall beyond a couple monitors and printers. Additionally, the disaster did not ruin any furniture. The total restoration cost could be around $80,000, though this is ultimately not a major financial hit to the University because of insurance coverage and financial reserves, Guth said.

12/14 Rape reported at the 200 block of W. Normal Ave.

12/14 Rape reported at the 200 block of W. Normal Ave.

12/15 Property damage reported at Parking Lot 31

1/7 Theft reported at Parking Lot 24

1/14 Property damage, trespassing and resisting arrest reported at the 300 block of E. Patterson St.

12/13 Distribution of a controlled substance reported on Davis St.

12/13 Theft reported at the 900 block of S. Franklin St.

12/13 Burglary reported at the 1600 block of S. Florence St.

12/14 Rape reported at the 1000 block of S. Mulanix St.

1/21 Property damage reported at Parking Lot 27

1/21 Property damage reported at Parking Lot 28

1/21 Property damage and theft reported at Parking Lot 31

A professor writes on the board. A one-credit hour class will be taught to help Kraft Heinz employees from Guam and Hawaii transition. Photo from TMN archives

The cameras are placed in this dock when not in use. Officers will categorize footage at the end of their shifts.

Photo by Genevieve Tlustos

Violette Hall classrooms were flooded with water. The water was discovered around 9 p.m. Christmas Eve. Submitted photo

life

B r e w t o o o o d g t o b e t r u e

Locally owned business sells cold brew coffee and kombucha

SYDNEY ELLISON Managing Editor

While Kirksville has many locally owned businesses, a coffee shop is not one of them. Zaida and Riley Stange want to change that with the Kirksville Brewing Company.

Zaida founded the Kirkville Brewing Company during 2022. Riley does the brewing, and their business partner, Anthony Young, does the marketing and graphic design. Currently, the company serves cold brew and kombucha with all organic ingredients. Riley said they are working on getting their liquor and brewery license.

When Zaida and Riley moved from Portland, Oregon, to Kirksville, they noticed a need for coffee shops, breweries and organic food, so they decided to bring that to the Kirksville community. Zaida said they formed the company with the idea that places like coffee shops and breweries bring a true sense of community.

“When we moved here a year and a half ago, we were just like, where’s the kombucha on tap, where’s the craft beer?” Zaida said. “There’s no brewery in town, and we were like, wow, this is very different.”

While Zaida and Riley have enjoyed their experience building the company, it did not come without challenges. Riley said sometimes recipes they have high hopes for don’t meet their expectations, but he enjoys tweaking recipes and trying new techniques to get the best product. Riley said talking with customers to see what they enjoy has helped the process.

Zaida and Riley both said offering cold brew and kombucha is important because they want to give an organic option to the Kirksville community.

“Being able to offer something that is healthy, that you know you buy the best quality ingredients … [is] something you really can’t find in Kirks -

ville,” Zaida said. “It just makes me feel good.”

The company participated in the farmers market during the summer of 2022, selling cold brew and kombucha. According to Riley, seeing people enjoy their products brought a sense of satisfaction, so they hope to return again next summer.

Riley said kombucha was a new experience for many in the Kirksville community. Getting people to try it was a small challenge he had to overcome, but he said many people enjoyed it. Or, if they had tried kombucha previously, they said that it was the only kombucha they had enjoyed.

“When we did the Farmers’ Market last year, we got a very good response from the people passing through there, and a lot of students from Truman [State University] and [A.T. Still University] were very happy to see us,” Riley said.

On the company’s website, you can schedule a pick-up for the different products they offer. Their kombucha flavors change weekly.

Currently, the company does not have a physical location but is looking into various options. They hope to keep growing and create a physical place where people can sit down and enjoy their products.

Another goal for the company is to obtain a liquor and brewing license to add beer to the products they serve.

An upcoming project for the company is using an investment platform called Mainvest. This platform allows people to invest in the company to help it grow and see a return on those investments once the business starts making profits.

Riley and Zaida said interacting with the Kirksville community is always exciting and brings them joy.

“We envision a place where students could stay all day long and study and hang out and have their favorite drink,” Riley said. “Just a place that feels comfortable and inviting.”

