This past October, Truman's Detours magazine was awarded the 2006 Magazine Pacemaker Award in Washington D.C. One of the highest honors in student journalism, it is awarded by the Associated College Press and adjudicated by experienced professionals (including editors of the Boston-based Atlantic Monthly). Through careful consideration, Detours was decided to be the best example of a student published general interest magazine in the nation.

What Is Detours?
Detours is a magazine resembling a travel guide of the Midwest and was first published in 1996. "We focus on stories in the tri-state area of Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa. Our goal is to seek out the little-known places and events in the area and write stories that individuals of every age would enjoy," says Editor-in-Chief Alicia Collins, a junior at Truman majoring in public communication.

The Bar Is Raised
The thrill of receiving the honorable award was inevitable for the 25-student staff. "The staff was really excited," says Loren Depenthal, managing editor of Detours and a senior linguistics major at Truman. "This has raised the bar for us and helped us remain committed to keeping the quality of our magazine high." Collins adds, "To see how far Detours has come in the past 10 years is incredible, and this award encourages us to strive to win additional awards in the future."

Truman's Top-Notch Media Experiences
The award certainly adds positive support to Truman's student media programs, which includes not only Detours but also the award winning Index newspaper, the KTRM radio station, and News36 TV. The university encourages students to get involved by promising a practical and engaging experience. Depenthal says, "I think one of the reasons we have been so successful is that Truman's faculty has prepared us so thoroughly for what to expect at all levels of publication."

return >

Antonio DeMarco has wanted to help animals and give them medical care since he was a kid. But it's a tough goal to achieve. Not only is it statistically more difficult to get into veterinary school than medical school, but getting your Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) requires eight years of education. What gave DeMarco the skills and motivation to stay the course? Truman.

Dig Deep for Answers
There are only 27 veterinary schools in the nation. To get in, would-be-veterinarians need to show initiative in their work. "Dogs do not talk and tell you what is wrong, so you must extract ideas from physical exams, diagnostic tools, and a history of a patient through the owner/client," says DeMarco. "Many people joke around how people become veterinarians because they don't have to talk to people, but it is exactly the opposite because animals don't talk."

It was Truman's commitment to helping DeMarco realize and achieve his goals that gave DeMarco the edge to excel at veterinary school. He says, "Truman's challenging courses and the professors' high expectations have been critical to becoming successful. After taking some biology classes, the university influenced and supported my already existing interest in veterinary medicine."

The Path from Here
DeMarco graduated from Truman in 2005 with a BS in biology. He is currently in his third year at the University of Missouri Veterinary School, a school which requires two years of classes and lab work, followed by two years of clinical work. Now that he has reached his clinical rotations at Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, DeMarco says, "I'm not completely in the real world, but I'm getting much closer. Truman impacted not only my ability to do well in the classroom, but also my personal character development."

return >

When comedian, palindrome aficionado, and Yale law school dropout Demetri Martin performed at Truman, the last thing he expected was to be upstaged by another entertainer. But when he stepped out to a sold-out audience on November 17, he looked up mid-joke to find an unexpected intruder—a brown bat flapping madly around Baldwin auditorium.

Not one to let a little thing like a bat disrupt his performance, Martin improvised by making up a song about it. Then, armed with an oversized drawing pad and a tiny guitar, Martin delivered his repertoire of jokes. Topics ranged from the perils of spelling "banana" to the uncanny way sweater vests ward off pretty girls. "My favorite joke was the one about putting anti-aging cream on a baby," said freshman Scott Turner. "It's so absurd, which is why it's so funny."

The show was a multimedia medley of deadpan one-liners and wry observational humor. Although most of the performance consisted of new material, Martin spent the last few minutes reciting old favorites, such as, "The worst time to have a heart attack is during a game of charades. Or a game of fake heart attack."

Martin's comedy side-steps weighty issues like politics or religion, but it has an underlying braininess. His jokes often rely on wordplay and the peculiarities of language: "'Sort of' is a harmless thing to say. It doesn't really mean anything. But after certain things, 'sort of' means everything. Like after, 'I love you,' or 'You're going to live,' or 'It's a boy!'"

The show eventually ended despite sophomore Ben Rearick's plea, "Can we stay and listen to this guy all night?" After the performance, Martin stuck around for an autograph-signing, photo-taking, and high-fiving session with fans.

As far as we know, the bat didn't show up for autographs.

return >

When junior Dana Hanselmann isn't in the classroom, you'll likely find her on the volleyball court. As a middle hitter on Truman's volleyball team, Dana has benefited from Truman's academic and athletic program.

A Double Bonus
Hanselmann was a standout player at Dundee-Crown High School in suburban Chicago. She gained further notoriety when her team went to nationals; she was recruited by Division I schools such as Miami of Ohio, Valparaiso, and University of Wisconsin at Madison.

But it was another school that recruited her—Truman—that caught her eye. "I found out that Truman offered strong academics as well as an excellent volleyball program," she says. "That combination was perfect for me."

She adds, "My college visit confirmed my decision. The minute I stepped onto campus, I knew Truman was right."

A Family of Teammates
Hanselmann credits volleyball with easing her transition to college. "As a college freshman, I got really homesick. Being a member of a team really helped. My older teammates helped me through my freshmen year, and now I'm able to help the freshmen." She adds, "My teammates are my best friends."

Success—Now and Later
This year, Truman's volleyball team made it to the regional finals (the Sweet 16). Hanselmann not only contributed to the team's success, but made the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Commissioner's academic honor roll.

But Hanselmann's interest in sports extends beyond the volleyball court. As an exercise science major with a pattern in sports management, she's currently interning as a high school athletic director.

"After graduation, I hope to either go on to grad school or work in sports management on the high school or college level," she says. "There are also opportunities to work for professional teams like the Bears—I think that would be great!"

return >