DEADLINE TO APPLY : Friday, April 30 at 11:59pm
Application link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5JMfy-MORb8QsscnBK5AFS70nouABH5xq18UZjeYy428OuQ/viewform
Every year, the Office of the President chooses a book for a campus-wide conversation and events. Free electronic copies of the book are sent to all incoming first year and transfer students. Additionally, a number of other students, including residential advisers and peer advisers will receive a book. Throughout the year, One Book puts together talks, trips, discussions, concerts, and other events to bring together students, faculty, and the greater Chicago and Evanston communities.
Our book for the 2021-2022 year is “The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go from Here” by Hope Jahren.
About the Book:
In “The Story of More”, she illuminates the link between human habits and our imperiled planet. In concise, highly readable chapters, she takes us through the science behind the key inventions—from electric power to large-scale farming to automobiles—that, even as they help us, release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere like never before.
About the Author:
Hope Jahren is an award-winning scientist who has been pursuing independent research in paleobiology since 1996. Recognized by Time in 2016 as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, she is the recipient of three Fulbright Awards and served as a tenured professor at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu from 2008 to 2016, where she built the isotope geobiology laboratories. She currently holds the J. Tuzo Wilson professorship at the University of Oslo, Norway. She has won many prestigious awards in the field, including the James B. Macelwane Medal of the American Geophysical Union.
Her book Lab Girl (2016) has been applauded as both “a personal memoir and a paean to the natural world”, a literary fusion of memoir and science writing, and “a compellingly earthy narrative.
Responsibilities of the Fellow:
One Book recruits five – six outstanding students to serve as One Book Fellows each year. Fellows work part-time (approximately two to four hours/week) and are paid a quarterly stipend of $250. Each placement is a one-year term. Since some of One Book planning and program development takes place during the summer, it is encouraged, but not required, that One Book fellows be available to correspond via email about event planning on campus prior to the academic year.
Most of the fellows’ work falls into the following main categories:
● Event Management – Assist in the planning and realization of events, ranging from speakers to group discussions to film screenings. Help with setup and take-down and make sure all events run smoothly. Participant/audience sizes range from several dozen people to several hundred. Also have the opportunity brainstorm, plan, and execute original events. If we cannot meet in person, our events are hosted on zoom and this person helps set up the invite/link and gets volunteers to help manage the event on-line.
● Student Outreach – One of the key aspects of the program is to promote a sense of student community on campus. Your role includes spreading the word about finding partner student organizations for One Book events and connecting student organizations, classes, and local community organizations to events that matter to them through email, Facebook, and word of mouth. Plan and execute marketing campaigns for One Book programming.
● Visual Design – Several types of marketing material must be designed, including event flyers, banners, t-shirts, pins, logos, and other merchandise. Comprehensive experience with In Design, Photoshop, or similar programs a plus.
● Marketing and Public Relations – Manage the weekly One Book newsletter. Update each week with upcoming events and reoccurring events. Experience with Mail-chimp is a plus.
● Web – Improve and maintain One Book’s website; write content and/or solicit content for the One Book blog, website, email list; and help to moderate communication on the system.
● Blog – Write content and/or solicit content for the One Book blog, website, email list; and help to moderate communication on the system.
● Social Media – Manage the twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages. Manage the social media platforms, update content, reach out to students and Northwestern groups online, and maintain a high level of activity on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Each fellow generally serves as point person in one or more of these categories based on interests and skills. The fellows will help organize and assign tasks in their category to both fellows and ambassadors. Fellows are expected to collaborate and strategize together, as well as, help out in other One Book responsibilities. They are all responsible for serving as representatives and liaisons to students and student groups. There will also be a fellow position open to an incoming freshman to help understand and focus on freshmen outreach with connections to dorms and peer advisers to encourage participation.
Fellowship Qualifications:
● Open to students in any major, school, or year
● Good academic standing
● High level of responsibility
● Excellent communication skills
● Ability to collaborate with students, faculty, staff, and community partners
● Ability to take initiative and lead events and programming
● Proficiency and interest in at least one of the Fellows’ responsibilities (outlined above)
Expectations for the Year:
It is important to reiterate that the fellows are students whose main goal is to work together to make the One Book program successful for the 2021-2022 school year. They are expected to read the book, show up to weekly meetings, and do outside work to ensure the success of programming. Finally, they are expected to work as a team and help outside of these specific job specifications when needed.
Application Process:
DEADLINE TO APPLY: Friday, April 30 at 11:59pm
If interested in applying for an ambassador position, applications will be out early fall quarter (also open to fellow applicants who are not chosen). One Book Ambassadors promote the book through student group connections, flyering, and running events throughout the year. The position is a much smaller time commitment than that of the fellows and revolves primarily around attending and promoting specific events.
If you have questions about the program, expectations, or responsibilities, You can email your questions to onebook@northwestern.edu.