Tracy Kidder Speaks at Opening Convocation

Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner Tracy Kidder spoke to over 550 students, faculty, staff and community members at Hiram’s annual Opening Convocation yesterday. Kidder is the author of “Mountains Beyond Mountains,” this year’s common reading book. New Hiram students received a copy of the book to read prior to the start of classes and will discuss it in their fall semester colloquia.

Kidder was introduced by Student Senate President Michael Majetich, a senior biomedical humanities major. Majetich explained that, after a recent trip to Guatemala, he had trouble explaining everything he saw and experienced. Shortly after the trip, he was introduced to “Mountains Beyond Mountains.” He said that the book perfectly captured his thoughts and feelings while on the trip and reminded him of why he wants to go into the health care field. Because of this, he said it was his honor to introduce Kidder.

Upon taking the podium, Kidder explained that he wanted to tailor his remarks to the students in the audience. He explained that, just like the Hiram students, he too had a summer reading book. Unfortunately, he said he never got around to reading it, so he promised he would give the “Sparknotes version” of his book to the students.

“Mountains Beyond Mountains” tells the story of two world health crises, tuberculosis and AIDS, through the eyes of Dr. Paul Farmer, a specialist in infectious diseases, who worked to establish clinics and hospitals in Haiti to combat the increase of these infections in the area. He founded Partners in Health, a nongovernmental organization that is the only health-care provider in the Plateau Central in Haiti.

Kidder told the story of his time with Farmer – following him on trips around the world, talking with his family, learning about his motivation to change the world.

“I tried to bring readers along with me,” he explained.

He also told stories of Farmer’s work with Partners in Health curing women, men and even young children of tuberculosis and AIDS. He showed pictures of the group’s work, including: patients they treated, homes they built and hospitals they worked in.

“We are all connected,” Farmer once told Kidder, and Kidder passed this advice on to the Hiram community.

“I don’t have a recipe for each of you because each of you is different,” Kidder said. He advised the audience to find their passion and pursue it, reminding them that one person or group can change the world.

The event was co-sponsored by two of Hiram’s Centers of Excellence: the Center for the Study of Ethics and Values and the Center for Literature, Medicine and Biomedical Humanities.

See photos of Kidder’s visit to Hiram.

Learn more about Partners in Health.