Melody Jennings
Office: 226-B Pershing Building
Office telephone: (660) 785-7259
Fax number: (660) 785-7492
E-mail:
jennings@truman.edu
Melody has been a full-time member of the Department of Health and Exercise Sciences since 1995. She currently teaches the classes:
- HLTH 195 Lifetime Health and Fitness
- ES 235 Physical Activity for the Young Child
- ES 236 Creative Movement for Children
- ES 156 Beginning Tap Dancing
- ES 157 Beginning Jazz Dance
- ES 214 Beginning Ballet
- ES 256 Intermediate Tap Dancing
- ES 257 Intermediate Jazz Dancing
- ES 215 Intermediate Ballet
- ES 454 Applied Movement Analysis: Dance
- ES 455 Applied Movement Analysis: Gymnastics
- ES 452 Applied Movement Analysis: Aerobic Dance
Melody is one of the faculty advisors for Exercise Science students, as well as the advisor for the Truman State University High Street Dancers.
Melody serves on many University committees including the Kohlenberg Lyceum committee, which selects cultural entertainment for Truman students and the Kirksville community, the Dr. Joseph P. Dolan scholarship committee, the Jack Klein Health and Exercise Science scholarship committee, and she serves as a MAE Case Study reviewer. Besides teaching and advising at Truman, she teaches dance and tumbling classes at the Dance Studio here in Kirksville. Before becoming a full-time faculty member in the Department of Health and Exercise Sciences, she owned and operated her own dance and tumbling studio in Bloomfield, Iowa for fifteen years.
Education:
B.S. in Education: Physical Education, Truman State University
M.A. in Education: Teaching of Physical Education, Truman State
University
Thesis Title: The Effects of Different Types of Music
on Physical Performance
Professional Organizations:
- Missouri Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance - Dance Chair (1998-2006) and presenter
- Delta Kappa Gamma International Society of Key Women Educators - Historian (2000-current)
- Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (1998-current)
Certifications:
Group Exercise Instructor Certification
Step Training Certification
Kick Boxing Certification through Aerobics and Fitness Association
of America
On a more personal level:
Melody is originally from Cantril, Iowa, which is a small town in southeast Iowa. She came to what was then Northeast Missouri State University on a Pershing Scholarship and enjoyed college life so much that she never left! She is married to Charlie Jennings, who is a Physical Education teacher/coach at Novinger R-1 schools. They have two children, Larry (named for Boston Celtic basketball player Larry Bird) and Cassie.
Cassie
is also a dancer; she recently competed in the National Talent on
Parade dance competition in Hot Springs, Arkansas earning a Top 1st
trophy for her jazz dance to "Bop to the Top". When Melody is
not teaching dance somewhere, she enjoys reading (especially Stephen
King) and cross-stitching.
