The Campus

THE CAMPUS

Carefully designed to preserve the natural beauty of its setting, the campus provides students, faculty, and staff with a sense of openness combined with convenience and cohesion. The Truman campus retains the advantages of a small university, where students and faculty can exchange ideas informally and where academic resources remain easily accessible. Since the original purchase of the first ten acres on this site, the campus has expanded to more than 150 acres and now includes over forty buildings. The oldest portion of the campus, the quadrangle, is organized around an open court and dates to 1873. Even today, entering the quadrangle evokes earlier traditions of campus design, as the original Truman State University campus was modeled after Thomas Jefferson’s University of Virginia. Although later additions are contemporary in style, the campus buildings continue to reflect shared aesthetic elements of the Georgian tradition.

Pickler Memorial Library, on the western edge of the quadrangle, is named in honor of Samuel M. Pickler, a former faculty member whose contribution made possible the construction of a new library after the original library was destroyed by fire in 1924. To address evolving needs, a 33,000-square foot air-conditioned addition was completed in 1967, and a five-year project to further expand and renovate the library was finished in the fall of 1993. This project was designed with flexibility in mind so that library services could easily be adapted to both current and future developments in technology. Located on the quadrangle side of the library is the beautiful Virginia Young Stanton Garden, which was dedicated in 1996.

Pickler Memorial Library offers an extensive physical and online collection of books, journals, newspapers, and videos. This includes access to over 90,000 online journals and 400,000 eBooks. In addition, Special Collections and University Archives houses several unique collections donated by distinguished faculty and alumni. The library is a member of the MOBIUS Consortium, allowing students and faculty to borrow library materials from over 70 member libraries. Also located in the library is the Doug and Diane Villhard Innovation Lab and a Starbucks Café. For more information on the library, visit http://library.truman.edu.

Magruder Hall, originally constructed in 1955 and expanded in 1968, was remodeled and expanded again in 2005 to enhance opportunities for the exchange of scientific knowledge. The building houses two academic departments—Agricultural and Biological Sciences and Physical Sciences—as well as the School of Science and Mathematics Office. Research laboratories, preparation rooms, a greenhouse chamber, and other specialized facilities provide students with opportunities for scholarly interaction and collaborative research with faculty members. The 2005 renovation consolidated the sciences into a single facility featuring state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, and technology. In 2022, six advanced virtual anatomy tables were installed, featuring 84-inch digital screens that support life-size displays and interactive virtual exploration. The Del and Norma Robison Planetarium and Multimedia Theater, located within Magruder Hall, opened in 2014. The 60-seat, 1,800 square foot planetarium is the only such facility in nearly a 100-mile radius of Kirksville. 

Nearby is Kirk Memorial, dedicated in 1940 in honor of John R. Kirk, who served as president of Truman State University from 1899 to 1925. Located directly in front of the building are the Flame to the Second Century and a bronze statue of Joseph Baldwin, the University’s founder and first president. The statue was dedicated in 1927 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Baldwin’s birth. Immediately behind Kirk Memorial, on the former site of Baldwin Hall, is the landscaped Sunken Garden, which is accented by wooden gazebos at each end.

Constructed in 1923, Kirk Building is named in honor of John R. Kirk, an alumnus and the second-longest-serving president in the University’s history. For generations of alumni, the building has been remembered as a central gathering place on campus, having long served as a venue for assemblies, events, and recreational activities. A comprehensive renovation of Kirk Building was completed in spring 2025. Today, the building houses the Student Success Center, which includes the Career Center, the Student Health Center, Counseling Services, Student Access and Disability Services, the Center for Academic Excellence, the Communication Lab, and the Writing Center. Also located in Kirk Building is the Roy and Abby Blunt SKILLS Center which provides academic and professional support to the local community. 

The Ophelia Parrish Building, which houses the Departments of Art and Design, Music, and Communication and Theatre Arts, as well as the School of Arts and Humanities Office, once served as a demonstration elementary school. Following renovation and expansion completed in 2002, the building now includes faculty offices, studios, classrooms, and the University Art Gallery. The facility also features the state-of-the-art Severns Theatre and Performance Hall.

