You may have asked, "What can I do with a liberal arts degree?" or "Will I be able to find a job when I graduate?"

When you are a Truman student, these questions become irrelevant. Truman liberal arts & sciences graduates are highly valued in the workplace and employed in a myriad of positions. Case-in-point, Lesa Ketterlinus, director of Truman's Career Center, states, "Last fall, Truman's career fair was the largest in Missouri. This certainly wasn't because of our convenient location and easy access. Employers value Truman students because of the skills developed here—oral and written communications, interpersonal relationship skills, teamwork and leadership, analytical thinking, computer knowledge, and career-related experience."

Take a look at Truman alumni. They're enjoying positions with major Fortune 500 companies—editing national magazines, running worldwide companies, starting successful companies, and sitting on the Missouri Supreme Court, just to name a few. See a complete list of Truman graduate careers.

According to Truman placement statistics, a liberal arts & science degree has helped many students attain success. In FY '05, Truman State University's placement rate* looked like this:

• 99.5% total placement rate.


• 45.5% were employed, while


• 54.1% enrolled in a graduate program.

"Students graduating with a liberal arts & sciences degree do anything and everything," says Ketterlinus. "A liberal arts degree is more than a diploma—it is preparation for life."

* Based on number of students reporting post-graduations plans.

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When your heart patters for journalism but you find yourself in the steady rhythm of a sales job, you can't help but lose your professional heartbeat. So it went for Stacy Wright, a sales rep at Kraft who had moved up the corporate ladder but felt neither challenged nor fulfilled.

When Stacy, a Truman journalism grad, heard about an opening for a production assistant for the television show "Upfront with Jesse Jackson," she leaped at the opportunity. After her first day of part-time work behind the scenes, she said to herself, If I could leave my job for this show today, I would.

As fate would have it, two years later and a TV show and radio show under her belt, Stacy left Kraft to be a full-time producer for Rev. Jackson's daughter's radio show, "The Santita Jackson Show" on Chicago's WVON 1690AM. A successful producer, Stacy shares how Truman prepared her to thrive in the media:

Worldview Confidence: As a producer, you have to know a little bit about a lot of different topics. Stacy says, "This speaks to my experience at Truman—learning so much about so many different things. Because of my liberal arts education, I'm not intimidated by people regardless of who they are and what their backgrounds are. I can approach them with confidence."

Interviewing: As a producer, Stacy has to get the best out of her guests to make the show a success. She credits her natural ability to do this to her work as a television reporter for Truman's "TruNews" and the Index. She's a pro at getting people to open up, and there's "nothing better than having that conversation translated over the airwaves."

Research: A large chunk of a producer's work is related to "looking for that one thing that other shows have missed." Even if she's working on a story already covered by the media, Stacy works hard to "make it stand out and speak to her show's demographic." It's all about finding the stories that people may not know they're interested in and making them interesting—something she likewise credits Truman for giving her an opportunity to hone through coursework and involvement with "TruNews" and the Index.

Covering Your Bases: Producing is behind-the-scenes work; it's what makes your talent look great! This means Stacy has spent many sleepless nights preparing for an upcoming show. If you don't have all the information at hand, the show may flop—which means you lose credibility. Deadlines are a way of life, and something she was familiar with back at her days at Truman. There, she had to have stories done by deadline, have adequate footage, and reliable sources. Stacy says, "At the end of the day, if it goes well, you get the accolades, but if it falls flat, you are responsible.

In the end, "it's all worth it," says Stacy, "when listeners call in and talk about how the show speaks to them. And every time I'm on the air, I learn a little bit more about myself, history as an African American, and how the world works."

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Luke Skywalker had Yoda; Harry Potter has Hagrid; Oprah has Maya Angelou. Mentors: they're the trusted guides who share knowledge and wisdom with those on their way in life. At Truman, mentorship is a way of life; most students connect on a deep level with a faculty or staff member who listens, cares, guides, and points out a student's strengths. Elaine DeJovin, a Truman admissions counselor, has had the privilege of guiding many students who've walked through her door. DeJovin points out three important reasons why students need mentors in their lives:

1. Feeling That You Matter: Most students are looking for someplace comfortable, receptive, and nurturing—;a place where they know they are accepted and valued. Stacy Wright, a Truman grad who works as a producer for a Chicago talk radio show, found this in DeJovin. "Elaine," Stacy says, "was like a surrogate mother; she gave me so much love and support over the years, and helped me get where I am today. She was definitely one of my angels." According to DeJovin, Truman faculty and staff have mentor hearts—and care deeply for students. And because Truman is not a graduate institution, undergrads don't have to compete for faculty involvement.

2. Achieving Goals: DeJovin says her primary role as an advisor in the college selection and enrollment process is to "push students to take advantage of everything coming down the road—like conferences, scholarships, and internships." Faculty mentors are the link between the student and major opportunities the university has to offer. University representatives at Truman help students set goals and make a connection between their in-class learning and out-of-class experiences.

3. Adjusting to College Life: Many first-time students are looking for more than academic advice when they go to college. In fact, having a mentor helps many students navigate the dizzying effect of college life. Mentors help students prioritize, set schedules, get plugged into activities, and get a grip on living on their own. Having a safe place to voice needs and concerns—and knowing that someone cares—helps students become successful in all areas of college life.

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According to John Sturgeon, a junior accounting/econ major, "There was a day when fraternities closely resembled those portrayed in popular movies like Animal House; but national organizations simply will not tolerate that anymore." Speaking from five semesters of involvement with Beta Theta Pi, John debunks popular myths about Greek life and testifies to what Truman fraternities and sororities uniquely have to offer students—from every background:

Home: Belonging to a fraternity is the number one reason Truman feels like home. My first semester here I ran on the cross country team, but injuries prevented me from continuing. The fraternity was a way to become involved on campus.

Friends: Some may think that a fraternity is just a way to "buy" your friends; this couldn't be further from the truth. I know guys in fraternities that don't have many friends, and there are guys that are unaffiliated that have more friends than I will ever meet. A fraternity simply gives you an opportunity, not a guarantee, to make friends.

Social Life: Our fraternity holds a variety of social events, from organized mixers with sororities to brotherhood events for the weekly football or basketball game. Some people might expect events to revolve around alcohol, but this is not true. Although we have guys that may drink, we also have guys that haven't ever touched alcohol; a fraternity doesn't change that decision. College students will choose to drink or not drink regardless of their decision to join a Greek organization.

Service Projects: We take part in a variety of service projects. Each semester we hold a major event and try and get 100% chapter participation, such as highway clean-up or a charity sports tournament. Beyond that, a few members will often travel together for service projects. Last spring break, three of my fraternity brothers and I traveled to Mississippi to work for Habitat for Humanity, aiding in hurricane relief.

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