No Greenie Left Behind - Sam Patel

       Like pretty much every other college student, I was excited for my study abroad program in Copenhagen, Denmark, and of course ended up having an amazing experience.  Unlike most students, I spent the last week of my abroad program in a Danish hospital after fracturing my ankle in three places.  However, as a student at Tulane, I was in a unique position with an outstanding crew of professors, staff members, and friends that quite literally helped me to get back on my feet again.   

          

Taking a hands-on approach to learning about the Danish health care system 

               On the bright side, my injury came towards the end of my four-week summer program in Copenhagen, Denmark.  Tulane has several great summer programs that let you to take two classes with a Tulane professor while abroad.  I was taking an introductory neuroscience course and an animal behavior course, and had awesome time exploring Copenhagen and eating pickled herring for the first three weeks.  When I got hurt, I ended up having to go to the ER and waiting to have surgery for about twelve hours.  I was really lucky to have made some great friends on the program that stayed with me in the hospital, and then continued to come back and visit me throughout the week as I recovered.  One of my friends even switched her flight so she could help me get through the airport on my flight back to Chicago!  The three professors on my program came to visit me in the hospital too—even the dean of students, Dean James Maclaren, came to see me, despite the fact that I wasn’t a student in either of his classes.  My constant stream of visitors kept my spirits up.  It was a strange, challenging experience to be stuck in a foreign hospital for about a week, not to mention being pretty much immobile, but the great group of people on my program made it the absolute best that it could be.

            Because I was unable to take my final exams, my professors gave me a huge extension on my last week of work in my two courses.  I was able to take my animal behavior final online a few weeks later, once I was back home in Chicago and had been able to recuperate a bit.  For the neuroscience class, because I had missed some lectures, my professor, Dr. Beth Wee, and I met up in the fall when I had returned to school.  She took time out of her jam-packed schedule and met with me numerous times to teach me all of the material that I had missed, and then let me take the exam as soon as I was ready.  This wasn’t really a surprise though, as Dr. Wee is pretty well-known on campus for constantly going the extra mile for her students.   Both my professors were so accommodating and went out of their way to be helpful, giving me all the time I needed until I was ready to actually finish everything.  They also continued to check on me throughout the semester as I recovered.

            My freshman year, I participated in an experience before classes started called the NOLA Experience.  On this program, first-year students get a chance to come to Tulane a week early and do fun activities to get to know the city.  It was one of my favorite parts of my first year, and I continued to participate in the program as a student leader, or an ‘OC’, my sophomore and junior year.  This experience has since grown into the Explore program, offering programs with a variety of themed experience for freshman spanning everything from food to sports to journalism.  For my senior year, I was especially pumped to participate as an OC in a newer program called Greenie Camp, named after a former Tulane mascot.  In early July, I had returned home from Denmark and had a second surgery a week later.  I was set to be on crutches for a good few months.  I knew that this would affect my participation in Greenie Camp, and I was crushed.  Beyond that, I didn’t know how I would make it through the semester on crutches.  With a heavy heart, I wrote an email to my staff leaders, Jered Bocage and Peter Young, who work in the Alumni House.  I explained to them my situation, and I told them that I hoped I could participate in the program, but I could understand how my participation might be more of a hindrance than a help.  Realistically, I couldn’t imagine how they would want to deal with me being on crutches as we headed to an off-campus retreat center and traipsed around New Orleans for a week.  I sent off the email, expecting that my days as a Greenie Camp OC would be over before they had even started.

My Greenie camp buds wheeling me around the French Quarter

          The next day, I had gotten an email back from Jered.  As I read his email, I realized how lucky I am to be at Tulane and to have so many wonderful people in my life at school.  I couldn’t keep the grin off my face as I relayed the email to my mom.  Jered acknowledged all my concerns but quite simply and firmly told me they had a strict policy: “No Greenie left behind.”  He told me to come back as planned, and they would do whatever they could to help me participate in the program, while also planning to be flexible in case I was doing too much.  Feeling optimistic again, I crutched off to Tulane to start my senior year.  

