Tuesday, September 30, 2008
3:30-4:30 p.m., SSB Auditorium (GSD 101 classes ONLY)
EKU Reads: A Conversation with Cedric Jennings
At Brown, finding himself far behind most other freshman, Cedric had to manage an array of challenges.  Having traveled too far to turn back, Cedric is left to rely on this faith, intelligence and his determination to keep alive his hope in the unseen.  Students will have an opportunity to hear his incredible journey and ask questions at this EKU Reads Conversation.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008
7-8 p.m., SSB Auditorium
EKU Reads: A Conversation with Cedric Jennings
At Brown, finding himself far behind most other freshman, Cedric had to manage an array of challenges.  Having traveled too far to turn back, Cedric is left to rely on this faith, intelligence and his determination to keep alive his hope in the unseen.  Students will have an opportunity to hear his incredible journey and ask questions at this EKU Reads Conversation.

Reception and book signing will follow in the SSB Lobby 8 – 9pm

Thursday, October 2, 2008
3:30-4:30 p.m., SSB Auditorium
EKU Reads: Ron Suskind, Author of the EKU Reads book, A Hope in the Unseen
Discovering the "Unseen" - Mr. Suskind helps audiences rethink their notions of merit, to unlock a deeper understanding of education, opportunity and lasting success in both the public and private arenas. In this presentation, mixing stories from the transforming A Hope in the Unseen and his own life, Mr. Suskind transforms conventional notions of what's possible in American life. People leave the room having wept and cheered, with memorable lines jotted on the backs of envelopes and business cards.

Reception and book signing will follow the Chautauqua event Student Services building Lobby at 9pm.

Thursday, October 2, 2008
7:30 p.m., SSB Auditorium
Chautauqua event
Author of A Hope in the Unseen Ron Suskind discusses his latest work, the One Percent Doctrine.  "In his book Suskind tells us what actually occurred over the three years following the 9/11 attacks, from the inside out, by tracing the steps of the key actors -- the notables, from the President and Vice President to George Tenet and Condoleeza Rice, who oversee the "war on terror" and report progress back to an anxious nation; and the invisibles, the men and women just below the line of sight, left to improvise plans to defeat a new kind of enemy in an hour-by-hour race against disaster. The internal battles between these two teams -- one, under the hot lights; the other, actually fighting the fight -- reveal everything about what America faces, and what it has done, in this age of terror".

Reception and book signing will follow in the Student Services Building Lobby at 9pm.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008
7:30 p.m., Adams Room, Wallace Building
Ethnicity and American Politics in the Age of Obama: A Panel Discussion
Panelists will discuss how the dynamics of the 2008 presidential election have impacted race relations and possibly altered the American political landscape.   

Thursday, September 18, 2008
9 p.m., Powell Lobby Movie, Freedom Writers

Essay Contest

All first-semester EKU students are invited to enter an 800-1,000 word essay in response to the following question:

In some ways, Cedric's story is familiar. He enters college for the first time; he feels out of place, fears failure, recognizes personal limitations, struggles with faith, grows apart from parents, learns to accept those different from him and develops self discipline. Address your own human journey and your transition from high school to college, and adolescence to adulthood. In what ways has your journey been similar to or different from Cedric's?

The Submission Deadline is October 15, 2008

Submission instructions:
Submit a hard copy of your essay to the Office of First Year Programs, 372 SSB, CPO Box 65.
Attach a separate sheet including your name, student ID number, and contact information.  Your name should not appear on your essay.  If you have questions, call 622-2285. Entries will be judged by the EKU Reads committee.

Scholarship Prizes will be awarded on the student’s Spring Semester tuition bill
First Prize: $500 Scholarship
Second Prize: $250 Scholarship
Honorable Mention: $100 Scholarship

Thursday, November 20, 2008
9pm Powell Building
Movie, Finding Forester