One drink option the Kirksville Brewing Company serves is cold brew. The company’s brewer, Riley Stange, tries out different brewing techniques to get the best product possible. Submitted photo

Graphics by Maddie Morris

JOSEPH DOUGHERTY Staff Writer

The first episode of “The Last of Us” was released on HBO Max Jan. 15. From Craig Mazin, creator of the hugely successful mini-series “Chernobyl,” and Neil Druckmann, lead writer of the popular video game of the same name, comes this long-awaited adaptation.

“The Last of Us,” set in a post-apocalyptic United States following the outbreak of a fungal pandemic, sets Joel, a hardened war veteran dealing with the demons of his past, on an epic journey across the desolate country with Ellie, a 14-year-old harboring a dark secret. This journey will pit the unlikely duo against vicious cadres of desperate survivors and packs of mindless Infected, the zombified humans that now roam the American wasteland, as Joel and Ellie make their way westward. This first episode explores the events leading up to the pandemic’s outbreak and the aftermath twenty years later. Joel and Ellie must begin their trek by escaping from the oppressive military regime known as FEDRA, which occupies a massive quarantine zone in the ruins of Boston.

There exists a general understanding within the film and entertainment industry that video game-to-film adaptations do not work. Out of the myriad attempts over the years, only a few adaptations stand out as good or even mediocre. For many adaptations, the issue lies in the interactive element inherent in video games not translating well to the big or small screen.

In the weeks leading up to the release of “The Last of Us” on HBO Max, fans of the source material understandably bore such fears. The game on which it is based is beloved among the gaming community for its

riveting characters, world and, most importantly, story. Thankfully, based on this first episode, it can be said that “The Last of Us” is an excellent adaptation of developer Naughty Dog’s beloved game. With an opening sequence that is almost shot-for-shot and line-for-line identical to the game, missing out on none of the tension or suspense, and a cast of well-realized characters, the series is so far faithful and respectful to the source material. It even goes so far as to include additional tidbits of worldbuilding that flesh out story beats, such as the fungal pandemic that kicks the central drama into motion — additions that do not feel at all out of place.

The production value is likewise strong, with impressive set pieces and engaging cinematography. The aforementioned opening sequence is shot largely with a shaky camera, adding to the claustrophobia and frenzy it seeks to instill in the unfolding chaos at the pandemic’s outbreak.

Pedro Pascal makes for a fully realized Joel. He succeeds in portraying the character’s grizzled nature and hinting toward a softer side in the scenes he shares with Joel’s daughter Sarah, played by the likewise impressive Nico Parker. “Game of Thrones” veteran Bella Ramsey does well as Ellie, though it remains to be seen if Ramsey can nail both the subtle nuances and boisterous particularities of the character. Thankfully, her screen time will only increase in the coming weeks.

Overall, this first taste of the long-anticipated “The Last of Us” offers a wellrounded piece of drama on several fronts. If there exists an infection in video-gameto-film adaptations, “The Last of Us” seems poised to cure it.

Indie girls rise up: boygenius is back

MADISON BACKES Contributing Writer

American indie-rock supergroup boygenius has announced their second studio album, “the record,” which is set to release March 31 of this year. The group, which consists of artists Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, was formed in 2018. Boygenius has most recently appeared at the 2022 Ally Coalition Talent Show in New York City, where they performed with artists such as Jack Antonoff of Bleachers and Matty Healy of The 1975. Following growing anticipation of their new album, boygenius dropped three surprise singles Jan. 18, 2023. Each song spotlights one of the minds behind the supergroup to create a beautiful blend of all three artists’ styles.

The first single, titled “$20,” spotlights many of Julien Baker’s signature musical and lyrical motifs using peppy rhythmic guitar tracks and references to American pop culture. Throughout the verses of the piece, Baker references classic cars such as the Ford Thunderbird and Chevrolet Camaro juxtaposed with lyrics about leaving someone when things get tough.

Baker also references the iconic photo titled “Flower Power,” a haunting image photographed by Bernie Boston during the March on the Pentagon in 1967 that captures a protester placing a carnation into the barrel of an army soldier’s M14 rifle. Baker’s lyrics paint the picture of a young woman falling into a particularly cataclysmic form of love. The song’s first line says it best – “It’s a bad idea and I’m all about it.”

