Each year, the University of Mississippi chooses a book that first-year students are encouraged to read. This year’s selection is “Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work” by Dave Isay. 

Isay is a well-known radio producer and founder of an ongoing oral history project called StoryCorps. As an author and producer, he has been awarded six Peabody Awards, two Hillman Prizes, a TED Prize and a MacArthur fellowship.

Suggestions from the community allowed the selection committee to rank a number of books. Ultimately, Chancellor Boyce chose “Callings” as the 2023-2024 common read.

“Callings” stresses the importance of choice when it comes to a career. The book includes many people in various career paths sharing the passion they have for their jobs.

Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Jason Ritchie expressed how the stories within the book could affect students.  

“We hope that this book will make an impact on the lives of college students by showing students the roles that occupations and passions can play in living a fulfilled life,” Ritchie said. “The stories in this book come from the author’s career in radio journalism and really focus on people who feel called to do the work they do. I think that ‘Callings’ is a reminder that occupations can be both personal and enriching.” 

Ritchie acknowledged that students may be lost when first attending college but encouraged them not to feel stressed about the future.

“Our new freshmen students are excited to come to college, but they don’t always know what kind of career might best suit them,” Ritchie said. “I think that students will enjoy seeing how the people in the book connect with their callings, and I hope that, through reading this book, students will feel a sense of excitement with the idea of exploring potential careers and seeing what their calling will be.”