Volunteers are needed to assist with the First-Year Reading Experience Aug. 21 at the Carolina Coliseum. The event is for all first-year students.

At orientation, students received a copy of Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World, by Tracy Kidder. It's the true story of Paul Farmer, a Harvard-trained physician and medical anthropologist whose ongoing public health efforts in the poorest region of Haiti inspired this best-selling book. At the Reading Experience, students will get to hear Farmer speak about his experience, and then they will break into small groups to discuss the book.

Nearly 4,000 students are expected to attend, and assistance is needed to greet, direct, and check in students at the Coliseum. Volunteers are needed from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Aug. 21 at the Blossom Street entrance.

At check-in, volunteers will give students their envelopes (which will contain their nametags and seating assignments) and a program. A help desk on the concourse will be available for any problems that occur while students are checking in (name misspelled on nametags or no envelope at the table, for example).

Each check-in line will have 300-400 students passing through, and volunteers will need to get the students through as quickly as possible while still being friendly and welcoming. Volunteers will meet briefly before students arrive.

To volunteer, e-mail Erin Campbell at campbele@gwm.sc.edu and include your name and T-shirt size.

7/06