Tea Time with Sue: Recent Episodes
Truman State University
Truman State University has been #1 in the midwest for 26 years. The only way that we have been #1 for so long is because of our amazing Students, Faculty, and Staff. This podcast is about them and the amazing things that they do to make Truman a special place every day.
In this Episode of Tea Time with Sue, University President Sue Thomas welcomed Tai Woods.Tai is a psychology major from St. Louis and is completing her freshman year at Truman. She is a member of the Student Activities Board, TruSisters and the Association of Black Collegians. Tai shared her journey to Truman, including how she and her family fell in love with the campus when they visited. Coming from a large city, she appreciates Kirksville is not as “loud” as her hometown, and she particularly enjoys how Truman’s smaller class sizes have allowed her to get to know her professors.Already an active member of campus, Tai shared several items that remain on her Truman bucket list, which includes participating in club volleyball, taking a role in a play, joining an a cappella group, serving as a peer mentor and studying abroad. The discussion also included a surprise regarding what items to take to a deserted island.
In this episode of Tea Time with Sue, President Sue Thomas welcomes Zac Burden, assistant director of Residence Life.Zac came to Truman as a student in 1999 and has been a fixture on campus and in the community ever since. After earning a degree in history, he started his career in Residence Life, including a 15-year stint as the director of Missouri Hall. Zac is well known for his campus tours that often include a deep dive into University history and lore. Outside of Truman, he is active in a number of civic organizations and has twice been elected to the Kirksville City Council.During their conversation, Sue and Zac discuss his love of spreadsheets and Legos, as well as his favorite teas. He also shared how a connection from his time playing string bass in the high school orchestra had a hand in his journey to Truman.Throughout the school year, President Thomas will welcome guests for one-on-one chats that shine a light on the people and things that make Truman the special place it is. Guests for “Tea Time with Sue” can be nominated at truman.edu/teatime.
President Sue Thomas welcome Star Alexander for this episode of “Tea Time with Sue.”A junior psychology major from St. Charles, Mo., Star is active in Phi Sigma Pi and Psi Chi. They have also served the University as a student ambassador and a visit host. This summer will mark their third time serving as an orientation leader. Star shared how they enjoy helping new students start their Truman careers, and they particularly enjoyed working with the commuter students last fall when the team took first place in Truman Week College Cup Challenge.During the course of the conversation, Star also discussed their psychology research on overthinking in academia, as well as their love of reality television shows and how their ability to imitate Toad from the Mario franchise helped win a karaoke contest.
Throughout the school year, President Thomas will welcome guests for one-on-one chats that shine a light on the people and things that make Truman the special place it is. Guests for “Tea Time with Sue” can be nominated at truman.edu/teatime.
President Sue Thomas welcomed Vanessa Alexander, director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, for this episode of “Tea Time with Sue.”
Earlier this year, Vanessa returned to Truman after working with the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education and Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia. She is a Truman graduate and previous employee of the Office of Admission.
During their discussion, Vanessa credits encouragement from others for helping start her career in higher education, motivating her to move across the country and for inspiring her to return to Kirksville for her new position.
Other topics during this episode include upcoming plans for the Center Diversity Inclusion, the benefits of aerial workouts and dabbling in poetry.
Throughout the school year, President Thomas will welcome guests for one-on-one chats that shine a light on the people and things that make Truman the special place it is. Guests for “Tea Time with Sue” can be nominated at truman.edu/teatime.
President Sue Thomas welcomes student Jessie Coleman for this episode of “Tea Time with Sue.”
Jessie is a senior history major and environmental studies minor from Shawnee, Kansas. She works as an intern in Truman’s Sustainability Office. Jessie and Sue discuss some of the projects attributed to the sustainability fee, such as solar panels at the University Farm, as well as some of the outreach efforts conducted by the office, including Earth Week events, April 15-22.
An active theatre student in high school, Jessie also shares about her experience with Truman’s TAG Improv group, which she credits with keeping her in touch with the performing arts. After graduation in May, Jessie will remain at Truman to participate in the Master of Arts in Education program. She hopes to eventually work at an outdoor education center.
More information about sustainability efforts at Truman can be found at sustainability.truman.edu or by following @tru.sus on Instagram.
In this episode President Sue Thomas welcomed Jamie D’Agostino, professor of English.
Now in his 16th year at Truman, Jamie is known for his creative writing courses where some of his unique techniques for sparking creativity have even found their way into the JBA classes he teaches to middle school students in the summer.
Jamie discusses how he likes to venture into nature to find inspiration for his own work, including a rural cemetery he visited once, but had trouble finding a second time. He recently published his second full-length collection of poetry, “The Goldfinch Caution Tapes,” which won the Anthony Hecht Prize. It is available from Amazon and Weywiser Press.
During the conversation, Jamie shares his love for his hometown team the Chicago Bears, as well as how a few white lies and the illegal use of a radio station promotional van led to him being the first person in Chicago to drink Cherry Coke when the beverage was reintroduced in the 1980s.
Throughout the school year, President Thomas will welcome guests for one-on-one chats that shine a light on the people and things that make Truman the special place it is. New episodes will be announced in the Truman Today as they become available. Guests for “Tea Time with Sue” can be nominated at truman.edu/teatime.
