Drumroll, Please… Presenting the Cover of AGAINST THE CURRENT by Tyler Bieber

Designed by Luis F. Ramos, this striking black-and-white cover features a 1985 photo of Father Tom Oddo looking through a telescope at the University Observatory, alongside Dr. Merle H. Starr, for whom the building is now named. The image perfectly captures Oddo’s sense of vision—literal and symbolic—as well as his lifelong commitment to exploration, reflection, and hope.

At once contemplative and bold, the photo hints at the central tensions in Oddo’s life: between tradition and transformation, obedience and conscience, faith and action.

A Life of Leadership and Conviction

As both a Catholic priest and a university president, Father Tom Oddo led with clarity, conviction, and a deep belief in the power of young people to transform the world. He approached leadership not as an exercise in authority, but as an act of accompaniment—rooted in listening, trust, and shared purpose. In a Church often defined by hierarchy and convention, he chose instead to stand with those at the margins, challenging systems that excluded and calling his community to something more expansive.

In his debut biography, Tyler Bieber brings Oddo’s story into full focus. Blending history and spiritual portraiture, Against the Current follows a man who challenged the status quo—and chose integrity, intention, and imagination in both ministry and leadership. His legacy continues, not just in institutions, but in the hearts of those he shaped by daring to believe that faith could—and should—move us toward justice.

Stay tuned for preorder info, early reviews, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content as we count down to launch. And in the meantime, take a moment to soak in this beautiful cover—a powerful reflection of the spirit of the book and the man at its heart.