Jordan Davies of St. Bonaventure University recognized for winning essay

2011 Sep 26

Jordan Davies of Freedoom, N.Y., was one of 13 St. Bonaventure University freshmen recognized for penning a winning essay about this year's All Bonaventure Reads book "Little Princes."

Davies is a sport studies major.

Months before they would attend their first class at St. Bonaventure, incoming freshmen were handed their first college assignment by SBU Provost Dr. Michael Fischer: Read this year's All Bonaventure Reads selection and write a reflection about the book.

The 2011-2012 book is "Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal" by Conor Grennan, a nonfiction account of Grennan's life-changing experiences helping the victims of child trafficking in Nepal during its civil war. What began as a three-month stint volunteering in Nepal turned into a lifelong commitment by Grennan to reconnect trafficked children with their families.

Thirteen winning essays were chosen, enabling the authors the opportunity to meet with Grennan during his Monday, Sept. 26, campus visit for a public lecture. Their reflections were also be published in a keepsake book and are featured on the University website at www.sbu.edu/AllBonaventureReads.

In their essays, the students shared their connections to the themes in "Little Princes" - global issues, human rights and the power of volunteer service. The freshmen wrote about their own service experiences along with hopes of future self-discovery.

"Reading the essays was humbling; freshmen wrote heartfelt, uplifting, and comical reflections about how 'Little Princes' impacted them," said Jean Trevarton Ehman, All Bonaventure Reads chair. "Our 13 finalists reflect the character and showcase the promise of St. Bonaventure's class of 2015."