First-Year Students

Fall 2012
Common Reading Selection

Tori Murden McClure

From the Publisher  |  About the book     

A BGSU tradition since 2001, all new first-year students are required to read a book in common during the summer prior to arriving on campus. The Common Reading selection for fall 2012 is A Pearl in the Storm: How I Found My Heart in the Middle of the Ocean, by Tori Murden McClure. After reading the book, students are required to write a short paper about it and bring the paper to Opening Weekend.  

McClure was the first American to row alone across the Atlantic Ocean and the first American to travel over land to the South Pole, skiing for 750 miles of the trip. Known as both a world adventurer and a humanitarian, McClure has climbed mountains on several continents and worked for Muhammad Ali. Currently, she is the president of Spalding University in Louisville, Ky.

A Pearl in the Storm is not only about McClure’s trips across the Atlantic but also about her path to knowing herself—and about the kinds of battles that all humans deal with during their lifetimes.

You will have chances to explore and discuss the themes and issues related to the book during Opening Weekend and in a variety of venues throughout the semester. Mark your calendars now and make time to meet the author on Wednesday, Sept. 18!

Coming soon – the "Programming and Events" link where you can learn about additional ways to get involved with the Common Reading book selection.