In the second single, 28-year-old Phoebe Bridgers takes the lead vocals. The song, titled “Emily I’m Sorry,” is an emotional indie ballad that is sure to pull at any listener’s heartstrings. In the first verse, Bridgers sings about her partner having a bad dream — a theme that is recurring within her solo discography with songs like “Georgia,” “Funeral” and “Moon Song.”

The instrumentation of this track also has similarities to Bridgers’s solo work, with simple percussion accompanying the vocals during the verses and eerie vocal harmonies

that repeat in each chorus. In this track, Bridgers sings of the deterioration of a particularly intimate relationship, writing, “Emily, forgive me, can we make it up as we go along?”.

Fans and critics speculate that ‘Emily,’ the lover name-dropped in the song, could be Emily Bannon, who has appeared in several of Bridgers’s posts on social media and vice versa. The two were speculated to be in a polyamorous relationship until 2019, shortly before the release of Bridgers’s most popular album “Punisher.” According to an article for Rolling Stone Magazine, Bridgers said the demo for “Emily I’m Sorry” was the catalyst for boygenius’s sophomore album. This track is a beautiful, haunting ode to Bridgers’s work with the perfect amount of Baker and Dacus’s musical influence.

The last track released as a single for the record is “True Blue,” a song spearheaded by singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus. Dacus, most known for her song “Night Shift,” expands upon themes like falling in love, trust and growing up, all previously discussed in her third studio album “Home Video.” This chill, mid-tempo love song is the perfect blend between Baker’s avoidant punk piece and Bridgers’s devastating ballad.

“True Blue” tells the story of two long-time lovers who seem to know one another better than themselves. Dacus mentions small details about her lover, such as their birthday and their hatred of humidity, but also alludes to a temporary separation in the past that they “don’t talk about/ because it doesn’t matter anymore.” This track is perfect for fans and listeners who enjoy boygenius’ collaborative style, but are content in their relationships and can’t relate to songs like “$20” and “Emily I’m Sorry.” The highlight of this track is a particularly emotional phrase in the chorus, “But it feels good to be known so well/I can’t hide from you like I hide from myself.”

All in all, these three singles are an exciting insight into the rest of “the record.” All three tracks are drastically different in tempo and style, which can give first-time listeners a sense of musical whiplash. However, boygenius continues to impress with eloquent lyricism and top-notch production. Will the rest of the album be just as good as the three lead singles? Only time will tell.

‘The Last of Us’ gets 4.5/5 stars

‘The Last of Us’ is an intense, faithful adaptation of the beloved video game

Photo illustration by WarnerMedia©.

Top 5 ways to reset for the semester

SYDNEY ELLISON Managing Editor

Start off the semester strong with these five ways to reset for the busy months ahead of us.

1. Focus on creating healthy habits

While the semester is less busy, focus on nailing down habits that will help you throughout the semester. Plan out a skincare routine, remember to drink lots of water and make sleep a priority if you can. Begin working on habits before the semester gets hectic. There are many habit tracking apps to make this step easier. You can also manually track habits using a journal. Take the time now to build habits that make you happy.

2. Reassess your commitments

At the start of the semester, it is important to look at where you have committed time and energy, whether it’s clubs or organizations, people or hobbies. Sometimes clubs or organizations are no longer bringing fulfillment, and it is important to reassess what is worth your time. Don’t waste energy by continuing an unfulfilling activity.

5. Clean your room

Students’ living spaces have likely been collecting dust during winter break. Don’t leave it to grow even dirtier. A clean home encourages a focused mind, and trying to work in a cluttered environment can be difficult. Clean before the semester gets busy.

3. Make a calendar

With an influx of new assignments and schedules at the start of a semester, it is crucial to stay organized. Writing down all assignments in a calendar or a spreadsheet can help you remember what tasks you need to complete. Spring planners are available in the Union and Involvement Office while supplies last.

4. Meal plan/prep

Students without a meal plan should consider what they could eat in the weeks ahead. Figure out what meals would nourish both your happiness and your body. Feeling stuck? Some good cheap and easy meals are spaghetti, pizza, tacos and roasted veggies with a source protein.