            Once I arrived on campus, it truly hit me how difficult my semester would be.  At home, I had my parents and siblings to help me with everything—getting up and down stairs, helping me make my meals, driving me places.  I was worried about how I was going to get through the semester.  It turned out that I had nothing to worry about.  I was so fortunate to be part of a group of ten OC’s—a stellar group of student leaders picked to lead the program.  I was soon blown away by how much they were willing to do for me.  My friends came through for me in an incredible way.  We went on an overnight retreat on the program, and I was worried about having to crutch all over a camp center—my friends pushed me in a wheelchair all over the camp so that I could get to all of the activities.  Admissions counselors Morgan England and Jeff Schiffman were also staff leaders on the program, and helped take care of me as well.  Morgan would zip around the city in her tiny smart car with me in the passenger seat to transport me to places like Café du Monde.  As the week continued, I grew more and more appreciative of all these amazing people.  When the program was over and we jumped into classes and extracurriculars starting, I was still able to rely on their help, along with some assistance from other friends.

            I live off-campus, about a ten-minute walk, but there was no way I could crutch to campus and all of my classes.  Luckily, Tulane has an Office of Disability Services (ODS), which was kind enough to provide me with some short-term help.  For the first few months of the semester, my friends would laugh as they witnessed me getting chauffeured around campus on a golf cart.  I also had many friends that volunteered to drive me to and from campus for my classes and for various extracurricular meetings.  Every once in a while I would get into a tough spot and need a quick ride, and there was always a friend willing to drop what they were doing to come and get me.  I never could have gotten through this semester without them.

            Even though having a broken ankle and being stuck on crutches for three and a half months was not the way I wanted to start my senior year, I honestly feel extremely blessed.  I have so many amazing friends that came through for me during this rough time.  People were willing to drop what they were doing to come and pick me up, essentially chauffeur me around, and take me to dinner and other fun activities so that I wasn’t just stuck in my house all semester.  I absolutely, positively could not have made it through this semester if it had not been for a really special group of friends, faculty, and staff members that went above and beyond without a second thought.  My parents were worried about letting me go off to school with such a big injury, but they were so impressed by how much others were willing to do for me.  If I had been anywhere else, I don’t think I would have had professors that were willing to do whatever it took for me to make up my work, staff members that bent over backwards to accommodate me, and friends that were there for me every single step of the way.  But like Jered said, no Greenie left behind.  Tulane is a really special place, and this semester, hard as it was, also served as a great reminder of how amazing Tulane, and the people here, are.  So moral of the story—try not to trip down the stairs when you are studying abroad, but if you do get hurt, Tulane will be there for you.

By Sam Patel

Decision Time; I've Been Accepted (Part 2)

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions; Sifting Through Your Admitted Schools List 

First of all, congratulations! Besides the upcoming deadline for depositing and therefore deciding your future at just one university or college, the hard part is done. I congratulate you for all of your accomplishments thus far. I remember, not too long ago, sifting through the universities I was accepted to, trying my best to imagine myself at each institution.

There are many aspects that come with being a Tulane student that have aided in my happiness here. While I cannot begin to list them all, I hope this list will help give you a better idea of what Tulane University is like from the inside so you can better picture if this is truly the place for you.

Extracurricular Opportunities 

The Tulane Green Club works on a variety of projects such as
composting and creating sustainable gardens around campus.

