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The
First Year Experience and the Writing Programs at Philadelphia University
are pleased to announce that The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,
written by Rebecca Skloot, has been chosen as the text for the 2011 Summer
Reading Program.
Skloot's
nonfiction work, published in 2010, highlights the contributions to science
made by cancer patient Henrietta Lacks, a working-class African-American
woman whose cancer cells were unknowingly harvested for research. Lacks’
cells, known to scientists as HeLa cells, form the basis for modern research
in the biological sciences. The
Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks will be distributed to all incoming
freshman and will be the topic of an events series that includes guest
speakers, discussion groups, and informational sessions held by faculty.
Associate
Professor of Biology Dr. Diana Cundell, who worked with HeLa cells during
her post-doctorate work, is particularly excited about the opportunity for
students to engage in the ethical side of the health sciences. She says,
"There are millions of scientists all over the world working with these
cells, developing new drugs…and there’s no credit for [Lacks] at all.”
New students at Philadelphia University are introduced to the First Year Experience Summer Reading Program when they visit campus during the summer START program.
Beginning Monday, July 18, 2011, Philadelphia University’s
First Year Experience Program is sponsoring a
weekly blog about
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. The best post will be selected to receive a $50 gift certificate. Each week through mid August, a different post will be selected as a recipient of a $50 gift certificate, so post your thoughts for a chance to win each week.
The First-Year Summer Reading, a collaborative effort between the
Student Development and
Writing Across the Curriculum Programs, introduces new students to the academic focus of our institution, help students see how various disciplines take different perspectives on a common book and allow students a chance to discuss ideas with faculty members in an informal setting before classes begin. In addition, this experience provides first-year students with a shared intellectual experience in which to discuss ideas as they adjust socially and academically to a new community. Critical reading is a form of intellectual exercise that promotes critical thinking and supports college success.
For questions regarding the First Year Experience Summer Reading Program, please contact either Aurélio Manuel Valente, Associate Dean for Student Development at (215) 951-2634 or
Dr. Kathryn Gindlesparger, Director of
the Writing Program at (215) 951-2604.
Previous Summer Reading Selections Include:
2010 - The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
2009 - Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough & Michael Braungart
2008 - Whose Art Is It? by Jane Kramer
2007 -
Song of the City by Nathaniel Popkin
2006 -
Black Ice by Lorene Carey
2005 - Philadelphia Murals and the Stories They Tell by Jane Golden, Robin Rice, and Monica Yant Kinney
Office of Student Development Programs
Community Service | First Year Experience | Spiritual Development
The Kanbar Campus Center, Suite 317
phone (215) 951-2634
fax (215) 951-2644