President Sue Thomas welcomed Isiah Slater from the Truman esports team for a recent episode of Tea Time with Sue.
A computer science and graphic design double major, Isiah was instrumental in establishing the University’s esports program, which began competition in the fall. In addition to being a member of the team, he also coaches the “Rocket League” squad that qualified for National Association of Collegiate Esports playoffs. Isiah discussed how the pandemic led to an interest in livestreaming. On his Twitch channel, Awesopossum, he covers everything from video games, to art and 3D modeling. During the episode, Slater also mentioned his love of baking and his entry of Krabby Patties in his family’s annual contest.
All full-time Truman students are eligible to try out for the esports team, which competes in “Rocket League,” “League of Legends” and “Super Smash Bros Ultimate.” More information about the team can be found by following @TrumanEsports on Instagram and Twitter. Livestreams of esports events are available at twitch.tv/trumanesports.
Throughout the school year, President Thomas will welcome guests for one-on-one chats that shine a light on the people and things that make Truman the special place it is. Guests for “Tea Time with Sue” can be nominated at truman.edu/teatime.
President Sue Thomas welcomed Laura Bates, executive director of the Student Union and Campus Recreation, for the first “Tea Time with Sue” of the new semester. Now in her 16th year at Truman, Laura oversees the facilities, staff and students in both the Student Union Building and the Campus Recreation Center. This includes extensive involvement with major events such as Truman Week, Homecoming and organizational recruitment. During their conversation, Laura discussed the number of students who participate in Fraternity and Sorority Life and the impact those organizations have on local and national philanthropies.
Other topics of conversation included Laura's literary-inspired tattoos, her dogs Sophie and Jake, and her fondness for licorice-flavored jelly beans.
Throughout the school year, President Thomas will welcome guests for one-on-one chats that shine a light on the people and things that make Truman the special place it is. Guests for “Tea Time with Sue” can be nominated at truman.edu/teatime.
University President Sue Thomas welcomed student Megan Nesbitt for a recent edition of “Tea Time with Sue.”
A communication major at Truman, Megan has gained practical experience in her field by running social media accounts for the Student Recreation Center and the Office of Admission. She also runs an Instagram account dedicated to her two cats. In her free time, Megan enjoys making pumpkin cake cookies and participating in service events through Alpha Phi Omega, an organization that also includes President Thomas as a member.
Throughout the school year, President Thomas will welcome guests for one-on-one chats that shine a light on the people and things that make Truman the special place it is. Guests for “Tea Time with Sue” can be nominated at truman.edu/teatime.
University President Sue Thomas welcomed student Krishna Chebolu for a recent episode.
Krishna is a junior mathematics major from Hyderabad, India. He works as a student advisor in Missouri Hall and is active in Missouri Hall Council and Namaste Nepal. During their conversation, Krishna discussed his experience studying at an isolated boarding school on the banks of the Ganges River with limited internet access, and how Truman’s inclusion in a college ranking led him to Kirksville.
Other topics of discussion include Krishna’s love of cycling, as well as his unique approach to time management, which he views as energy management.
Throughout the school year, President Thomas will welcome guests for one-on-one chats that shine a light on the people and things that make Truman the special place it is. New episodes will be announced in the Truman Today as they become available. Guests for “Tea Time with Sue” can be nominated at truman.edu/teatime.
In the most recent installment of “Tea Time with Sue,” University President Sue Thomas welcomed Curran Prendergast, director of bands and associate professor of music.
Curran, currently in his ninth year at Truman, guides all aspects of the band and graduate instrumental conducting programs. He conducts Wind Symphony I and II, and directs the Statemen Marching Band. During their conversation, Curran touched on the excitement of conducting and the significance of the “Shenandoah” to so many band alumni.
Outside of his work at Truman, Curran talked about his ability to make homemade bagels, as well as his new found enthusiasm for the sport of pickleball and what it’s like to coach youth soccer.
Beth, a native of Linlithgow Scotland, is a graduate student pursing a Master of Arts in Education after completing her undergraduate degree at Truman in the spring. She recently wrapped up her fifth year as the goalkeeper for the women’s soccer team. Beth discussed her journey from Scotland to Truman, as well as the appreciation she has for Kirksville and the friends she has made on campus. She also talked about introducing the film “Borat” to younger teammates.
Throughout the school year, President Thomas will welcome guests for one-on-one chats that shine a light on the people and things that make Truman the special place it is. Guests for “Tea Time with Sue” can be nominated at truman.edu/teatime.
In this episode University President Sue Thomas welcomed Jonathan Vieker, assistant vice president for student success and institutional effectiveness. An alumnus of the University, Jonathan originally planned for a career in music. In the episode they talks about his journey to a career in academia and some of the resources Truman students have available to help reach their full potential.
Other topics the pair discussed include Halloween nostalgia and Project HAPPIE, an organization started by Jonathan and his wife, Sarah, dedicated to providing preschools with books and toys related to Down syndrome to create a more inclusive environment for all children.
After a successful first season, Tea Time with Sue is returning with a slightly new format.
Throughout the school year, University President Sue Thomas will welcome guests for one-on-one chats that shine a light on the people and things that make Truman the special place it is. Nominate someone from the Truman community who everybody should know at truman.edu/teatime.