Troy University’s College of Communication and Fine Arts is exploring “A Whole New Mind.”

The College is using Daniel Pink’s “A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future,” as the basis of its Fall 2010 College Reading Initiative. The book examines the shift from “left-brain” dominant careers such as lawyers, accountants and software engineers to creative, emphatic “right-brain” careers such as designing, teaching, inventing and storytelling.

“‘A Whole New Mind’ was selected for our College Reading Initiative and it’s a great book,” said Dr. Maryjo Cochran, College of Communication and Fine Arts dean. “The Freshman Reading Initiative has required reading for all students and, last year, the College of Communication and Fine Arts was the first college to participate in the university’s’ Reading Initiative. Now, all five academic colleges select a book and require or encourage their students to participate.”

Cochran said the faculty members of the colleges have been doing interesting projects, which include a special lecture by a jazz musician and “The Happening” that was a 30-art piece performance.

“It’s very interesting when you have a dance class, a journalism class, a music class, a drawing class and a theater class interpret a book through their artistic experience,” Cochran said. “Beverly Leach’s design class has created a series of posters that are on display in the foyer of Malone to promote an upcoming lecture.

“The College Reading Initiative is a wonderful opportunity for our faculty and students to collaborate through their own experiences. Embracing this opportunity is challenging and exhilarating.”

As part of the initiative, the department of art and design is holding a “Pink Poster” exhibit from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. through Nov. 19 in the Malone Hall foyer. The exhibit features 12 poster designs based on the book created by Leach’s “Principles of Digital Design” class. The posters illustrate the six senses described in Pink’s book,” Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play and Meaning.”

The department is also featuring a 55-minute video of Pink discussing his book. The video will be shown on flat-screen television adjacent to the poster exhibit.

Dr. Robert Abbey, an associate professor on Troy University’s Arlington, Va. campus will provide a lecture on the six senses described in Pink’s book Nov. 9 and10.

On Nov. 9, Abbey will lecture in Patterson Hall room 105 from 8:30 until 9:45 a.m. On Nov.10, he will conduct two lectures in Hawkins Hall Auditorium, the first, from 8 a.m. until 8:50 and again from 1 until 1:50 pm. The public is invited.