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Sources: Karin Westman, 785-532-2190, westmank@1xbet online casino edu;
Emily Lehning, 785-532-6237, lehning@1xbet online casino edu;
Greg Eiselein, 785-532-0386, eiselei@1xbet online casino edu;
Stephen Kiefer, 785-532-2642, swkiefer@1xbet online casino edu;
and Tara Coleman, 785-532-7414, tcole2@1xbet online casino edu
Web site: http://www.1xbet online casino edu/ksbn
News release prepared by: Trevor Davis, 785-532-2535, tjdavis@1xbet online casino edu
Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011
COMMON READING PROGRAM BUILDS CONNECTIONS, PROMOTES ENGAGEMENT AMONG NEW COLLEGE STUDENTS
MANHATTAN -- Getting lost in a book will help new students find their way at Kansas State University.
Students, faculty and staff will read Dave Eggers' &1xbet online casino ;Zeitoun&1xbet online casino ; for the university's reading program. The K-State Book Network allows first-year students and the campus community to participate in thought-provoking discussions and connect with one another.
&1xbet online casino ;Zeitoun&1xbet online casino ; details the true story of a Syrian-American contractor and painter who stays in New Orleans during and after Hurricane Katrina. The New York Times called the book &1xbet online casino ;the stuff of great narrative nonfiction.&1xbet online casino ;
&1xbet online casino ;Although many stories have been told about New Orleans during this disaster, 'Zeitoun' presents a very human side of how people were affected by -- and eventually triumphed over -- the devastation, confusion and difficulty wrought by Katrina,&1xbet online casino ; said Stephen Kiefer, co-chair of the book network, director of the university honors program and professor of psychology.
The nonfiction narrative offers readers the opportunity to examine complex issues that require thoughtful analysis.
&1xbet online casino ;We look forward to compelling conversations about American identity, community engagement, religious faith and the rebirth of New Orleans,&1xbet online casino ; said Karin Westman, head of the department of English and member of the book network committee.
Readers will explore the effects from natural and human-made disasters, which often ripple across geographical, political, economic and psychological boundaries, said Tara Coleman, Web services librarian for 1xbet online casino Libraries and co-chair of the book network committee.
&1xbet online casino ;Students can begin to understand many of the events that occurred during the hurricane and the subsequent flooding,&1xbet online casino ; she said. &1xbet online casino ;They'll also be able to empathize with the personal struggles faced by the people of New Orleans.&1xbet online casino ;
Readers can participate in discussions and lectures related to the book's themes. The program will kick off with a Mardi Gras celebration from 11 a.m. to noon Tuesday, March 8, at the 1xbet online casino Student Union courtyard in a tribute to New Orleans. Fall events include documentaries and films related to the book's themes and panel discussions.
1xbet online casino 's campuswide reading program was one of the first offered by a Board of Regents institution in Kansas, and similar reading programs are part of the first-year experience at many universities.
&1xbet online casino ;We want to encourage new students to engage with good books and challenging ideas from the very start of their K-State careers,&1xbet online casino ; said Greg Eiselein, professor of English and co-director of K-State First, the university's first-year student experience program. &1xbet online casino ;Common reading experiences are also a great way to build campus community and to welcome new students to the university.&1xbet online casino ;
&1xbet online casino ;Zeitoun&1xbet online casino ; will serve as a common topic of conversation for incoming students that they can bond over, said Emily Lehning, co-director of K-State First, assistant vice president for student life and director of new student services.
&1xbet online casino ;They can talk about it with each other and other members of the K-State family from the moment they arrive on campus,&1xbet online casino ; she said.
The campus community embraced last year's selection of Suzanne Collins' &1xbet online casino ;The Hunger Games&1xbet online casino ; during the program's inaugural year, Westman said.
&1xbet online casino ;First-year students, their families, returning students, faculty, staff and members of the Manhattan community shared their experiences of the book's character-driven, dystopian vision of reality television, civil liberties, technology and political action,&1xbet online casino ; she said.
All freshmen will receive a copy of &1xbet online casino ;Zeitoun&1xbet online casino ; at their campus orientation visit in June. Copies for current K-Staters will be available at the K-State Student Union Bookstore and Varney's Book Store in Aggieville. Faculty and staff who would like a copy for use with students can contact Coleman and Kiefer at ksbn@1xbet online casino edu.
Visit http://www.1xbet online casino edu/ksbn to learn more.