Truman Week is a yearly occurrence, but this time students will experience it a little differently.
This year Truman Week will be focused more on the “fan experience.”
Some of the most memorable activities of Truman Week are the ridiculous relays and the college cup events. Events like these are featured in the new fan experience aspect of Truman Week.
Additional activities will be associated with the ridiculous relays for the students that sit and watch in the crowd.
“We wanted this year to really focus on that fan experience for the students who are not necessarily participating,” Tyana Lange, vice president of enrollment management, said. “For the ridiculous relays, we have some swag giveaways. We will be doing food, so there will be vendors handing out hotdogs and things like popcorn — some snacks so that you feel like you’re having that fan experience as if you went to a baseball, football, basketball game.”
This is the first year that clubs and organizations have been invited to have activities on the Quad during the first-year students’ move-in time. The time for first-years to move into the residence halls has been expanded to the entire first day, allowing time for yard games and other activities on the Quad.
Every year, first-year students arrive on campus four days earlier than returning students to participate in a series of activities called Truman Week.
The goal of Truman Week is to help first-year students transition into Truman State University. The activities are aimed to take the students through different offices, resources and experiences on campus, Lange said.
“Research tells us that students only have about those first two weeks on campus to make those connections that will help determine if they are successful in college,” Lange said. “So we really front load those first two weeks on campus to make sure that students have an opportunity to meet and get engaged with as many people on campus as possible.”
A committee of people from various parts of campus plan and implement Truman Week. The co-chairs of the committee are Tyana Lange and Joyce Patrick. Other committee members include representatives from Residence Life, Union and Involvement, Athletics, Public Relations, Admissions, the Center for Academic Excellence, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, and the faculty.
Planning for Truman Week is a year-long process, Lange said. Assessment is done in the fall to note any necessary changes. The committee then begins to meet during the spring semester to start the planning process for the next Truman Week.
During Truman Week, multiple activities take place within the residence halls.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to utilize Truman Week to help these residence halls really feel like home in very quick order,” Zac Burden, the assistant director of Residence Life said.
The Truman lecture is an event held Thursday night, featuring Truman alumni and Boston Celtic Brodric Thomas. Thomas graduated from Truman during 2020. The lecture will focus on overcoming obstacles.
Thomas will speak with Psychology faculty member Katie Judd during the lecture. Thomas was in Judd’s psychology capstone class during the spring semester of 2020.
There will also be a new event Sunday night, New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Sue Thomas. The event begins at 7 p.m on the Quad and will be for both new and returning students.
The new event is intended to be a celebration for the new academic year. A ball drop, along with food and mocktails will be at the event.