Add a serving of mentorship to small class sizes, mix in a semester internship with a year-long research process, and top off with a measure of worldly perspective gained from the liberal arts and studying abroad: this is the recipe for creating a superlative graduate.

Dr. Sam Minner, Dean of the Division of Education, thinks that Truman—especially the College of Education—has mastered this mix. More than ever, graduates are going on to do great things. According to Minner, these are the 5 key ingredients that go into the making of a superlative graduate.

1. They're bright. Because Truman is highly selective, the brightest of the bright come to Truman.

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The big break—it's what every working musician hopes for. For Cirque Du Soleil musician and Truman State University grad Anthony Cooperwood, his breakthrough came at an unlikely moment.

It all began with a $50 gig at a local nursing home, where he met a man who called Anthony two years later to do a job in China. On the way to the airport to travel to China, Anthony struck up a conversation with a fellow musician who needed a sub for the Big Apple Circus. Lo and behold, that circumstantial event led Anthony to meet the composer of Cirque and eventually become the lead keyboardist and back-up conductor for Dralion—which travels internationally.

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The Truman State University theatre department recently began its 2006-2007 main stage season with a production of Wendy Wasserstein's Tony-award winning play The Heidi Chronicles. Director Dr. Todd Coulter, assistant professor of theatre, selected this play as his first at Truman. "I wanted to have a female playwright in this season," he said, noting that five of the eight cast members are female.

The Heidi Chronicles is Wasserstein's most famous play, artfully blending her dry sense of humor with a serious discussion of the feminist movement. Dr. Coulter felt this play was perfect for a university campus because "it has a lens of academia built into it." Freshman Adam Bennett enjoyed the play and commented on the benefits of theatre in a liberal arts education. "Attending these kinds of events helps support the liberal arts goal of Truman. It helps to open students' eyes to the arts while deepening and broadening their appreciation of the beauty around us."

The Heidi Chronicles is Wasserstein's most famous play, artfully blending her dry sense of humor with a serious discussion of the feminist movement. Dr. Coulter felt this play was perfect for a university campus because "it has a lens of academia built into it."

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Truman students don't complain about boredom. In fact, they have a reputation for getting involved—and getting connected. There are over 240 organizations on campus, an incredible figure for a university with an enrollment of around 6,000 students. With most students being involved in numerous organizations, it's not surprising that The Princeton Review ranked Truman in the top ten universities with 'More to Do on Campus.'

During the first week of fall classes, the Quad feels like a carnival during the annual Activities Fair, co-sponsored by Cardinal Key and the Center for Student Involvement. Almost every campus organization has a table with information, handouts, and other goodies. A special tradition is a ball drop from an airplane at 2:14 in the afternoon. Because ping-pong balls can be redeemed for prizes, students set off on a mad dash when an airplane flies overhead.

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