The Common Read Program

About

The Common Read program brings University of Michigan-Flint students, faculty, staff, and community members together through the shared experience of reading and discussing a book each academic year. The book and the events surrounding it emphasize the importance of reading to higher education, make possible conversations and relationships based on the shared reading experience, and integrate the campus into national and global culture and discussions.

The Common Read Program is faculty-led, in collaboration with academic and student affairs. The committee is in charge of selecting a book that inspires intellectual curiosity and contributes to the university as a community of ideas, inquiry, and discussion. Faculty are encouraged to assign the book in their courses and to guide discussion of the text. The committee also develops programming around the book’s themes, often inviting the author to campus for major presentations and other discussions. This programming invites engagement with community members as speakers who share their perspectives and as event participants, enriching the overall program by broadening discussions and offering diverse viewpoints that connect the book’s themes to local experiences and global contexts.

Faculty, staff, students, and community members read and discuss the chosen book and attend program events. This inclusive approach extends the intellectual and cultural benefits of the program, fostering a shared experience that enriches the university and can resonate with the wider Flint community. Through accessible events and discussions, the Common Read program aims to promote a culture of reading and shared learning for all.