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The Battle of Kirksville begins. View the slideshow by clicking on the image. By: Andrea Hewitt

When Blakely takes her midnight rounds in the empty white hallways her
thoughts drifts over to the ghost that lives in Grim Hall. Residents walk on their tip toes when walking through Grim at night.

That ghost is Charlotte, who was a nursing student at Truman State University in the 1930s, and her ghost is said to live in Grim Hall still to this day. She is known as a friendly matchmaker ghost, but it can be spooky to think of
her at nighttime.

“She[Charlotte] is definitely part of the culture here,” Blakely said. “And [she is] incorporated in Grim’s history,” said Blakely.

The ghost has become part of Grim hall over time and students living there tend to like her, Blakely said.

“I think that it’s definitely a kind of thing that everyone knows about and can joke about, said Blakely. “If a door shuts and nobody is around, everyone kind of like ‘charlotte stop doing that’ or if something falls off a shelf and you don’t know why, it’s just become like blame it on Charlotte.”

Whispering quietly, Delmonico mentioned the variety of stories of how
Charlotte died over a cold winter break in 1931. One less complex stories that Charlotte was diabetic and ran out of insulin over break. Another is that the heat in Grim was turned off, and she froze to death. Yet another suspicion is that she had an epileptic seizure. And the creepiest of the stories is that she hung herself in a tree.

Delmonico, an expert in folklore, has investigated ghost stories since she started at Truman in 1984.  Delmonico further explained why there are many different versions to how Charlotte died.

“Ghost stories tend to develop around people that who dies suddenly or
unexpectedly or violently or suddenly,” said Delmonico.” So if you have someone that dies violently, the vibes from other ghost stories wander over and get attached.”

Zach Burton, Missouri Hall Director created a program to show people the history of Truman when he was a Student Advisor in Dobson when he was a undergraduate student at Truman State University.

In order tell people about unknown parts of Truman’s history, Burton created a program to guide people around campus at night while telling people on the tour interesting stories. Burton said one of the goals of the tour is to connect people to the heritage Truman has through stories.

Burton said Truman students and various community civic groups, and potential employees, such as Truman faculty or staff, are given the tour. The purpose of the program was to get more connected to the history of Truman’s constant innovation, he said.

My Encounters in Grim

When I walked into Grim Hall the first thing I saw was a photo of the whole Grim Hall staff. My face suddenly turned white when I realized that there was one spot in the photo with no image, but a name. Charlotte’s name is imprinted under her well-integrated spot in the photo. I then realized Charlotte is not just a ghost but she really is a part of the culture of Grim Hall.

Blakely said students around Truman’s campus often ask about the ghost stories of Grim. Smiling, she told the story of upper classmen who play up the stories to make them scarier when sharing the tales with freshmen, trying to scare them.

I must say I shiver just thinking about ghosts, and I certainly did when listening to Blakely’s tales. Personally, I would be too scared to live in Grim as I do not want to be close to a ghost.

Although fast food restaurant menus usually have dollar menus and value meals, the dollars certainly add up. Learning smart money management not only helps with avoiding overspending on fast food, it also is preparation for life after college.

Americans will spend over 110 million dollars this year on fast food. That’s more than they’ll spend on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos and recorded music combined, according to cbsnews.com. Just think if the average college student spends about $5 per day on fast food that becomes $35 per week, which might not seem like so much, but can add up to $1,820 annually on fast food alone. Even buying a bottle of soda every day will cost at least $30 a month or more.

Freshman Jaronda Williams said the hours of the dining halls, convenience stores and Main Street Market in the Student Union Building (SUB) aren’t always convenient. She said she wishes food was available late at night.

“The options on campus aren’t always the best,” she said. “All the places to get food on campus close before I get hungry.” Williams said that sometimes she can use a snack at 3:00 a.m. and because the C-store closes at midnight during the week and 10 on the weekends, she’s not able to do so.

Senior Brian Nwuele, a student without a campus meal plan, said he eats fast food about three times per week.

“Sometimes when the SUB [Student Union Building] closes, I get hungry at night,” he said. “I definitely spend more money on fast food than I do on groceries.

Although most first year students have the convenience of a meal plan, they too fall victim of careless spending habits on fast food. Many can recall the transition to college life freshman year where eating occurred around the clock.

Nweule said he eats fast food for the convenience. If fast food wasn’t so cheap, he would probably spend the extra time and effort to buy groceries more often. He said a lot of people he knows would say the same thing.

“Sometimes people don’t feel like driving all the way to Walmart to get groceries here and there, when McDonalds is right around the corner,” he said.

By: Ashley Wilson & John Moenster

By: Nathan Vickers

Senior Omar Sheira, from Cairo, Egypt, will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in visual communications this May. Sheira said he feels strongly about returning to Egypt, but he is concerned about money.

“Either way I’m going to have to go back to Egypt sometime soon to start help with the rebuilding process going on back there and try to play a role in what’s going on in the political sphere,” Sheira said.

