Truman School of Government and Public Affairs

Planning for a More Resilient Future, A Guide to Regional Approaches, a joint publication between the NADO Research Foundation and the Institute of Public Policy, authored by IPP Director, Brian Dabson, highlights the importance of resilience framework and how this structure relies on the development of relationships between local, regional, state, and national agencies and organizations to determine how well a community successfully navigates a disaster.

Thirty doctoral candidates participated in the first annual Mizzou Three Minutes Thesis competition. From two preliminary nights, 12 winners advanced to the semi finals: Nathaniel Graham, Madeline Miller, Surya Sapkota, Arianna Soldati, TasiaTaxis, Jessica M. Anderson, Lincoln Sheets, Sarah Smith, Page Quinton, Scott Askinosie, Sarah E Lirley McCune, and Maria Jones.

Originally, Samantha Franks’ concentration area within her political science major was conflict, but she made the switch to constitutional studies. “I’m probably more interested in conflict,” says Franks, a senior from Nixa, Missouri. “It’s just that the constitutional studies stuff here is so good.”

“Resilient communities and regions are those that are able to anticipate their vulnerability to natural, economic, and other potential threats.  They take action to limit their exposure to these threats, and they have plans, processes, and resources in place to help them recover quickly should disaster strike. At the core of resilience is the willingness and ability to adapt to change to ensure positive outcomes for all residents and businesses.” [1]

President Barak Obama says the Iranian nuclear agreement announced by the United States and its partners Tuesday is “a historic chance to pursue a safer and more secure world.” Speaking in the East Room of the White House yesterday, the president said the deal will ensure the Iranians will not produce a nuclear weapon for the next 15 years.

The Truman Youth Leadership Academy, sponsored by the Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs, kicked off its annual summer camp on Monday, July 13th.  Twenty-one middle school students will spend a week together engaged in various leadership workshops and activities.  The four core concepts of Respect, Responsibility, Discovery and Excellence will guide the week-long summer program curriculum.  A fifth day dedicated to Service will wrap up the week, when campers volunteer their efforts to clean up Flat Branch Creek.

The Institute of Public Policy released two new publications this week focusing on Regional and Economic issues.  Creating Opportunity and Prosperity Through Strengthening Rural-Urban Connections, an issue brief written by Erin Meyers and Brian Dabson, describes rural and urban connections in the areas of broadband development, disaster resilience, transportation, and food systems and efforts to strengthen these linkages. 

Understanding the effects of social media on civic engagement is growing in importance because more and more organizations are using social media to engage individuals and communities for civic action. The Institute of Public Policy (IPP) has investigated how an organization might begin to think through the relationship between an organization’s use of social media and its effects on civic engagement.

Fares Akremi spent his freshman year proving to himself he belonged at the University of Missouri and his ACT score wasn’t a fluke. Homeschooled in Jamestown, Missouri, Akremi wasn’t sure he would succeed in college. “I was scared of my own shadow,” he says.