Located northeast of Ophelia Parrish is the Greenwood Interprofessional Autism Center—formerly a public elementary school— that opened in 2023 to provide services and support for individuals with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. The Greenwood Center also serves as a training site for Truman students enrolled in health-related academic programs, including Applied Behavior Analysis, Communication Disorders, Counseling, Disability Studies, Education, Exercise Science, Health Science, Nursing, and Psychology.

Completing the quadrangle complex, Baldwin Hall—originally constructed in 1938, expanded in 1958, and fully renovated in 2017—houses a wide range of academic and student-centered offices. These include the Interfaith Center, Center for International Students, Center for Diversity and Inclusion, Music Practice Rooms, the CML Language and Learning Center, and the Center for International Education and Study Abroad. Baldwin Hall also contains classrooms, faculty offices, and the Department of Social Sciences and Human Inquiry. The 1,400-seat Baldwin Auditorium, located within the building, hosts numerous guest speakers and performing artists throughout the year.

Just west of Baldwin Hall and connected by a walkway reconstructed in 2025 is McClain Hall. Completed in 1977, McClain Hall houses many of the University’s major administrative offices, as well as the Departments of English and Languages and Linguistics. Classrooms and the Center for Academic Outreach are located on the third floor and are surrounded by faculty offices and seminar rooms. The first floor contains additional faculty and academic support offices, along with Information Technology Services (ITS). ITS provides centralized computing support for large-scale research, instructional technology, online information systems, and interactive computing resources for students, faculty, and staff. The University remains committed to maintaining computing facilities that are as close to state-of-the-art as possible.

Across the Mall from McClain Hall is the S. K. Giachino Reavey Sesquicentennial Plaza, which was renovated in 2019 and provides an outdoor space for campus events. The plaza features a prominent illuminated fountain that serves as a visual centerpiece of the area. Nearby stands the Student Union Building (SUB), commonly referred to as the Union. Since opening in 1967, the SUB has served as the campus “living room,” offering a central space where students, faculty, staff, and community members can meet, engage, and build connections. In addition to meeting rooms and shared spaces for activities, the Union houses a number of important campus services and offices, including the Truman Bookstore, Mainstreet Market, Union and Involvement Services, the Dean of Student Life Office, the Office of Citizenship and Community Standards, the Women’s Resource Center, the SERVE Center, the Student Activities Board, Student Government, the Funds Allotment Council, and the University Career Center.

West of McClain Hall is the Student Recreation Center, a 58,000-square-foot facility that opened in 1998. The center includes three basketball courts, a multipurpose court, an exercise and weight room, an aerobics studio, an indoor track, and additional recreational amenities.

Located on the northern edge of campus, the Ruth W. Towne Museum and Visitors Center houses the Office of Admission. The 7,600-square-foot multipurpose facility serves as a welcoming space for prospective students and families to learn about Truman State University and its history, while also remaining open to the public for viewing exhibits. Formerly the Kirksville Fire Station, the building was renovated and repurposed in part through a bequest from Dr. Ruth W. Towne, who retired from the University in 1988 after a 36-year career as a professor of history and dean of graduate studies. During the renovation of Kirk Memorial Building, the original cupola—an iconic architectural feature symbolizing the University’s history—was relocated to a prominent location near the entrance of the Towne Museum and Visitors Center.

Violette Hall, completed in 1965 and located just south of the original quadrangle, was fully renovated and reopened in 1999. The building contains classrooms, computer classrooms, laboratories, seminar rooms, and the Departments of Business and Economics, Computer and Data Sciences, Education, and Mathematics. It also houses the School of Business and Professional Studies, the Regional Professional Development Center, and the Assessment and Testing Office.

Across the street from Violette Hall is the Adair Building, which houses the McNair Program and Upward Bound.

Pershing Building, named in honor of distinguished alumnus General John J. Pershing, houses the Departments of Health Science and Exercise Science, as well as Athletics. The building includes a large arena with three basketball courts, a one-tenth-mile indoor track, and seating for approximately 2,200. Completed in 1976, the adjacent Natatorium contains a six-lane, 25-yard swimming pool. Major renovations to the Pershing Building were completed in 2011, followed by new seating installation in 2012 and refurbishment of the North Wing in 2022.

Just east of the Pershing Building and connected by a walkway is the Health Sciences Building, completed in 2011. This facility houses the Departments of Nursing and Communication Disorders and includes a state-of-the-art Speech and Hearing Clinic, as well as facilities for Athletic Training.