Sheira said he wants to work with non-governmental organizations and individuals that share his views but he realizes first and foremost he needs to earn some money. Sheira said he thinks his creative background goes hand in hand with his political science major.

“If I don’t get to use my art than it will at least help me to have an imagination for how I can project any image to the public,” Sheira said.

Other graduates have made plans to enter the working world. Senior Emily Donath is graduating with a master’s degree in accountancy in May and said she will be working for Ernst and Young, a public accounting firm in St. Louis, Mo. upon graduating.

Donath said she thinks Truman has a very good reputation with business and finance degrees and accounting majors usually don’t have a hard time finding a job.

“In my job search at least, everything just kind of naturally fell into place,” Donath said. “The fact that I was a student at Truman set me apart from everybody else because a degree from Truman means more than a degree from anywhere else.”

Donath said a benefit of her degree program is completing a 150-hour work experience requirement in order to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Donath said she first chose her major because she excelled in her business classes, and after doing some research she found that a career in accountancy can also be lucrative. In 2011 a CPA will earn between $47,991 – $69,964, according to PayScale’s database.

“It’s actually a really rewarding practice,” Donath said. “Because at the end of the day when everything balances you know you can walk away knowing you did a good job.”

Job prospects in accounting are expected to increase by 22 percent through 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most accountants have a bachelor’s degree and work in four main areas: public accounting, management accounting, government accounting, and internal auditing.

Senior Andrew McCrady said he also thinks a degree from Truman is worth more because it is one of the tougher schools in the state of Missouri.

“School has been something that I’ve always felt comfortable and good at,” McCrady said. “I really like to learn and I thought continuing with that would be my best choice in life.”

McCrady will be receiving a bachelor’s of science degree in mathematics in May. He recently received his letter of acceptance to University of Missouri- Columbia for graduate studies in mathematics.

One resource that helps Truman students plan their futures is the Career Center. Career coordinator Katie Vanderhoof has been working in the center two years. Vanderhoof said the Career Center offers help in variety of ways, such as résumé and cover letter critiques. Vanderhoof said about 45% of Truman students go off to pursue graduate studies.

She said while the center is there to help it is ultimately the responsibility of the individual to put in the work.

By: Ashley Wilson & John Moenster

The Truman as Residence Hall Association organized the first eco-friendly fashion show, Night on the Green Carpet, on April 13 at 7:00 p.m. in the Ryle Hall main lounge.

Senior Yabrell Newman, the show’s organizer said the show aims to raise awareness about sustainability on campus and in the community and to support the efforts of going green.

“It is not a normal fashion show,” Newman said. “Basically you are using trash to make an outfit – newspapers, old boxes – anything you want besides actual fabric.”

He said the concept of a Green Fashion show is unique and he got the inspiration to do it when RHA attended a program by the Midwestern Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls (MACURH) where another college presented a similar program.

He said anyone can apply to design outfits and those who are interested can also contribute by modeling or attending the event.

Freshman Ashley Jost said she is hoping to model in her roommate’s design.

“It is a really awesome thing,” Jost said. “I am really involved in environmental things on campus and I really want students’ eyes to be open to what we can be doing – fun things – to learn about awareness.”

She said it is a fun way to recycle and hopes that this would get the students thinking on more serious environmental issues.

“I am recycling those labels on those soda bottles,” Jost said. “My roommate is really creative and she has already got the design drawn up.”

She said as she shops she not only thinks about matching clothes but also pays attention to how the clothes are made and the sociological aspect of it.

Jost said because the fashion industry is huge, it would be great if it turned around to help the environment and make a positive impact.

“You are using stuff you already have instead of going to Wal-Mart and buying yards of fabric and spending all the time sewing it ,” Newman said. “Although it might be a little difficult to work with those material because they are not fabric, it could be more fun.”

He said RHA received a grant from MACURH to fund the show and Truman is one of the only seven schools in the country to receive the grant.

Truman Eco, a campus organization which promotes sustainability and eco-friendly initiatives, is helping with publicity and volunteers for the show.

Newman said because it is the first year that Truman is having such a show, he is expecting about 50 people to attend and have about 10 designers. Newman said this year the event mainly targets Truman students and he hopes the show continues annually at Truman.

David Gillette, Professor of Economics said that eco-friendly initiatives are becoming increasingly popular and some of these do help the environment while others don‘t.

He said one issue with the clothing industry going green is the fact that it has not caught on to be popular because many of these designs are not comfortable or practical for daily-wear. Even when it is, it is very expensive, he said.

“It depends on what the material are that you are putting into the fabric,” Gillette said. “If you are paying $400 for a $35 sweater just because it has eco-friendly material, then we are talking about a different kind of green. That is the money-green.”

Gillette said for the clothes industry there are also economic concerns regarding items like cotton.