Tulane has over 250 clubs and organizations for students to get involved with. We have everything from the more traditional multicultural, religious, academic, service, and sports related clubs all the way to the Benevolent Society for the Propagation of Assorted Tomfoolery and Other Sorts of Peculiar and Otherwise Absurd and Baffling Nonsense (Otherwise known as, the Juggling Club). Greek Life at Tulane encompasses roughly 45% of Tulane undergrads. That being said, it really doesn't define who you are, who you hang out with, or what you do on an average weekend. With our spring rush system, you will have the opportunity to meet other upperclassman and underclassman in your classes, extracurriculars, and day-to-day life during your first semester. If you decide through those encounters that Greek life at Tulane is something you're interested in, great! If not, also great! In my experiences I have about an equal amount of friends in/not in a Greek organization and a fairly even spread of friends in multiple organizations.

One of my favorite aspects of Tulane student life as whole is our ability to balance the academic side of college life with extracurricular and other outside involvement.

Club Rowing is just one of many ways to stay active as a Tulane undergrad!

Entertainment 

The Uptown Mardi Gras experience is something for the books!
Tulane students are intertwined with local families and tourists to
catch the parades away from the Bourbon Street madness.

That last point brings me into one final one: entertainment. It is no surprise to most that New Orleans has a long history enriched in festivals, celebrations, and drinking. From Sazerac’s at The Roosevelt to Hurricanes at Pat O’Briens, there are plenty of famous venues serving up tasty concoctions. Be that as it may, actually living in New Orleans provides a far different story than Bourbon Street binges and late nights in the French Quarter. In my opinion, Tulane students get the best of both worlds. We spend a large portion of our time in the Uptown neighborhood, enjoying local comforts like afternoons slurping down Snoballs or evenings watching the sunset at the Fly. There is no shortage of amazing venues to catch live music any given night or a delicious fresh seafood gumbo or po’boy all within walking distance from the Uptown campus. Don’t get me wrong, with more festivals than days of the year in the Gulf South, Tulane students definitely have our fair share of excuses to get out and find some relief away from the classroom and Uptown neighborhood. The key to a successful Tulane career, or any college career for that matter, is moderation. As Tulane students, we may have to do a little more long term planning to balance out exams and midterm papers with Mardi Gras parades, catching the Rebirth Brass Band at the Maple Leaf, or chomping down a few pounds of crawfish at Crawfest, but it all comes naturally to most.

Generally, all Tulane students know and understand that academics comes first and stay true to their academic and professional goals for the duration of their Tulane experience. 

Crawfest is an annual music, food, and arts festival located on campus. Each year, over 10,000 community members and students enjoy a day of live music, 20,000+ pounds of crawfish, thousands of pounds of veggies, and 25 local food and art vendors across 2 quads.

The Fly is Tulane's version of a beach, minus the sand or ocean. It is a beautiful park set directly alongside the
Mississippi River bend where students are often found relaxing, hanging out, or even studying!

About the Author

Trey Holmes

Class of 2016 

Major: Public Health 

Minor: Business 

Involvement: GWA, Greek Life, CACTUS, Community Service Fellowship, USG 

Decision Time; I've Been Accepted (Part 1)

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions; Sifting Through Your Admitted Schools List 

First of all, congratulations! Besides the upcoming deadline for depositing and therefore deciding your future at just one university or college, the hard part is done. I congratulate you for all of your accomplishments thus far. I remember, not too long ago, sifting through the universities I was accepted to, trying my best to imagine myself at each institution.

There are many aspects that come with being a Tulane student that have aided in my happiness here. While I cannot begin to list them all, I hope this list will help give you a better idea of what Tulane University is like from the inside so you can better picture if this is truly the place for you.

