As temperatures dip and indoor activities beckon, it’s the perfect time to curl up with a good book. In this new series, St. John’s faculty share some of the titles and authors on their “must read” lists that are sure to challenge, stimulate, and delight.
January 15, 2020
Ceceilia Parnther, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Administrative and Instructional Leadership, The School of Education
My favorite book
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.
My favorite author
Maya Angelou.
One book I would recommend to St. John’s students
Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work by Dave Isay.
At the moment, I am reading
Thick and Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom.
The one thing that everyone needs to read
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez.
My favorite place on campus to read
The Writing Center and outside in front of St. Augustine Hall.
I keep meaning to get around to reading
The Empowered University: Shared Leadership, Culture Change, and Academic Success by Freeman A. Hrabowski III, with Philip J. Rous and Peter H. Henderson.
I like to reread
Two Trains Running by August Wilson.
If I wrote a book about St. John’s, the first three chapters would be
1. Our Commitment to Student Success
2. The Strength in our Diversity
3. The Key Values of St. Vincent de Paul
Hard copy or eReader?
Hard copy
The title of my memoir would be
A Reluctant Phoenix
A book required for my class that is particularly compelling or illuminating
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
One book that is essential for a successful education student to read
Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership by Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal.
Dr. Parnther’s research focuses on student success, academic integrity, and mentorship. She has more than 15 years of experience as a practitioner in higher education and student affairs. Most recently, she has been published in Innovative Higher Education and The Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory, and Practice.
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