He said most of the green products do well in the market, but the problems arise if the costs of green products are higher and have to be subsidized. Gillette said in the fashion world,  there are shirts that are 100 percent cotton, and appear eco-friendly but because cotton is heavily subsidized in America, it is a huge waste of resources.

“You have to look at the big picture, and weigh the costs and benefits carefully,” Gillette said. “So that is one of the concerns I have about going green … There are lots of unintended consequences.”

By: Kathrine Flaate & Shihara Maduwage

By: Sally LaJoie (Click to View)

A man kneels down on one knee, with ring in hand, and asks “Will you marry me?” While the engagement process often marks the moment when a couple decides to spend the rest of their lives together, it also serves as a period of planning for the big day. For some young couples at Truman, this may mean just the opposite.

Megan Mays, a third-year Truman student, began planning her wedding to fiancé and graduate student Brandon Ping shortly after he proposed in late August 2010. The couple intended to have a traditional ceremony, complete with a white dress and bridesmaids, but they found it was not right for them.

“We started planning and both hated it, and neither one of us cared enough. So, we were like, we’ll just elope,” Mays said.

It was a quiet wedding with a quiet announcement. The couple alerted family and friends using Facebook.

“We didn’t plan for his family to find out on Facebook, but we just got caught up in the excitement, I guess,” Megan said.

Although the couple intended to remain engaged until the completion of Megan’s Bachelor’s degree, the couple made the spontaneous decision to obtain a marriage license from the downtown Court House for financial reasons. Megan wanted to marry before April 1 in order to be applicable for Pell Grants through FAFSA.

Although the couple eloped, they still managed to have a traditional ceremony. The couple’s self-identifying agnostic reverend joined them as they said their vows in the Sunken Garden on campus. The garden is the site of the original Baldwin Hall, and now serves as the location for many student weddings. According to campus lore, the first person you see, or kiss, in the garden will be the person you marry, making it one of the more romantic spots on campus.

“I didn’t want to have a long relationship or a serious relationship when I first came to college,” Mays said. “My goal was to have a college life and date and not tie myself down. So, it was accidental.”

While Megan and Brandon’s wedding announcement and ceremony remained spontaneous and non-traditional, Truman students Danielle Noring and Tyler Madsen have begun planning far in advance for their more traditional June 2012 wedding.

Danielle and Tyler are both pursuing graduate degrees, meaning there is not a lot of time for planning. Over Spring Break, the couple picked a reception site and arranged for the wedding to be held at the Crossing Church. They have also both picked out a bridesmaids and groomsman.

“I’ve always planned to have a traditional wedding,” Danielle said. “It’s just something that has always been important to me.”

By: Meghann Henry

Ramolaa Shah, a junior at Truman, uses Skype and prepaid phone cards to call her parents in Bombay, India. Shah realized how expensive international calls are when she was charged over $200 after accidently calling home without using a prepaid phone or card. Shah said a prepaid phone card is her preferred method because there are no additional use charges and she does not have to worry about paying extra bills. With a prepaid phone card, she only makes one payment of $20 per semester.

“You just need a phone. There’s really no other way you can properly talk to someone,” Shah said. “There are always clarity issues and signal problems with Skype or the Internet is down. A phone can be a lifesaver.”

She and her family talk via Skype, but one of the software’s premier features – visual communication – does not always work.

During her first weeks at Truman, she used friends’ phones because she did not have a phone of her own, and her parents did not have a Skype account.

“The Internet connection is sometimes really down in India and the quality is not as good as it is over here,” Shah said. “I don’t even get to see them half the time. The webcam is blurry.”

When international students first arrive at Truman, the International Student Affairs Office provides students with information and resources to help them begin communicating with their families back home. The ISAO offers a two-day orientation each fall and spring that includes a short presentation on communication, where they discuss phones, phone cards and Skype.

“We basically let them know that you don’t want to dial direct because that’s too expensive and you want to buy a phone card or want to get a Skype account,” International Student Advisor Randee Rae Phelps said.

The ISAO encourages students to buy prepaid phones with international capability from local stores such as Wal-Mart and Kum & Go.

The ISAO provides resources for students to call home, like a free prepaid phone cards when they first arrive at Truman. The purpose of the card is to allow students to call home and inform their parents that they arrived safe in Kirksville. ZapTel, an international prepaid phone card company, provides the university with the cards. The provided cards only allow for 5-10 minutes of talk-time. The ISAO makes sure all new students call home, and then they educate them on how to do so with their own resources.

According to the Consumer Reports website, using alternative services such as Skype may be the best option for international calls because prepaid phone card use requires additional, sometimes hidden fees. Call-connection and call-completion fees may be charged to the prepaid card, in addition to per-call fees.

Consumer Reports recommends purchasing cards online from independent companies, like ZapTel because there is often a greater selection of rates to select from than a major phone company. The site also recommends Skype because international rates are very inexpensive and users are no required to have a computer.

A look at Truman’s use of toilet paper and how some students are using private paper instead of public.

By: Amy Caldwell

By: Ka-Wing Wong