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Truman Receives $2.87 Million Gift: Second Largest Ever

May 2008―Truman State University has announced receipt of a $2.87 million cash gift, the second-largest ever in the University’s 141-year history. The gift is from the family of Squire Paul and Meeda (Daniel) Holman, a family with a deep history with Truman.

The gift is designated in three major areas: an endowment for need-based stipends for students to participate in study-abroad programs; an endowment for a distinguished speaker series to bring national and international figures to Truman’s campus; and an endowment for need-based stipends for students to attend Truman’s graduate programs.

“A gift of this magnitude has a tremendous impact on students,” said University President Barbara Dixon. “Through the generosity of the Holman family, each year at least 50 students who might not otherwise have the opportunity, will be able to study abroad or continue their education at the graduate level.” In addition, students and the northeast Missouri community will benefit from nationally renowned speakers, artists, and authors through the distinguished speaker series.

Truman State University offers study-abroad opportunities in more than 50 countries around the world, and each year more than 500 Truman students participate in study-abroad programs. As more students discover that the study-abroad experience has a positive influence on their personal, professional, and academic life by developing their cross-cultural skills, as well as their global understanding, interest in Truman's study-abroad programs continues to grow. This endowment will allow a greater number of students to broaden the impact of their college career by participating in a study-abroad program.

The speaker series funded by the endowment will showcase national and international figures and provide interaction opportunities with Truman students, faculty and staff, and the northeast Missouri community. By bringing Nobel Prize winners, authors, artists, and distinguished experts in a variety of fields to the Truman campus, the series will enhance the educational experiences of Truman students and help them grow in ways that will promote successful careers.

Several opportunities are available at Truman for students searching for professional training or advanced study in a liberal arts field, and Truman's graduate programs have a long history of receiving national recognition. For the last 11 years, U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" guide has ranked Truman as the No. 1 Public University in the Midwest Region Master's Category. Support for graduate students in the form of stipends will help attract bright scholars who wish to pursue a graduate experience and encourage them to attend Truman's distinguished graduate programs.

The late Squire Paul and Meeda (Daniel) Holman each spent their childhood and young-adult years in Green Castle, Mo. Paul served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War I, and Meeda attended Missouri Wesleyan College in Cameron, Mo. They were married in 1923 and moved to Kirksville, Mo., in 1937. Paul became a member of the staff at Truman State University, then known as Northeast Missouri State Teachers College, serving as the building custodian for Science Hall for 17 years. Both Paul and Meeda took an active role in the lives of the young scholars attending the university, and over the years, many students lived in their home, which was located across the street from the Blanton, Nason, and Brewer residence halls.

The generous gift was made to Truman State University's "Bright Minds Bright Futures" campaign and will touch a number of young lives for generations to come. The "Bright Minds Bright Futures" campaign is a major component of Truman's strategic plan and vision to become the nation's premier public liberal arts and sciences university. The $30 million campaign will provide support for student scholarships, student enrichment initiatives, faculty development, and enhancements to the athletic program.

For more information
Office of Advancement, McClain Hall 100, 100 E. Normal St., Kirksville, Mo. 63501-4221; Telephone: (800) 452-6678 or (660) 785-4133; Fax (660) 785-7519.