On the southern edge of campus, the outdoor athletics complex includes Stokes Stadium, the Kenneth Gardner Track, a baseball diamond, softball field, soccer field, lighted tennis courts, and a practice field. Stokes Stadium seats 4,500 spectators and is used for intercollegiate football games and track and field events. New artificial turf and lighting were installed in the late 2000s, and additional renovations in 2017 included updated turf, a press box, and reconfiguration of Gardner Track to accommodate a soccer field. The Bulldog Kennels, which house training facilities, adjoin the stadium area.

Barnett Hall, a classroom and laboratory building, houses the Departments of Military Science and Psychology and Counseling. An addition to the original 1970 structure is among the University’s award-winning architectural designs. Renovations completed in 2007 added student media offices, digital radio and television studios, forensics space, and updated classrooms and computer laboratories. The Publications Office, which provides free design services to the University, is also located in Barnett Hall. In January 2025, the Campus Mail Room relocated to this building.

The 400-acre University Farm and Observatory is located on the edge of Kirksville, about a mile from campus. The farm features classrooms and labs, equine and cattle facilities, a horse herd, indoor and outdoor riding arenas, two greenhouses, an orchard, vineyards, and garden plots. The open spaces at the farm provides a great viewing location for physics research at the observatory. 

Office Locations

SCHOOL OFFICES:
School of Arts and Humanities		Ophelia Parrish 1101
School of Science and Mathematics		Magruder Hall 2004
School of Business and Professional Studies		Violette Hall 2400

DEPARTMENT OFFICES:
Agricultural and Biological Sciences		Magruder Hall 3052
Art and Design		Ophelia Parrish 1109
Business and Economics		Violette Hall 2416
Communication and Theatre Arts		Baldwin Hall 232
Communication Disorders		Health Sciences Building 2252
Computer and Data Sciences		Violette Hall 2100
Education		Violette Hall 2310
English		McClain Hall 310
Exercise Science		Pershing Building 2114
Health Science		Pershing Building 2114
Languages and Linguistics		McClain Hall 310
Mathematics		Violette Hall 2100
Military Science		Barnett Hall 2230
Music		Ophelia Parrish 1109
Nursing		Health Sciences Building 3208
Physical Sciences		Magruder Hall 3092
Psychology and Counseling		Barnett Hall 2210
Social Sciences and Human Inquiry		McClain Hall 214

ADMINISTRATIVE & STUDENT SERVICES OFFICES:
Admission		Ruth W. Towne Museum & Visitors Center
Alumni/Advancement		McClain Hall
Assessment & Testing		Violette Hall
Athletics		Pershing Building
Bookstore		Student Union Building
Business Office		McClain Hall
Career Center		Student Union Building
Cashier		McClain Hall
Center for Academic Excellence		Kirk Building
Center for Academic Outreach		McClain Hall
Center for Diversity and Inclusion		Baldwin Hall
Center for International Education		Baldwin Hall
Citizenship and Community Standards		Student Union Building
Dean of Student Life		Student Union Building
Financial Aid		McClain Hall
Funds Allotment Council		Student Union Building
Gender Equity/EEO Officer		McClain Hall
General Counsel		McClain Hall
Graduate Office		McClain Hall
ID Office		Missouri Hall
Information Technology Services		McClain Hall
International Student Affairs		Baldwin Hall
Intramurals		Recreation Center
Language Learning Center		Baldwin Hall
McNair Post-Baccalaureate Program		Adair Building
Payroll		McClain Hall
Physical Plant		General Services
President’s Office		McClain Hall
Public Relations		McClain Hall
Registrar		McClain Hall
Residence Life		Missouri Hall
Scholastic Enhancement Experience		Baldwin Hall
SERVE Center		Student Union Building
Sodexo Food Services		Student Union Building
Speech & Hearing Clinic		Health Sciences Building
Student Access and Disability Services		Kirk Building
Student Accounts		McClain Hall
Student Activities Board		Student Union Building
Student Life		Student Union Building
Student Health Center		Kirk Building
Student Senate		Student Union Building
Union and Involvement Services		Student Union Building
University Counseling Services		Kirk Building
Vice President for Academic Affairs		McClain Hall
Women’s Resource Center		Student Union Building
Writing Center		Kirk Building