Rex Rund believes freshmen should be shipped to a Third World country for a year to see what the world is really like.

“Without that experience you may chart your life’s course with insufficient information,” said the Eastern alum. “It widens your perspective.”

On Saturday, the incoming freshmen broke off into groups to discuss “Mountains Beyond Mountains,” a novel by Tracy Kidder.

This year’s Eastern Reads book is based on a true story about Paul Farmer, a Harvard University professor who dedicates his life to saving others with diseases and bringing help to those who need it.

According to Eastern’s Web site, Eastern Reads is a preliminary reading program for incoming freshmen in order to “provide undergraduate students with one of their first opportunities for collegiate academic engagement.”

Jeanne Dau, director of the business and technology institute, said this book is set as a role model and shows what one person could do.

“Paul is a problem solver,” she said.

During the discussion, Dau asked her group, “How has this book affected the way you look on life?”

Alexis Barnett, a freshman music major, said she now knows what it takes to accomplish her goal.

“The only limits I have standing in the way of my dreams are the ones I place upon myself,” Barnett said.

Barnett said small things could make a difference.

Dau also brought in Rex Rund as a guest speaker to share his insights on the book and on Farmer.

Rund said he met Farmer once before in Haiti while he was in the Peace Corps.

“I can still see his face,” he said. “He was one of those people you just don’t forget.”

Rund remembered Paul was in Haiti a week before his finals at Harvard.

“He had brought his books, but I never saw him studying,” he said. “I saw him talking to a lot of people.”

Paul had the power of personal contact, Rund added.

“When people talked to him he gave them his undivided attention,” he said.

Rund said it is important to gain experience about people with struggles and figuring out what makes up their struggles.

“It’s one thing to read and see about it, but to do something about it is different,” he said.

Kelly Canning, sophomore elementary education major, said her life passion is to serve others.

Canning realized this when she was working in a soup kitchen in Philadelphia during her spring break.

“I had ex-NFL stars, mothers and professors that I was serving,” she said. “When I heard someone say ‘you came all the way from Chicago to feed me,’ it clicked that this is something that I want to do for the rest of my life.”

Canning said she wants to join the Peace Corps and be involved in helping others.

She also gave the freshmen key advice.

“Don’t let the fear of failure keep you away from your life’s passion,” she said.

Jessica Leggin can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmleggin@eiu.edu.