Academics 

I begin with academics, as the whole point of attending college is to continue your studies, broaden your intellectual understanding, and get a job, right? When you are accepted to Tulane, you are accepted into all five of our undergraduate colleges: Architecture, Business, Liberal Arts, Public Health, and Science & Engineering. This provides students the opportunity to truly take a variety of courses in a variety of disciplines before you hone in on a particular major (among the 75+ to choose from). In fact, Tulane undergraduates do not have to declare an official major until their second semester sophomore year. This gives most the opportunity to complete the core curriculum and find a niche they are passionate about. Roughly 1/3 of students have more than one major and around 75% of students pick up a minor along the way. Long story short, Tulane makes it easy to study across disciplines to ensure that all students are able to study what they want at any time during their undergraduate career. Tulane offers many academic opportunities inside the classroom along with research and study abroad possibilities worldwide. Our average class size is roughly 25 students, ensuring that all students get the attention they deserve from faculty and staff. I like to think of Tulane as the best of both worlds; we have many of the academic opportunities that large state schools have, but we take advantage of them in a small setting, much like many liberal arts universities and institutions.

When the weather permits, many discussion-based lectures are moved to the quad! 

Public Service and Pre-Professional Opportunities 

I group these into one category because I am a believer that our required service-learning component inherently provides students access to pre-professional opportunities outside of the classroom. On tours, I usually tell my groups that the Tulane service-learning component serves two main functions:

First, it allows undergraduate students, who on average travel over 900 miles to attend the university, the opportunity to explore the city of New Orleans, interact with working professionals in the area, and get at least a basic understanding of the unique culture, history, and vibe of their new home. Second, not only are students giving back, but the public service requirement is broken into a two-tiered system that aligns directly with undergraduate course work. The first tier is typically a 20-hour service requirement in any course completed freshman or sophomore year. 

My lab partner observes and takes notes
on the conditions at the Audubon lagoon.

For example, my first tier service learning was completed in my Cell & Molecular Biology course. In class, we learned about many various microorganisms and biologic & metabolic pathways; in the service-learning component, we then took what we were learning in class and tested the water in the lagoon at Audubon Park to measure its clarity, pH level, dissolved oxygen, etc. We then sent in the data we collected each week to the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) so that they could monitor our results and research their effect on animals and plants.

The second tier is typically a 40-60 hour service component that can be completed through a non-paid internship, an independent research component, or a project done while abroad. My second tier service learning component was an internship that has continued into a paid position at a local startup working to implement a new electronic health record system into the LSU network across the state.

.

Outside of the service component, the opportunities to find research positions, internships, and other pre-professional opportunities are limitless. Recently, Forbes named New Orleans the #1 “Brainpower City.” As a student, I agree with that wholeheartedly, as the innovation occurring all around the city is a huge benefit for all Tulane students. After graduation, many students go directly into a Tulane affiliated graduate program or stay in New Orleans to work professionally. As one famous quote goes, "you can live in any city in America, but New Orleans is the only city that lives in you." -Chris Rose

About the Author

Trey Holmes

Class of 2016 

Major: Public Health 
Minor: Business 

Involvement: GWA, Greek Life, CACTUS, Community Service Fellowship, USG 

My Semester in Morocco - Nate Fowler

A Learning Experience Where the Homework is Reflection and the Tests are Interactions 

I was a little nervous to say the least. Stepping off the plane for the first time in Rabat, the capital of Morocco, knowing this would be my new home for the next three and a half months. All I could think about was my family, friends and football games that I was going to miss.

The process of adjusting to life in a new place with new people is one that I have only gone through once before and that definitely went well, although the po-boys helped a lot. But this experience has been incredible. Living with a host family in a different country has been such an undertaking of understanding. It was difficult at first to not become frustrated with the inability to stay out late at night with friends or be able to use your cell phone to stay in contact all the time, but these moods have evolved. I am now living my life here and not feeling dragged down by my cultural expectations clashing with the norms here. I wake up early, come back to my host family for every meal with the family. I go to the hammam regularly, the traditional Moroccan bathhouse, which for anyone that visits, is at first reminiscent of a science fiction movie scene where half naked men in a thick warm mist are all scrubbing each other, so yes, my life is a little different than dorm gossip here.

