2008 Woodie Awards
Synergy releases new novel and reflects on the past
Jennie Klahre
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: Lifestyles
The novel is a required reading for all incoming students, freshman seminar classes, Orientation Leaders, Seahawk Links, and RAs, but recommended to the rest of the student body.
"We're trying to encourage other departments and faculty to use it," Adams said.
"The Kite Runner," the novel introduced to the 2007 incoming freshman class, received positive feedback and encouraged the program greatly.
"We feel that since more faculty want to serve on the committee this year and recommend books, they're supporting the program," Adams said. "We really want to engage faculty and give them an opportunity to showcase their expertise."
The Common Reading Committee incorporated a variety of events into the experience with "The Kite Runner" including a Kickoff festival with food, music and dancing, a lecture series, films, an essay contest, and a closing ceremony.
"Academic Affairs and Student Affairs worked very closely [through this program], which is very rare," Adams said. "It has been a successful collaboration."
While "The Kite Runner" has thrived this past year, committee members hope to improve things for the next. They would like to have more events that last the whole semester and do more marketing for the novel the spring before.
"We really want to extend it to upperclassmen, the surrounding community and upper class levels," Adams said.
Committee members also attended a National Conference this February in San Francisco where they shared a presentation of their experience, success, thoughts and improvements of implementing a Common Reading Program into a university.
"'The Kite Runner' was really a gripping tale about coming to age in a war-torn country," said sophomore RA Kathryn Clair. "By incorporating this book into the curriculum, UNCW has given students a little perspective outside the Wilmington bubble in which we all exist. I think the program has been very successful."
"We're trying to encourage other departments and faculty to use it," Adams said.
"The Kite Runner," the novel introduced to the 2007 incoming freshman class, received positive feedback and encouraged the program greatly.
"We feel that since more faculty want to serve on the committee this year and recommend books, they're supporting the program," Adams said. "We really want to engage faculty and give them an opportunity to showcase their expertise."
The Common Reading Committee incorporated a variety of events into the experience with "The Kite Runner" including a Kickoff festival with food, music and dancing, a lecture series, films, an essay contest, and a closing ceremony.
"Academic Affairs and Student Affairs worked very closely [through this program], which is very rare," Adams said. "It has been a successful collaboration."
While "The Kite Runner" has thrived this past year, committee members hope to improve things for the next. They would like to have more events that last the whole semester and do more marketing for the novel the spring before.
"We really want to extend it to upperclassmen, the surrounding community and upper class levels," Adams said.
Committee members also attended a National Conference this February in San Francisco where they shared a presentation of their experience, success, thoughts and improvements of implementing a Common Reading Program into a university.
"'The Kite Runner' was really a gripping tale about coming to age in a war-torn country," said sophomore RA Kathryn Clair. "By incorporating this book into the curriculum, UNCW has given students a little perspective outside the Wilmington bubble in which we all exist. I think the program has been very successful."
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