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
This 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.
