The Common Reading Experience program complements our belief that a vital campus encourages all its members to engage in intellectual and philosophical conversations. When we share reading experiences inside and outside the classroom, our discussions and reflections create a stronger community of critical thinkers - the hallmark of a liberal arts education.
Incoming first-year students, current students, alumni, faculty, staff, and parents are invited to read the 2007 National Book Award Winner, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. After two successful years discussing the “This I Believe” project, we are excited to take our program in a new direction this year.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a popular Common Reading Experience selection on campuses across the country and we think that it will enliven our Orientation and fall programming this year. The novel is a semi-autobiographical text about family, education, friendship, and understanding the powerful personal relationships that contribute to individual identity. We look forward to discussing it in the fall.
Poet, novelist, short-story writer, filmmaker, and winner of multiple prestigious literary awards, Sherman Alexie is a preeminent Native American author. Alexie is also a gifted and wickedly funny speaker. If you want to know more about the influences that shaped Alexie, watch this short video:
