Book Reviews

The Voice of College by Kipp Van Dyke, Dr. Michael Severin & Nicolas Kline

“College is about 3 things: homework, fun, and
sleep…but you can only choose 2.”

So begins the first chapter of The Voice of College, a fun and useful primer on the college experience.

Authors Kipp Van Dyke and Michael Severin met as orientation leaders during their own time as undergraduates, and went on to hold various Student Affairs positions. One time when Van Dyke was visiting with him, Severin got an e-mail from a writer who was looking to interview student leaders and get their tips on campus life. This excited the two, and they began many conversations about how they could put together a book of their own to give advice and tips to college students and their parents.

The book is an easy read, in part because of a series of symbols illustrated by Nicolas Kline, one of Van Dyke’s former resident assistants, which denote various ideas, concepts, and insights on the college experience: Shared Scares (common concerns), the Struggle Bus (various hardships), the Magic Carpet (tips and advice), Liquid Gold (powerful information), Awkward Moments (light-hearted looks at embarrassing situations)  and Word on the Street (things you need to know during college).

The Voice of College takes readers through the first year of college beginning with the summer beforehand, through the adjustments that come during the Fall semester, and the changes students experience during Spring, as they plan their first Spring Break, Summer vacation, and the sophomore year and beyond.

A sample chapter is available at their website as a downloadable .pdf file, and the book is available on Amazon.Com.(affiliate link) You can hear more about the book on our BlogTalkRadio show, from an interview conducted with Van Dyke earlier this month.