It’s a banner year for Tulane English professors — Zachary Lazar and Jesmyn Ward. Their novels have been selected as the 2019 books to read citywide in New Orleans and Philadelphia, respectively. Vengeance by Lazar is the “One Book, One New Orleans” selection. In addition to distributing free copies of the book to people who can’t afford to buy them, the program will present a series of events to encourage people to read and engage with the book, which is a tale of crime and imprisonment, where fact and fiction are hard to tell apart.

More than 200 alumni and parents representing their industries, companies and careers connected with more than 150 students in New York during fall break at “Tulane Takeover,” a career conference coordinated by Tulane’s Office of Career Wave Programs. Tulane Takeovers also were scheduled for Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Miami, Boston, New Orleans and Chicago this year.

This fall, students are enjoying the university’s first outdoor classroom equipped with a chalkboard and bench-style seating. The classroom is located on Pierson Patio between Gibson and Tilton halls. Planning for the $99,000 project, which was fully funded by Undergraduate Student Government (USG), began in 2016. “This was a project created by students for students,” said John Alexander, School of Liberal Arts student, USG director of sustainability and lead on the project.