—Freshman Convocation 2015 —
Congratulations on your acceptance to USC Aiken! The faculty and staff look
forward to having you join us in the fall at Freshman Convocation!
What is Freshman Convocation?
This final event of Orientation is the official university welcome for all first-year
students. Freshmen are introduced to faculty and staff and learn what it means to
be a member of the university community. This program is the opening ceremony
of the 2015-2016 academic year.
When and Where Is Freshman Convocation?
August 19th, 2015............................USCA Convocation Center
9:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.......................Student Check-in & Registration
Lunch is served at noon, followed by the Day of Service Activity
How Should I Prepare for Freshman Convocation?
You are required to purchase and read a copy of The Pregnancy
Project before August 19th. Copies may be purchased at the USCA
Pacer Shoppe (bookstore). A book discussion with Gaby Rodriguez,
author of the freshman reading, The Pregnancy Project, will be held
during Freshman Convocation. Gaby Rodriguez will also give the
Convocation address.
Will the Book, The Pregnancy Project, Be Used in My Classes
After Freshman Convocation?
Yes. The book will also be used as the text for the AFCI 101 (Critical Inquiry)
course that you will take during your first year. During the second week of
classes, students will take a reading quiz based on the text. And all students in
AFCI 101 must complete a semester-long project based on some aspect of The
Pregnancy Project. Because a large percentage of your grade in the class is based
on this project, it is really important that you read and understand the book.
Tips for Reading the Pregnancy Project
The Pregnancy Project is a compelling work of creative nonfiction that seeks to
understand and contextualize the difficulties associated with teen pregnancy
and the negative stereotypes with which so many teen moms are labeled. The
book also focuses on the effects that the expectations of others can have on
young people who are seeking a path forward in life. These reading tips
will help you prepare for the book discussion of The
Pregnancy Project at Freshman Convocation and in your
AFCI 101 class.
Read with a pen, pencil, or highlighter in hand. Mark
passages you consider important or about which you have
questions.
Mark or write down words or phrases that strike you
as especially powerful or effective.
Read and re-read. Your AFCI 101 professor will use The
Pregnancy Project throughout the course. Because this book
is the required text for the AFCI course, you will want to
re-read it during the semester.
Reasons for Reading The Pregnancy Project
Even if all author Gaby Rodriguez did was tell her own story, the book would
be worth spending a semester on. But she does so much more. The Pregnancy
Project not only details Gaby’s social experiment with a fake teen pregnancy
during her senior year of high school, it also shows how the negative
expectations of others can be triumphantly overcome. Breaking the chains that
negative stereotypes can place on young people’s lives is the most important
theme in the book. Gaby shows how the cycle of poverty and teen pregnancy
that causes so much difficulty for so many families can be overcome.
For more information about Freshman Convocation and the First-Year Reading Experience, visit the Academic Success Center website: http://web.usca.edu/asc .