Dr. Chris Lantz

Honors and Recognition
I was recently named Scholar of the Year and Presidential Award recipient for the Missouri Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. I have also been awarded Order of Omega’s Golden Apple Award (Twice), Who’s Who Among University and College Teachers (must be nominated by a Who’s Who student), and have been nominated for the Allen Fellowship and Lee Advising Award. The awards where I have been nominated by students are the most meaningful to me because it suggests that I have reached them at a deeper level and had some positive impact on their lives.

Research Interests
I really enjoy researching anything that interests my students. As such, I have helped students investigate a wide variety of topics. I still have interests in the areas of body image and exercise and I also find things like social physique anxiety, muscle dysmorphia, and ethnic identity to be very interesting areas of research.

What attracted you to teaching at Truman?
More than what attracted me to Truman, is what has made me want to stay here. If I had to narrow it down to just a couple of things it would have to be Truman’s mission and the people with which I work. I truly enjoy working for a university that prizes excellence in the classroom. Everything we do centers around the student and providing the best experience we possibly can. To me, that is what education should be. In addition, my faculty colleagues are some of the most dedicated and caring people I have ever met. They are passionate about working with students, and while they have high standards for student performance, they nurture and support student efforts to master the material. In the end, they take great pride in all that our students accomplish and many maintain relationships with their students long after graduation. Those are the reasons why I have chosen Truman as the place to fulfill my career goals.

What has been your most memorable experience at Truman?
This is a tough one because there have been so many memorable experiences. As a collective, I remember all the fun times I have had working with students on their research projects. Out of all those, taking my first student to a national conference and introducing him to all the people whose research he had been reading seems to stand out. Just the look on his face when he met those people and how baffled he was that one of his professors at Truman was actually friends with many of them. He was truly excited to be there and I was excited to share the experience. I still enjoy doing that for my students.

What has been your greatest professional accomplishment?
My greatest professional accomplishment is when former students let me know that I have had a positive impact on their lives. Beyond any accolade I’ve ever received, knowing that I’ve had some meaningful influence on my students is by far the greatest professional thing I could accomplish.

What do students seem to like most about your classes?
I think the students really appreciate the sense of community that exists in our classes. The learning environment engages students in active, problem-based learning and students learn by doing. Students also seem to like the small class sizes that enable them to get to know their professors and fellow students. It also gives them an opportunity to interact with faculty members outside of class. Specific to my own classes, students tend to like that I do not beleive in tests and that I emphasize learning over grades.

What do you like best about living in Kirksville?
Kirksville is the perfect size for my family and me. It is safe, friendly and has everything we need. The fact that it hosts two major educational institutions gives it a cultural diversity one would not expect in a rural town.