The Common Reading Program is delighted to welcome StoryCorps CEO Sandra Clark to App State, in conjunction with the adoption of the StoryCorps book Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work as the common reading book for 2025-2026. This event is open to students and university personnel. 

In this talk, Sandra will speak about the history, mission, and impact of StoryCorps, as well as her hope for the future, even in the face of crippling losses in federal financial support across all of American public media and broadcasting. Sandra’s talk will be followed by a Q&A session with the audience.

StoryCorps is a non-profit, oral history project whose mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories, with the intention of building connections between people and creating a more just and compassionate world.

Sandra Clark is a leading voice in journalism and beyond, challenging norms and practices that create barriers to building trust and meaningful, sustainable connections within communities. Prior to joining StoryCorps, Sandra was Vice President for News and Civic Dialogue at WHYY in Philadelphia, where she led the station’s news operations across all platforms, and was at the forefront of expanding and diversifying its audiences and outreach to communities through her innovative approaches to collaborating with grassroots information providers. As Managing Editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer prior to joining WHYY, Sandra was a member of both the executive and newsroom leadership teams, and led the paper to a Pulitzer Prize in Criticism.