StoryCorps founder, K‑State common read author to visit campus Sept. 29

Dave Isay — award-winning radio producer, founder of StoryCorps and author of the 2026 K-State common read "Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work" — will give a public lecture at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, in the K-State Student Union.

The hourlong lecture, which is free to the public, will explore themes from "Callings," a collection of stories centered on people who found purpose and meaning in their work through passion, service and perseverance.

"We selected 'Callings' as this year’s K-State First Book because it invites students to reflect on their purpose and the meaning of work at a pivotal moment in their lives," said Brie Heidbreder, associate professor of political science and director of K‑State First. "This work highlights the power of listening and storytelling as a way to build empathy, connection and understanding. These are values that are central to the student experience at K-State."

Isay is the founder and president of StoryCorps, a national oral history project dedicated to recording, preserving and sharing stories of people from all backgrounds. Since its founding in 2003, StoryCorps has collected hundreds of thousands of interviews, archived at the Library of Congress and frequently featured on NPR's "Morning Edition."

Isay is also the recipient of numerous broadcasting honors, including multiple Peabody Awards, a MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship and the 2015 TED Prize.

In "Callings," Isay shares stories from people across the country — from teachers and social workers to public defenders and restaurant employees — who discovered fulfillment and identity through their work.

The book was selected as the 2026 K-State First Book common read for its focus on storytelling, empathy and finding meaning through personal and professional purpose.

K-State First Book, the all-university reading program that is part of K-State First, selects a common book each academic year and coordinates classroom and campus activities to correspond with the reading. K-State First Book provides incoming students with a shared academic experience that they can discuss with professors, staff, administrators and other students when they arrive on campus. Participation in the K-State First Book program is voluntary.

More information on tickets will follow later this summer. Additional information on the K-State First Book program — including this year's selection, classroom resources and planned fall programming — will be available at the K-State First Book website in early August.