Questions on the Quad

What is your favorite restaurant in Kirksville?

Devon Silhavy freshman

“My favorite restaurant in Kirksville is Mi Casa because the food is delicious, and the service is stunning.”

“I think Maxwell’s is the best restaurant in Kirksville because it’s set up nicely and the food is pretty good.”

Brody Monaghan

sophomore

Amanda Maasen

junior

“LaPa is my favorite restaurant because of the queso and the workers and the queso cars.”

Truman sports standings: Week of Jan. 26

FOOTBALL | Bulldogs finish thirdstraight season with nine wins

Continued from page 12

The last two games between Truman and Tiffin both ended in one-score wins for Truman on twopoint conversions after late touchdowns. Feeling that recent history, Tiffin attempted to flip the script by going for two points after their late touchdown, but the Truman defense stood tall and got a stop when they most needed it.

“I told my unit, ‘this is where champions are made, this is where we see how good we are,’” senior defensive tackle Robert Greco said. “Somebody had to step up and make a play to win the game. And that’s exactly what we did.”

The win capped another historic season for the Truman football program. Before 2021, Truman had never won nine or more games in consecutive seasons, and they have now done so in three straight full seasons going back to 2019.

Truman was recognized for its success this season, with 18 players selected to the All-GLVC teams, including 13 players selected to the first team. The Bulldogs finished the season with the GLVC’s best defensive unit, finishing number one in points and yards allowed per game.

As a recognition for his accomplishments, Nesbitt was named co-coach of the year for the GLVC.

The Bulldogs also received the GLVC Sportsmanship Award after finishing the season as a top-10 least penalized team in Div. II football.

Despite Truman’s historic success over the past several

seasons, one goal continues to elude them: a spot in the Div. II football playoffs. Only the top team in the GLVC advances to the playoffs and for the last three years, that has been the University of Indianapolis.

“Not getting to the postseason was definitely disappointing for us,” Greco said. “We ended on a high note, but we were hoping to be in the playoffs this year.”

Junior quarterback Nolan Hair echoed Greco, adding that the postseason is the team’s goal for next year. “We would love to make the playoffs and be undefeated in-season,” Hair said. “We have gotten very close the last few seasons but have not been able to get past UIndy. That’s our goal for next year – get past them and get into the playoffs.”

Truman will return many of its all conference players next season to make another run at the Div. II postseason.

Greco, in his fifth and final year at Truman, said the bowl win this year meant more than it had in previous seasons.

“This was the last time I got to go to war with my brothers for Truman State University,” Greco said. “It was very emotional for our senior class. We made history becoming the [second-most-wins class] in Truman football history, so this one definitely meant more to us.”

Hair said the win was especially meaningful because it was another win outside of the GLVC for Truman, showing the strength of the conference overall.

Nesbitt said that while the win was not any more meaningful for him, it was certainly more exciting than the first two.

Senior running back Shamar Griffith and junior wide reciever Landon Montgomery high five. Their win against McKendree was their eighth win of the season. Photo by Oliver Malone

Opinion: Missouri sports fans can look forward to upcoming months

MICHAEL LAKEY Staff Writer

The next few months will be an exciting time to be a sports fan in Missouri. The Kansas City Chiefs enter the NFL playoffs as Super Bowl favorites, the Truman State University women’s basketball team is putting together a solid season, the University of Missouri men’s basketball is ranked for the first time in years and two new expansion franchises will begin to play in St. Louis during February. This spring provides plenty for Missouri sports fans to get excited about.

The Chiefs, in what has ostensibly been called a “rebuilding” year after trading away all-pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill, once again begin the NFL playoffs as the favorites to win the Super Bowl. Patrick Mahomes has put up an MVP-caliber season again, and the Chiefs managed to get the top seed in the AFC despite playing many close games and losing to several teams they should have beaten. At times, the Chiefs appeared bored by the monotony of the regular season, waiting to turn it on for the playoffs, which is precisely what they did Saturday in an impressive 27-20 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Even with Mahomes playing through an ankle injury, the Chiefs could quickly dispense of the Jaguars. The Chiefs are easily the most complete team remaining in the NFL postseason, but Mahomes’ health may derail them in their quest for the Super Bowl this year.