Just like two years ago I have found that such an incredible place is only made to be a little ineffable with the people it is filled with. Talking to locals here has opened my eyes to issues and passions only familiar from obscure books before. People have been so welcoming and friendly, always inviting me to join them on an adventure or for tea. The population of this place in their warm and friendly attitude has only served to draw a huge parallel to my life in New Orleans, these places would be lost without their people.

During this semester I have been lucky enough to go all around Morocco. From the North and Tangier where I literally saw Spain from my café seat to the South and the Sahara desert by camel. Traveling train, I have seen the terrain that runs the entire country. I have hiked up the highest mountain in North Africa and swam the lagoons in the warmest Pacific waters, all the while making amazing friends.

There are thirty-five students from around and outside the United States on my program including three others from Tulane. I have made friends from tiny schools in Minnesota to my fellow Tulanians that I had never known before, all of whom I will treasure long after my last exams of college. The students on this program are adventurous and open, all the while maintaining who they truly are.

My semester here has been truly one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had but that is not to say I don’t miss mom, dad and red beans & rice Mondays at Bruff. I cannot wait to return to my home in New Orleans as a junior. There will be yet another grade that has graciously decided to attend Tulane in order for me to feel older and cooler yet again. I will be incredibly sad to leave Morocco and say goodbye momentarily to these great friends, newfound family and store these memories for the a while but I am eased at knowing what I am returning to, some of the greatest people anyone could ask for and an incredible school.

I am a little nervous to step off the plane in New Orleans, I know all I will be thinking about is mint tea, couscous and the crowded streets of Rabat, just maybe in Arabic too. But I know everything will be ok when I’m walking to my first class and my friend tackles me to the ground in a rough but loving “welcome back.”

About the Author

Nate Fowler

Class of 2017 

Majors: Political Economy and French

Involvement: GWA, Greek Life, Model UN, Intramural Sports

Study Abroad Photo Contest

Every year so many Tulane students have the amazing opportunity to study abroad. There are over 80 study abroad programs to choose from in 30 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Australia, Latin America, and the Middle East! While many students choose to study abroad for a semester there are also year long programs and even shorter ones just over the summer. 

Studying abroad has so many academic and personal benefits. For me, my Tulane experience would not be complete without my time spent abroad. Let me introduce myself—I’m Maddie McGee currently a Junior at Tulane studying English and Digital Media Production with a minor in Economics. I have been lucky enough to participate in Tulane’s summer Dublin program as well as a semester long program in Sydney, Australia at the University of Sydney where I am right now! Both have really given me a great international perspective through my learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom. 

Me at the Cliffs of Moher!

My summer in Dublin was incredible and taught entirely by Tulane professors. In 4 weeks I completed two courses, Irish Culture & History and Irish Film from the 1980s & 1990s, gaining a total 6 credits. What made the trip so special was the dozens of field trips we went on with our professors throughout Dublin, as well as Ireland. Getting to learn about the culture while living in it makes for the best learning environment. Summer programs are a great option for anyone who cannot bear to leave Tulane’s campus for an entire semester (it’s hard I know). You still get an awesome abroad experience and a deeper international perspective.

My semester so far in Sydney has been equally as rewarding. I’ve had the opportunity to stay at a residential college at the University, St. John’s College, where I live with 250 Australians. Even though we don’t necessarily have a language barrier (although they do love to make fun of my accent) it’s been really interesting to learn about Australian culture from my "mates". As far as classes I’ve been taking an Australian history course, an Australian art & film course, and an English course called “Imagining America”. This has been particularly fun as it is taught by an Australian lecturer and I’m the only American in the class. Learning about my home country from a completely international perspective has been enlightening to say the least. The best class so far had to be when we were discussing Kate Chopin's
The Awakening, which is set in NOLA, and everyone just kept asking me what the city is really like. Additionally, I also have an internship in Sydney for course credit with a high end jewelry company where I assist their marketing team with different media projects. Working in Sydney has even further added to my cultural understanding of Australia and will only benefit me in my future career goals as I have gained an international workplace perspective. 

