The Maverick Minute | Common Reader Experience

Lucy Morrison, Ph.D., joins Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D. to discuss the Common Reader Experience, which eases incoming students’ transition to college through small-group discussion, curricular assignments, and co-curricular programming based around a single book. 2019's book is "Educated: A Memoir," by Tara Westover.

For any student who may be interested, it's not too late to join in! Find out more.

• The Common Reader Experience began with the University Honors Program back in 2015 and has since grown across campus.

• Books are chosen by a committee of faculty, staff and students from all colleges. Recommendations are solicited from anyone on campus via request in the Maverick Daily and Bullseye as well as in classes. From there the committee looks at the recommendations and narrows it down to a "short list." The committee reads the books, discusses which may be best and a book is finally chosen.

• This year's book "Educated" was chosen for the 2019 Common Reader Experience for the topic itself: a journey through education. The book goes through the main character's background and academic challenges as well as exploring the different opportunities that come to her and that she creates for herself. A main theme is also asking for help, which is a big theme among the UNO campus, providing help to students whether it be academically, mentally, physically, etc.

• The book is a good lesson for the faculty and staff involved in the sense that it can help create excitement around the "newness" that is a new school year and how to help students across campus get the most of their experience and receive the help that they need.