One thing that sets a Truman education apart is the opportunity for undergraduate research that creates high-impact experiences, significantly broadening students’ horizons. Alumna Calaneet Balas (’97) valued experiences like this during her time at Truman, emphasizing that attending and presenting at research conferences had a significant impact on her academic development. She established the Health and Exercise Sciences (HES) Experiential Fund to ensure that today’s students also have access to similar experiences in the hopes that it will positively shape their futures and better prepare them to make a difference in the world around them.
In October of 2024, the HES Experiential Fund was used to support a trip of Health Science and Public Health Education students to Washington D.C. led by Drs. Carol Cox and Rolena Stephenson (’01) to attend the Society for Public Health Education Advocacy Summit. The Summit provided a learning environment for all levels of knowledge and experience, and students learned advocacy skills from national experts to enhance their confidence. In addition to educational session participation, students presented their research projects and advocated on Capitol Hill, covering topics such as youth advocacy and the use of social media as a tool for health advocacy. Balas also hosted the group at a dinner where she shared her legislative advocacy experiences over her career.