Baylor Hosts Community Events for One Book, One Waco

Baylor University will host several events this spring in conjunction with the "One Book, One Waco" community-wide reading program, part of a larger nationally recognized movement that encourages the pursuit of education and literacy.

The Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce announced in December the selection of Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent, as the One Book, One Waco community book for spring 2008.

"We want community participation. We want all of Waco reading this engaging book. We hope that this book will speak to the heart of the community encouraging thoughtful discussion," said Allan R. Marshall, director of community development and chair of the One Book, One Waco program.

"This program has been successful in many other cities across the United States, and I think it can be very successful here in Waco," said One Book, One Waco steering committee member Jo Welter.

Baylor will hold a campus-wide panel discussion on Same Kind of Different as Me from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, in Miller Chapel. The event is free and open to the public.

Participating in the campus discussion will be:

• ? Dr. Thomas Hibbs, dean of the Honors College and distinguished professor of ethics and culture;
  ? Dr. Elizabeth Corey, affiliated assistant professor of political science in the Honors College;
  ? Leah Jackson, professor and associate dean at Baylor Law School;
  ? Baylor students Gary Guadagnolo and Nekpen Osuan; and
  ? Dr. Sarah-Jane Murray, assistant professor of medieval literature and French in the Honors College, who will moderate the discussion.

One Book, One Waco will host authors Ron Hall and Denver Moore at a "Unity in the Community" event at Baylor at 7 p.m. Monday, March 3 in Waco Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

Published in 2006, Same Kind of Different As Me has slowly gained readership through word-of-mouth advertising. This is the first time the book has been selected for a community-wide reading program.

"This book was attractive to us for a couple of reasons," said book selection committee chair Bryan Fonville, Baylor's student body external vice president and a junior economics major from Garland. "It is a gritty, real-life story that inspires readers through the unlikely friendship of its authors. It's our hope that readers will experience the same transformational insights that so many individuals have already experienced nationwide."

Throughout the month of February and the beginning of March, a series of community events will be hosted by the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce and program sponsors. 

One Book, One Waco organizers hope that all organizations - universities, colleges, businesses, churches, literary groups and others - will hold book discussions as well as attend the official One Book, One Waco events.

For more information, contact Allan R. Marshall at (254) 752-6611 ext. 312.