K-State's common read encourages 'Cats to find their calling
K-State First, in consultation with the Office of the Provost and the campus community, has chosen "Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work" by Dave Isay as Kansas State University's common read for 2026.
"'Callings' is a powerful choice for the K-State First Book because it encourages students to think about who they are and who they want to become," said Brianne Heidbreder, director of K-State First and associate professor of political science. "By sharing individual stories across professions and backgrounds, 'Callings' demonstrates that every path has value, and purpose can take many forms."
"The committee selected this book because its short, engaging stories help students explore diverse career paths and personal callings. It highlights that careers are rarely linear, passions can develop over time and changing direction is normal," said Tara Coleman, K-State First Book coordinator, professor and associate dean of K-State Libraries.
Book and author overview
Dave Isay is the founder of StoryCorps and its parent company, Sound Portraits Productions. Over the past two decades, his radio documentary work has won numerous broadcasting awards, including five Peabody awards. Isay has also received a Guggenheim Fellowship, a MacArthur Fellowship and a United States Artists Fellowship.
According to the publisher's website, the book is "told through touching conversations between friends, coworkers and family members. From a mom telling her daughter about her bricklaying career to a father sharing his contributions to the space race as an aeromedical field tester, these stories are poignant and heartfelt intergenerational explorations into the journeys people take to find the jobs they are meant to do."
"Its approachable, Humans‑of‑New‑York style makes it easy to integrate into courses, while offering insights into different professions, cultural perspectives on work, and the value of flexibility and resilience. Overall, it encourages hope, self‑reflection and openness to new opportunities," Coleman said.
Collaborative learning opportunities
The K-State First Book program will work with its campus partners to develop lectures, panels, events and other academic resources that leverage the groups' expertise to help the campus and Manhattan communities experience "Callings" in new ways.
Partners so far include the K-State Alumni Association; Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art; K-State Career Center; Department of English; College of Education; College of Engineering; College of Veterinary Medicine; Division of Academic Success and Student Affairs; K-State Libraries; Office of External Engagement — Engaged Scholarship, Military and Veterans Affairs; and the Staley School of Leadership.
Departments and groups interested in becoming a partner should contact kstatefirst@k-state.edu no later than May 15. K-State First will provide partners with a copy of the 2026 selection to share within their group in advance of the fall semester and will assist in promoting the partner's event.
"The 2026 book selection allows us to continue conversations from the past sixteen years of K-State First's common reading program as we explore themes connected to career, community, friendship, family and the role of work in and across our lives," said Karin Westman, chair of the K-State First Book PR/Events Committee and department head for the Department of English. "With the help of our campus and community partners, we're looking forward to a great range of in-person and online programming."
The motto of the K-State First common read is "A campus on the same page." It is designed to provide a common experience that helps first-year students grow academically and socially and gives them something to share with all other first-year students. Learn more and explore past reads on the K-State First Book website.