Lessons from My Teachers, an essay collection by award-winning playwright Sarah Ruhl, has been selected as the 2026–27 Buffs One Read title, a campus reading program sponsored by the University Libraries. 

Faculty are encouraged to incorporate the text into undergraduate courses to deepen student engagement and connect course content to a broader campus conversation. Through a shared campus-wide reading experience, Buffs One Read helps students engage with a range of perspectives and participate in meaningful dialogue across disciplines.

Canvas Course

Based on her popular class at Yale, Lessons from My Teachers explores the impact of teachers across every stage of life, from formal educators to mentors and experiences beyond the classroom. Ruhl provides sixty portraits of the teachers who generously shared their presence and knowledge with her, shaping her educational journey as well as her life journey. Readers will discover the content Ruhl studied, but more importantly they will be immersed in the relationships formed, the attention given and the connections forged. Orienting herself as a student in the world, Ruhl honors her teachers through this collection and expresses her gratitude by sharing their wisdom with readers.

“Lessons from My Teachers highlights diverse experiences and perspectives that contribute to a reader’s growth,” said Natsune Hueston, a first-year undergraduate and member of the Buffs One Read selection committee. “It reminds us that education isn’t something we have to experience alone, but something shaped through collaboration and connection. We rely on teachers, peers and different communities, and those relationships deepen our understanding and open opportunities for more meaningful conversations.”

CU Boulder Faculty are invited to explore the Buffs One Read Canvas Course, which includes chapter summaries, discussion questions, activities, and more. We designed the course and research guide to help ease the integration of Lessons from My Teachers in your classes. The content is available for faculty, staff and students to copy, reuse, remix, and adapt.

"I encourage my colleagues to embrace a shared learning experience with their students, by reading the Buffs One Read book together in their courses,” said Alastair Norcross, Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Boulder Faculty Assembly. "This year’s selection, Lessons From My Teachers, by Sarah Ruhl, is particularly fitting, as it vividly demonstrates that learning is a lifelong pursuit, and that we all occupy the roles of teacher and student, often at the same time. I know that I am continually learning from my own students at the same time that, I hope, they are learning from me."

The essay format also meets students where they are. “It’s worth engaging with Lessons from My Teachers, even if you just read a small part of it,” said selection committee member and third-year undergraduate Aislan Sikkel. “In college we are given so much content to read and it can be overwhelming. With this book there’s so much value with even just a single chapter. If you continue reading, it feels like there’s something for everyone.”

Incoming first-year and transfer students will receive a complimentary copy of Lessons from My Teachers. Integrating the book into a syllabus offers a simple way to connect students to one another and to the broader CU Boulder community.

Stay tuned to learn more about related programming, events and celebrations for AY 2026-2027!