HWS News
7 October 2024 • Alums The Magic of a Failed Destiny
Author Sarah Buckleitner ’14 will give a talk on living the life that’s in front of you and how to make the most out of interdisciplinary education for a happier life.
Inspired by her career in climate change resilience and her experience at Hobart and William Smith, Sarah Buckleitner ’14 will speak to first-year students on following the path life lays out and making the most of a liberal arts education on Oct. 9-10.
The lectures, titled “The Magic of a Failed Destiny,” will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 9 from 12-1 p.m. in Bartlett Theatre and Thursday, Oct. 10 from 8:40-10:10 a.m. in Albright Auditorium.
Serving as the Director of Communications at the Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems in Athens, Ga., Buckleitner writes about the science of climate change and resilience for a team of engineers and researchers.
During her visit, Buckleitner will also discuss her new work, Little Birds and Other Small Magic. The book follows the residents of Tolling Bell, Maine, where a bird carries a destiny to each resident on their 18th birthday, unveiling their future and weaving a touch of magic into everyday life. When prim-and-proper Mary’s birthday arrives, the little bird doesn't appear, bringing a shock to the town. In the face of shattered tradition and swirling rumors, Mary must navigate a future without the bird's promised guidance.
Learn more about the book and order here.
Buckleitner previously served as a communications coordinator at the University of Georgia, an outreach coordinator for the Oktibbeha County Humane Society in Starkville, Miss. and an academic writer at Mississippi State University. Graduating magna cum laude as a double major in environmental studies and writing and rhetoric at HWS, Buckleitner was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Writing Colleagues, Architecture Society and the Sustainable Foods Club. She studied abroad in Queensland, Australia.
The talks are sponsored by the First-Year Seminar and the Writing Colleagues programs.