In Tasmania, Australia -- I wouldn't wallaby anywhere else!

Anyways, enough about my experiences abroad! We’re giving the chance for anyone who has participated in a study abroad program through Tulane to show off their experience through their pictures in our study abroad photo contest! I’ve included some of the past entires in this blog so you can get some inspiration for your own submission. To be entered just share your photo on Instagram, tag @onlyattulane, and make sure to hashtag #tulanetravels. We will upload all of the submissions into a Facebook album on the Tulane Admissions page where then everyone can like their favorite. The contest will go until October 16th. The photo with the most likes wins! The winner will receive a $250 gift card to Superior Grill!

Happy snapping!

Homecoming- Shelby Strattan

This isn’t the one on the football schedule. And surely not one you need a new fancy dress for, nor high heels with an accompanying boutonniere (and good thing seeing I never really did figure out how to pin one of those on correctly). This is the homecoming of a student to college, and in my case and many others, the return to Tulane University in the city of New Orleans. As the days of summer slowly dwindled until mid-August, my excitement to return to such a unique place became nearly unbearable. I went through pictures from freshman year to print out and hang in streams of colorful memories along my new dorm room walls. When I started the process I imagined it would be fun, but it soon proved to be torturous as I could only picture myself in these vibrant Nola scenes with my close friends from all over the country. Deep breath- the time will come soon enough to return.

I couldn't wait to return to Tulane to start my sophomore year.

 Now this is not to say that I didn't enjoy summer. Summer is always a wonderful season and I was fortunate to spend mine back home with my family in Nebraska. However, the first few weeks were a bit rough as I had to have my tonsils and adenoids removed. After a long but smooth recovery, I went on to intern full-time for a local insurance company in the actuarial department. My coworkers took great interest in my life at Tulane. They asked about the school, the food (as they came to know what a huge foodie I am), the festivals, and Mardi Gras. I did as best as I could to detail everything accurately so they could build elaborate mental pictures in order to properly envision the life of a Tulane student. I would tell them stories about my friends and our adventures and they would just smile, telling me to treasure my time as a student while I could. But no one had to tell me that - I was totally stoked to get back and take it all in again! But deep breath - the time will come soon enough to return.

My coworkers heard plenty about my friends and Boot pizza.

Aside from work, I spent a large amount of time with my fantastic family. These summer months were also full of many new memories made with old close high school friends. There was one night in which I ventured to a free outdoor concert where a New Orleans jazz band filled the stage with the sweet sounds of my second home and imbibed the crowd with a taste of the Big Easy. In the middle of their performance they stopped to share a few words with the audience. “‘Y’ALL EVER BEEN DOWN TO NEW ORLEANS?” the performers shouted to the enthusiastic Midwest crowd. They didn't stop there. The musicians delineated the sights, smells, tastes and traditions of their hometown for those who had never been. My heart was tearing as I began to feel a type of separation anxiety that could only be satiated with two plane rides. How my soul longed to return to its quagmire romance with a city so far from my first home, so different than what I’d grown up with my whole life. My skin missed the humid air often accompanied by heavy rains that brought about the promise of a cool night (and perhaps a canceled class? Rare, but possible). My ears could almost hear the streetcar passing by the front of our campus - the doors of Gibson serving as a welcoming sight to all tourists and locals that pass by on a means of public transportation that is equally as convenient as it is sporadically unreliable. In my mind I envisioned the streetcar rolling on by, clearing the way to the splendid and well known Audubon Park right across Saint Charles Avenue. My eyes wished to see the alluvial grounds that fostered such lush vegetation, sparkling a brilliant green under the hot summer sun, almost as if glitter fairies were dancing above with the Voodoo spirits protecting the city. This place is magical and my mind was cluttered with thoughts of returning to a city that makes me feel so alive. Deep breath - the time will come soon enough to return.

