Common Read Pilot Program
Members of the campus community are invited to join students enrolled FRED101 first year seminar courses and the Honors House in reading the classic novella, House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. This critically acclaimed work tells tell the story of a young Hispanic girl growing up Chicago through a series of short vignettes. Please join us in exploring of concepts of culture and identity in keeping with the spirit of this year’s Convocation theme. Copies of the book are available at the University Bookstore and are available for checkout at Reed Library. Please contact dawn.eckenrode@fredonia.edu if you have any questions regarding the Common Read program or are interested in participating.
What is a Common Read?
A common read is a type of common intellectual experience, which the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) has identified as having demonstrated effectiveness with college students, leading to important outcomes such as gains in deep learning, first-year GPA and retention. Common reads are a frequently included component in first year seminar courses as a common intellectual experience for students. At campuses with first year seminar courses that incorporate a common read, the common read text will frequently form the basis for in-class experiences, including discussions or papers and presentations. Common reads are also reported to serve as a mechanism to connect students to other campus events, such as orientation or convocation. Common readings are often used to inform the curriculum of a first year seminar, either by its use as a required text in the course or by serving as a theme for the seminar. (2012- 2013 National Survey of First Year Seminars)