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2022-23 Summer Reading Program

The Summer Reading Program is a collection of events surrounding a common theme to introduce you to the ULM learning community. Read the selected essays over the summer as your first university assignment and be prepared to discuss it in freshman English and University Seminar (UNIV 1001).

The program provides you with:

• Your first common intellectual experience

• An introduction to the university's academic life

• A sense of unity among students, faculty, staff and the community

 


 

This I Believe

book cover photoThis year’s selection is a collection of essays from “This I Believe,” an international organization engaging people in writing and sharing essays describing the core values that guide their daily lives. Over 100,000 of these essays, written by people from all walks of life, are archived on the NPR website, heard on public radio, chronicled through NPR’s books, and featured in weekly podcasts. The project is based on the popular 1950s radio series of the name hosted by Edward R. Murrow.

The Assignment

New ULM students are expected to read the selected essays from the NPR “This I Believe” website (http://thisibelieve.org) and be prepared to discuss them in freshman English and University Seminar (UNIV 1001).

The list of 25 essays is required reading for the 2022 incoming freshman class. You may access these essays by going to the web address noted or by going to the NPR website and entering the number of the essay. You may choose to listen to the podcast instead of reading the selection.

 

 

 

 

INSPIRATION:  

“Keats in the Caldera: The Joy of Memorizing Poetry” – Beth Ann      
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/69080/


“I Will Take My Voice Back” – Quique Aviles     
  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/22871/ 


“Music and Medicine for the Soul” – Deborah    
  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/11269/


“Our Ultimate Inspiration” – Morris   
  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/26022/


“The Making of Poems” – Gregory Orr    
  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/21249/

  

RESPONSIBILITY:  

“A Father’s Lectures” – Seth Chalmer   
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/399/


“Health Care Is a Human Right” – Dr. Paul Farmer
  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/56362/


“A Sacred Connection to the Sun” – Joy Harjo
  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/31008/


“Always Go to the Funeral” – Deirdre Sullivan 
  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/8/


“A Duty to Family, Heritage and Country” – Ying Ying Yu
  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/8560/

 

CHANGE:  

“Cutting Our Grandmothers’ Saris" – Priya Chandrasekaran    
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/58321/

   

“The Place I Call Home” – Cheryl L. Dukes  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/35837/

   

“Courage Comes with Practice” – Theresa MacPhail  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/43673/

  

“Free Minds and Hearts at Work” – Jackie Robinson  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/16931/

 

“Big Thinking” – Elizabeth Shen   
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/26917/

   

SETBACKS: 

“My Father Told Me I Was Fat” – Cherie Burbach  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/12446/

    

“It’s Better to Give…and Receive” – Lisa Dunlap  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/10107/

   

 “Keep It Real” – Rose Eiesland Foster   
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/4987/

  

“Living in the Here and Now” – Jeffrey Hollender  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/31109/

   

“Accomplishing Big Things in Small Pieces” – William Wissemann   
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/39318/

   

TOLERANCE:

“Remembering All The Boys” – Elvia Bautista   
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/21255/

   

“Finding Freedom in Forgiveness” – Jennifer Thompson-Cannino & Ronald Cotton  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/61191/

 

“One Person A Day” – Courtney  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/7582/

     

“Moving Beyond Stereotypes” – Chris Porter  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/1717/

  

“We’re All Different in Our Own Ways” – Joshua Yuchasz  
https://thisibelieve.org/essay/14338/

  


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