Many Ohio State freshmen got a jump on the school year by reading recommended books.
The Buckeye Book Community joins with First Year Experience each year to determine which books will be handed out to incoming freshmen during orientation.
Freshmen are encouraged to read the novels before they return for school in the fall.
One copy is given to each first-year student, which is about 6,000 copies total, said Laura Lembo Kraus, associate director of undergraduate admissions and FYE.
Books are chosen based upon individual colleges within OSU. This allows for the chosen books to relate specifically to each students field of study, Kraus said.
Four books were chosen for the 2005 school year.
The Colleges of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering choose "Rocket Boys," by Homer H. Hickam Jr. The book was chosen based on timeliness, student interest and an effort to broaden students' horizons, said Janeen Sands, a College of Engineering academic adviser.
"This book is about discovery, imagination and persistence in a dream and that's what engineering is," Sands said.
"Rocket Boys" was chosen in May after the two colleges reviewed 25-30 books, Sands said.
After reading the book, Sarah Pilkington, a freshman in biology, said "'Rocket Boys' was a lot of research and trial and error, leaving you with the lesson to never give up."
Because two large colleges chose this book together, there could be more follow-up opportunities such as meeting authors, film groups and book discussions in residence halls, Sands said.
Hickam will be visiting OSU at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Mershon Auditorium.
The school of Physical Activity and Educational Services along with the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences chose "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal," by Eric Schlosser.
Kynthia Droesch, a College of Education academic program coordinator, said students can learn a great deal about wellness from the book. It teaches students how to eat balanced meals and put more focus on taking care of themselves, she said.
Spring Break
