University of Maryland, College Park
ER-T2-8: Themed Semester or Year

Maryland’s First Year Book program selects a book that is given to all new students. The First Year Book provides an opportunity for community dialogue on a topic from the perspective of different disciplines, from the sciences to the humanities. In recent years, some chosen books have focused on environmental or social aspects of building a sustainable future. The 2010 book, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity chronicles the courageous stories of women who, through education and microfinance strategies, were able to break free from a life of sexual slavery, gang rape, or poor maternal health. The authors believe that empowering women is not only a moral issue, but also an economic and political issue that affects the well-being of individuals, the household, the community, the workplace, and the broader society. The 2007 book, The Ravaging Tide, explains the science of global warming, raises fundamental questions about our responsibilities to future generations, and critically examines the implications of climate change for the Chesapeake Bay and the broader Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area.