The Truman women’s basketball team is also putting together a very impressive season. The Bulldogs are currently 13-6, with a 9-2 record in conference play. Senior Hannah Belanger has become the third-leading

scorer in Bulldog history and fellow senior Ellie Weltha joined the 1000-point club this season. The Bulldogs have dominated many of their games, posting seven double-digit victories on the season. They have several home games remaining on the schedule and will look to make a deep postseason run during March.

The Mizzou men’s basketball team is putting up one of its best seasons in a decade. Led by several key transfer players, Mizzou has beat three ranked teams this season, including border rivalry games against the University of Arkansas and the University of Illinois. The win against Illinois was a statement for Mizzou, as the game was a blowout and Mizzou was not ranked at the time. Mizzou will be looking for its first NCAA tournament bid in two years and will look to win its first NCAA tournament game since 2010 this season.

In perhaps the most exciting development over the coming months, two new professional sports franchises will begin to play in St. Louis. Football fans may remember the XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks from their successful debut during 2020. Football fans in St. Louis were devastated when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the XFL to cancel their season and ultimately shut down the league. Having been spurned by the NFL’s Rams four years prior, St. Louisans were eager to show that they could easily support a professional football franchise, and they did just that. The city showed up in such large numbers during 2020 for the Battlehawks that the team decided to open the upper level of the Dome at America’s Center to meet the demand for tickets. The energy was incredible and fans longed for another chance to show their support after its cancellation.

Luckily, the league was purchased by Dwanye “The Rock” Johnson later during 2020 and is set to be revived during 2023. The Battlehawks return with the same logo and color scheme as 2020. The XFL will bring back its slightly different rules this season, with altered kickoffs and punts that seek to prioritize player safety and game action. The league also allows teams to attempt threepoint conversions after touchdowns to make it easier to come back from deficits. The Battlehawks begin play

Feb.18, and I could not be more excited to watch every one of their games this spring.

Major League Soccer will also make its debut in St. Louis this spring — and technically in Missouri because Sporting Kansas City plays its home games in Kansas. After years of failed attempts to build a stadium and bring an MLS team to St. Louis, a team led by Carolyn Kindle Betz finally put together a private financing plan and won an expansion team. St. Louis City SC has assembled an intriguing squad of international, domestic, and local talent, headlined by former FC Bayern Munich goalkeeper Roman Burki. Though they may lack a true star, the team has plenty of depth and should see some success this season. City, as they are known around St. Louis, begins to play Feb. 25, and though I am not a huge fan of the name, I am stoked to attend some home games this year.

This is an exciting time for Missouri sports. The Chiefs look to claim another super bowl championship, Truman women’s basketball looks to make a deep playoff run and two brand-new professional teams launch their seasons in the coming months. I hope you will enjoy watching as much as me.

Men’s and women’s basketball earn wins

Head women’s basketball coach Theo Dean watches the team face Southwest Baptist University. The Bulldogs fell 59-72, Dec. 10. Photo by Emily Collins

Senior guard Hannah Belanger protects the basket against Indianapolis University. Belanger was the leading scorer for the Bulldogs with 21 points. The Bulldogs won 86-2 , Nov. 25. Photo by Oliver Malone

The men’s basketball team listens to head coach Jeff Horner during a time-out. The Bulldogs faced Upper Iowa at their home opener, Nov. 16. Truman basketball won 91-78 after being down 13 with seven minutes left in the first half. Photo by Rahul Chaudhari

Redshirt junior guard and forward Elijah Hazekamp and junior forward Dylan Peeters take a breather during their game against Upper Iowa. Hazekamp led the Bulldogs to victory with 23 points scored. Photo by Rahul Chaudhari

Graphic by Maddie Morris

FRESHMAN SWIMS AT JUNIOR NATIONALS

LILLIE MORISAKI Sports Editor

Adelaide Reaser competed in the Speedo-Winter Junior Nationals, Dec. 9.

