If you are traveling by plane:

To arrive at Truman State University in Kirksville via a flight, you will need to book your flight to Kirksville Airport via Contour Airlines.

They provide flights each day in and out of Kirksville from Chicago. Students coming from any other city will need to change terminals in Chicago to meet their Contour Airlines flight.  Parents will want to discuss logistics with their children if they are inexperienced fliers.

JBA staff members will meet you at the security checkpoint of your arrival gate at the Kirksville Airport. Please do not leave this point until a JBA representative meets you. The JBA staff member will be wearing a Joseph Baldwin Academy staff t-shirt and holding Joseph Baldwin Academy signs. It is important to email a picture of your student because this will help us identify you at the airport. Call the site office immediately if there is any last-minute change in the flight schedule.

On check out day, departing students are checked in and escorted to the security checkpoint by staff members. Because of airport regulations, the staff member will not be able to accompany the students after they go through security, however, our staff member will not leave the airport until the plane departs. Students and staff will be given instructions on what to do if a flight is canceled or significantly delayed.

Note: Students under twelve may be considered “unaccompanied minors” by the airline, and you may be required to pay an extra fee (contact the airlines for details). The airlines will require the name of the JBA staff person who will meet such students upon arrival. We cannot provide this in advance; instead you must contact the JBA office the day before the flight to receive the available staff member’s name.

If you are arriving by car:

If you are arriving from the greater Kansas City, Missouri area, please see information below about which way to use on GPS.

For all routes: when you enter Kirksville, you will be traveling either north or south on Highway 63 (designated as Baltimore Street in Kirksville).  You will then turn west on Patterson Street and proceed to the Truman State University campus. Ryle Hall is located on the lefthand side / southwest corner of Patterson and Florence Streets. The Campus Map will help you locate Ryle Hall which is #25 on the map.  Once you turn the corner onto Florence, this is the back of the residence hall, please continue to the entrance of the parking lot on the south side of the building where you can follow it around to the front of the building to park.

Again, if you are coming from the greater Kansas City area, please review the note below.

ARRIVING FROM THE GREATER KANSAS CITY AREA

Please avoid using your GPS to navigate directly to Truman State University, as it may direct you through rural backroads. Instead, we strongly recommend first entering Macon, Missouri via Highway 63 into your GPS. Once you reach Highway 63 in Macon, you can then enter Truman State University as your final destination on your GPS.

The alternate GPS-suggested routes often lead through remote backroads with limited or no cellular service, numerous twists and turns, and the potential for delays due to slow-moving farm equipment. These routes can be not only longer but also more hazardous, with a higher incidence of accidents reported.

To ensure a safer and more reliable drive, we encourage you to take US Highway 36 east to Macon and then continue on US Highway 63 north to Kirksville, then proceed to Truman State University using your GPS from that point.

Accommodations in Kirksville

For information on hotels, restaurants, and things to do in Kirksville, visit the Kirksville Visitor’s Guide  (view map of Kirksville).

International Travel

Students traveling internationally will need to work with JBA and the Center for International Students to obtain the proper student visa. While JBA is not a credit-bearing program, students from “Visa Waiver” countries are still advised to obtain a visa because the three-week nature of the program strains the definition of incidental study accommodated by the Visa Waiver program.  Students are urged to work with Truman at the earliest possible date after acceptance to process the required Visa paperwork.

There are only a small number of direct international flights into Missouri.  Most students will be taking connecting flights from larger cities such as Chicago, Detroit, New York, or San Francisco.  Please contact the JBA Office with your student’s full flight itinerary.  If your child is flying alone, please make sure they have the necessary documentation authorizing them to fly as an unaccompanied minor, including a letter granting your permission as a parent and an indication of their destination and length of stay in the United States.