Dear Student,

LaGuardia Community College is proud to announce that Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father has been chosen as the common reading for the Academic Year 2009-2010. A common reading is a text that all first year students receive from the college to enhance their academic experience. The college has provided the book to you as one sign of our commitment to your education. The goals of having a common reading, a practice used by many colleges and universities, are to establish a greater sense of community among students and to provide an introduction to intellectual life at the college.

Each year, we create a theme based on the chosen text. This year our theme is "Creating Change: Identity, Community, and Global Citizenship.” In his memoir, Obama reflects on his race, his heritage, and his identity, as well as his community, his country, and the world around him. He then uses these reflections to enact positive change. This year's common reading asks you, how will you use the knowledge and skills you learn at LaGuardia Community College to change yourself, your community, and your world?

Dreams From My Father is the ninth common reading chosen for the college. LaGuardia’s past common readings are: in 2001-2002, the Delany Sister's memoir Having Our Say; in 2002-2003, Esmeralda Santiago's When I Was Puerto Rican; in 2003-2004,Tamim Ansary's West of Kabul, East of New York; in 2004-2005, Moises Kaufman's Laramie Project; in 2005-2006, Art Spiegelman's Maus; in 2006-2007, Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed, in 2007-2008, Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, and in 2008-2009, Ernest J. Gaines’ A Lesson Before Dying.

Enjoy this fascinating book that will, I hope, inspire you and give you greater insights into the background and thinking of our President. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this book and wish you great success as you join us here at LaGuardia Community College.

Sincerely,
Gail O. Mellow
President