Mississippi State University has chosen “The Invisible Girls: A Memoir” by Sarah Thebarge as the 2014 Maroon Edition book selection. Author and speaker Sarah Thebarge was born and raised in Lancaster, Pa. She grew up in a house with four siblings. Thebarge said she was raised in a very loving and conservative home.
Thebarge said this book is based on her experience with battling breast cancer and meeting a refugee family of four that ultimately changed her life for the better.
“While I was battling breast cancer, I met a mother and her five daughters, all under the age of nine, on a train in Portland. This family was a family of refugees from one of the most dangerous regions of Somalia which was the capital Mogadishu. I immediately connected with them because I felt like I knew what it was like to be a refugee, to almost lose your life and then end up thousands of miles away from the only home that you knew,” Thebarge said. 
“We were both trying to figure out how to start over again. I think the reason they really resinated with me is because they were almost invisible to the people around them and I had felt invisible too,” Thebarge said.
After meeting this family, Thebarge said she realized that it was not just her story and it was not just their story, but it was how their stories entwined to bring them both redemption.
“They loved me unconditionally and accepted me into their family. In return, I was able to help them get established in America and start new lives,” Thebarge said. “Meeting them really helped me bring the world outside of myself back into focus. Because I was sick I was so focused on myself and my problems, but meeting them helped me realize that other people are suffering too, not just me. It made me realize that the world is bigger than just me, and the point of us being here is not so other people can meet our needs, but so we can love and take care of one another.” 
Thebarge said she feels very honored that her book was chosen for this year’s Maroon Edition. She hopes that readers can learn a lot about life, the world and compassion through reading her book.
“Almost exactly a year ago, February 2013, right before my book came out I flew to Orlando, Fla., to speak at the First Year Experience Conference. Universities from all over the country send representatives to this conference to learn about books that are coming out. They hear the authors talk and gather ideas for first-year experience topics. The representatives from MSU received a copy of my book at the conference and took it back for review. After being read by several committees, along with a few other books, my book was chosen for the Maroon Edition,” she said. “I was so happy that chose my book because I feel like it could help encourage and enlighten so many students. It is truly an honor for me.” 
Thebarge said she will use the profits from her book to start a college fund for the five little girls.
“
After writing this book, I was trying to figure out how I could further help these girls. Immediately I thought what better gift could I give them than the gift of a quality education. I decided to use the money from my book to start a college fund for the girls. One day these beautiful little girls will grow into strong women, and I want help them get there,” Thebarge said.
MSU President Mark Keenum said the Maroon Edition book selection aims to spark creativity and idea from students who read it.
“The goal of the Maroon Edition program is to encourage a group reading project that causes students to explore new ideas and gain new insights from intellectual material that they might not otherwise encounter in their studies,” Keenum said. “I think our track record is excellent in choosing titles that challenge and enlighten our students. I’m very proud to have witnessed the evolution of this program on our campus and think it’s one of the best things we do.” 
Keenum believes each reader can take away something valuable from “The Invisible Girls.” He said it is a great story about how life’s challenges help us learn and grow.
“
Challenges, setbacks, even tragedies are an unfortunate fact of life. Bad things do happen to very good people. As human beings, we are all susceptible to these setbacks. But we are measured in life by how we cope with these challenges, how we rise from adversities and how we help others cope with the problems that confront them,” Keenum said. “This book shows us that even in the depths of real despair and real fear, we may well be someone else’s lifeline, someone else’s guardian angel. I think the great takeaway is that difficulties should never define who we are, but rather who we might become.”