Contact: Sasha Steinberg
STARKVILLE, Miss.— The inspirational story of a woman overcoming her troublesome early years in foster care is Mississippi State’s 2016 Maroon Edition book selection.
Published in 2008 by Simon and Schuster, international bestselling author Ashley Rhodes-Courter’s “Three Little Words: A Memoir” grew out of her award-winning essay that was published in 2003 by New York Times Magazine.
Born in 1985 to a single teen mother, Rhodes-Courter chronicles her experience of entering the Florida foster care system at age 3 and spending nearly 10 years in a series of foster homes—some of which were quite abusive—before being adopted at the age of 12.
Despite the difficulties she faced, she excelled in school and, at an early age, became an advocate for children like herself who sometimes fell through the cracks in the foster care system.
Now a foster, adoptive and biological mother herself, Rhodes-Courter resides in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she graduated with honors from Eckerd College. After completing a double-major in communications and theatre with a double-minor in political science and psychology, she went on to earn a master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California.
Rhodes-Courter’s New York Times bestselling memoir is being made into a movie. The book’s award-winning sequel, “Three More Words,” was published last year by Simon and Schuster. For more, see http://rhodes-courter.com.
“Ashley’s story is a powerful and timely one that will remind all of us of the imperative to be vigilant about the welfare of our youngest and most vulnerable citizens,” MSU President Mark E. Keenum said of the university’s eighth selection for its annual campus-wide common reading program.
“It is also an inspirational work about the ability to persevere and succeed despite obstacles,” Keenum added.
Maroon Edition activities are held through the academic year for students at all class levels, along with interested administrators, faculty and staff members.
Incoming MSU freshmen who participate in spring and summer orientation sessions receive a copy and are encouraged to read the selected book before they begin fall-semester classes. Also, the book is available at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore at Mississippi State and other local and online book retailers.
Rhodes-Courter, an internationally recognized motivational speaker and philanthropist, is scheduled to deliver the keynote address during MSU’s fall Freshman Convocation Aug. 16.
Additional information on 2016 Maroon Edition activities is available from Maroon Edition committee chair Linda Morse at 662-325-2083 or lmorse@colled.msstate.edu.
MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.