The meet is for top-ranked swimmers 18 and under. Swimmers could be freshmen in college, high schoolers or Olympians, Reaser said.

Reaser qualified for the meet at the Phoenix Fall Classic against the University of Chicago with a 4:20.68 400 Individual Medley, Nov. 18.

Reaser was one-hundredth of a second off from beating the Truman State University 400 IM record, head men’s and women’s swim coach Bryce Kober said. The record has been held since 2003 by Kelli Dudley.

The meet itself is fast-paced, Kober said. There are only a few meets with faster qualifying standards than

Jr. Nationals, including the TYR Pro Series, Phillips-66 US Open, US Summer Nationals and US Olympic Trials. Reaser said she would be excited to see if she could make it to those meets as well.

“I felt good about my swim,” Reaser said. “It wasn’t a personal best, but I felt like I prepared for it, and I was also just really grateful to be able to represent Truman State University at a meet like this. For a lot of swimmers, this meet has been a goal of theirs for a while, so I’m just really grateful to be able to be there and just represent the school.”

Reaser said it had been a goal of hers to make it to the Junior Nationals for a long time. Reaser placed 52nd with a 4:26:49 400 IM.

This was the first time a Truman swimmer qualified for Winter Junior Nationals since he has been here, Kober said.

“We’re kind of on a good trajectory with her,” Kober said. “We’re really proud of her for representing our school at a big meet like that.”

The training Reaser has done this season has led to great improvement, Reaser said. Reaser appreciates the work that Kober and the Truman Athletic Department put in to allow her to swim at a meet like the Junior Nationals.

Kober agrees the training they have put in this season has led to success in other meets as well.

“I think we’ve really hit the ground running from day one in September and that showed at our mid-season meet,” Kober said. “We had one of the best mid-season meets we’ve had in a long time, a lot of best times.”

Kober said this season has been especially tough because the team is down a coach. The program also hopes to see a bigger recruiting class next year and bring up their numbers, Kober said.

It is expected that Reaser will make it to the

NCAA Championship Meet, Kober said. She was no. 1 in the Nation for a while, right now she is ranked in the 400IM.

Reaser said going to Junior Nationals is a valuable experience going into the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships and beyond.

“I was just very happy to get to go there and wear the Truman cap and all that,” Reaser said. “It was a good experience.”

Football wins third-straight America’s Crossroads Bowl in historic season

MICHAEL LAKEY Staff Writer

The Truman State University football team defeated Tiffin University 28-27 to claim their third-straight victory in the America’s Crossroads Bowl Dec. 3. With the win, the Bulldogs finished the season at 9-2, the program’s thirdstraight nine-win season.

This time, Truman won by stopping a twopoint conversion attempt by Tiffin that would have given them the lead with 40 seconds remaining.

“I felt pretty calm on the two-point play,” head coach Greg Nesbitt said. “Our guys had prepared themselves for that specific situation, executed under high stress very well and were fortunate to get a huge play by [sophomore linebacker] Brock Jones for the Bulldog win.”

It was a back-and-forth contest throughout the game. Tiffin took an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter before Truman scored three straight touchdowns to take a 21-14 lead into halftime.

Truman scored on their first possession after halftime on a quick 51-yard run by senior running back Shamar Griffith for the winning score.

Tiffin pulled within one score on their next possession with a touchdown. After both teams traded turnovers and punts, Tiffin put together a longscoring drive capped-off with a touchdown pass.

ATHLETE

of the week

16.

Senior guard Hannah Belanger earned her second GLVC Player of the Week award this season, making it her fourth career award. Belanger is in the top-three scorers in Truman State University history with 1,597 points in 94 games played and started as of Jan.

The current record has been held since 1982, with 2,009 points scored.

Truman women’s swim team competes against McKendree University. Freshman Adelaide Reaser placed second at the meet, Nov 5. Photo by Alexander Walcott

Sophomore quarterback Collin Sutton looks to run past McKendree. The Bulldogs won 52-7, Nov. 5. Photo by Oliver Malone

Freshman swimmer Adelaide Reaser qualified for the Speedo-Winter Junior Nationals. Reaser represented Truman, Dec. 9. Photo by Truman Athletics