The end of summer rolled around and I realized I was terribly behind in regards to the whole packing thing. Thankfully I never unpacked all my belongings in the first place as I was initially in a state of denial that NOLA would not be a part of my life in the months of summer. I was a flustered mess my last day in Nebraska, trying to get things ready that should have been done about a week prior. The easy going, laid back style of New Orleans really settled deep into my bones just after a year of living there. However it miraculously all managed to get taken care of just in time to fly out - credit due to my wonderful mother - and surprisingly no suitcase was over-weight. #Blessed.

I was also #Blessed to work as one of the student leaders for Greenie Camp!

Alas! I had finally arrived in my favorite place in the world! The first days are always filled with joyous reunions and familiar smiles. Parents of the freshman meander around campus wishing they could relive their college experiences at such a lovely institution. With the influx of new students and returning classmates, each day of first semester proves to be a new adventure. From morning spin classes, to meals on Magazine Street, to gallivanting in the streets of the Quarter with your best friends eating beignets, everyone jumps back into a NOLA schedule mixed with work and play. For those who are new at Tulane, enjoy the many firsts, for there is not another place in the world like this that you could choose to go to school. For all prospective students, I hope you look for qualities in a school and city that allure you oh so strongly, that you absolutely cannot bear being separated from the undeniable energy in the air. As a whole community, Tulane really makes coming back as big of a deal as it should be. And for all my fellow returning students who are well aware of this already, here’s to another magical year that we have been anxiously awaiting all summer, because the time has finally come. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

-Shelby is a sophomore studying Biomedical Engineering. She's involved in Greek life, Greenie Camp, Green Wave Ambassadors, and is one of our wonderful Admission Interns.

The Tulane Reading Project - Danny Fitzpatrick

The Tulane Reading Project

Danny Fitzpatrick

What should I pack? What clubs should I join? Have I signed up for the right classes? Why do I have to read this required reading book?

While those are all valid questions during the summer before coming to Tulane, the only one that I am going to attempt to answer is the fourth one.

For fourteen years, the Tulane Reading Project has served as a preview for what to expect in college courses. In every TIDES class this fall professors will lead discussions about this book. Throughout the first weeks and even months of the semester, the Reading Project events provide a place for academic discussion across all disciplines. It is one of the very few experiences in college where the students in the School of Architecture will be discussing exactly the same text as the students in the School of Business.

On top of that, two things make this year’s Tulane Reading Project even more exciting than usual:

Firstly, this year the committee selected Men We Reaped, by Jesmyn Ward. Not only is Jesmyn Ward a National Book Award winner and has been called a, “substantial talent” by the New York Times, she is also an Associate Professor at Tulane!

Jesmyn Ward

In the memoir, Ward writes her story of growing up while simultaneously discussing the deaths of five young men who were close to her throughout her youth.

In the book, Professor Ward discusses everything from poverty, to race, to mental health,to addiction, to gender roles, to familial love, to homesickness and does so through her singular strong voice.

Regardless of what we learn and take away from Men We Reaped individually, it is full of messages and ideas that the class of 2019 and the entire Tulane community can discuss together.

The second major reason why this is an exciting year for the Tulane  Reading Project ties to a larger effort on campus. The Tulane Reading Project will serve as a major component for the Forum Tulane Initiative. Starting this year, Tulane will work to thread a theme throughout various discussions and activities during the school year.

For the 2015-2016 Forum Tulane the theme will be Resilience. This theme could not be any more appropriate for Tulane’s campus, the memoir Men We Reapedand the city of New Orleans.

This was my first year on the Reading Project committee and it made me realize how much effort goes into deciding which book to pick for the year. The committee reads books throughout the year, read some more during the fall, and then read more over winter break. All the reading in hopes of finding a book like Men We Reaped , that is both a well-crafted text and something that will connect with the incoming class of students.

With Men We Reaped and Forum Tulane now aspects of campus we are sure to all be in for a great school year!