Why one book still matters
A great book can spark conversation, deepen understanding and create unexpected connections. That's the idea behind Buffs One Read, CU Boulder's campuswide reading program that invites students, faculty, and staff to engage with a shared text each year. Now entering its sixth year, Buffs One Read has become a campus tradition, bringing the community together for reading and discussion.
Below, Caroline Sinkinson, director of Learning & Engagement in University Libraries, discusses this year's selection, Lessons from My Teachers by Sarah Ruhl, how the book was chosen, the many ways the campus community can engage with it, and what she's most excited about as this year's program unfolds.
What role does Buffs One Read play in building community and creating a shared learning experience across campus?
Common read programs, like Buffs One Read, are recognized as high impact educational practices and are widely adopted at colleges and universities. These programs have been identified as a key contributor to promoting students’ sense of belonging and mattering particularly in the first-year experience. They offer a common intellectual experience and entry-point for engaging in dialog, connection, and community.
In other words, Buffs One Read establishes a unifying title for the year that serves as the basis for classroom discussion, programming, and connection to the campus. Every year we offer complimentary copies of the book to all first-year and transfer students and invite all other community members to read library copies of the book (audio, ebook, and print.) Whether or not one has read the book, we invite everyone to join in activities and events. We have an exciting schedule of events for this year’s title, including an upcoming speaker event with the author Sarah Ruhl on Sept. 24.
The book celebrates the tremendous impact of being present with one another, of offering the gift of our attention, reminding readers that some of the most profound aspects of education are relational.
This year's selection is Lessons from My Teachers by Sarah Ruhl. How was the book chosen, and what made it the right choice for this moment at CU Boulder?
We are lucky to have a dedicated selection committee composed of students, staff, and faculty who read a series of books that match the established theme. The committee reads a short list, while considering criteria, and then ranks and discusses the title before making their selection. The criteria prompt committee members to select titles that meaningfully include nondominant perspectives and that encourage critical thinking and community discussion. We seek works that will evoke reflection and prompt students to share their own stories and experiences. We are also attentive to modality, accessibility, and approachable language.
In Lessons From My Teachers: From Preschool to Present author, Sarah Ruhl, reflects on the many teachers who have impacted and transformed her life. Told in 60 brief chapters, she recalls formal teachers encountered in school classrooms as well as unexpected teachers such as her children, nature, strangers, and life experiences. The book reveals Ruhl's tremendous gratitude for her teachers and how she lives her life oriented as “a student in the world.”
From my perspective, the book is particularly relevant for the CU community at this moment for several reasons. First, Ruhl was inspired to write this book based on her longing to rediscover connection and humanity in a seemingly disconnected world. She found herself being drawn to her phone and relying on it to answer her questions, in a way to teach her. Yet, she remained deeply dissatisfied with the responses void of human connection. This realization led her to dwell in memories of teachers who offered wisdom, lessons, and perhaps more importantly, attention and presence.
The book celebrates the tremendous impact of being present with one another, of offering the gift of our attention, reminding readers that some of the most profound aspects of education are relational. At a time when we are at risk of isolation, loneliness, and poor health due to a lack of social connection, the book compels us to seek out “sanctuaries of presence.” These encouragements resonate with the campus commitment to well-being and the wonderful programming that many campus partners offer.
Second, Ruhl encourages readers to see an occasion for teaching and for learning throughout our lives. She draws attention to the importance of noticing and expressing gratitude for these opportunities. As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of CU Boulder, it seems the perfect time to also celebrate our teachers as well as the transformative potential of connection and community in higher education.
One of the strengths of this book is its collection of short essays. How can faculty incorporate the book into their courses, and what resources are available to make that easy?
The chapters are short and easily digestible. We hope that provides flexibility for educators to adopt portions that are most relevant to their objectives. We’ve created a few resources to assist adoption of the book for courses.
Guide: The guide provides an outline of the book including a listing of chapter themes to aid in selection of appropriate readings. For example, if seeking chapters that discuss the process of writing, a teacher might select chapters “On Writer’s Block,” “Becoming a Teacher,” and “Penelope, Weaving and Revising.”
Canvas course: The canvas course, which any member of the campus community may join, includes information about the author, individual chapter pages, and related activities. The chapter pages include a chapter summary, a key quote, discussion questions, and related resources. The activities module offers numerous activities and lessons related to the book's themes. Educators are welcome to copy, reuse, adapt, and adopt this content, which we can push to individual canvas shells.
Video Overview of Lessons From My Teachers Content: This video walks through all the content for integrating the Buffs One Read into courses and programming: guide, course, book clubs, and a media kit.
Ruhl encourages readers to see an occasion for teaching and for learning throughout our lives. She draws attention to the importance of noticing and expressing gratitude for these opportunities. As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of CU Boulder, it seems the perfect time to also celebrate our teachers as well as the transformative potential of connection and community in higher education.
Beyond the classroom, what are some of the ways students, faculty and staff can engage with Buffs One Read throughout the year?
There are many ways to engage with Buffs One Read. We encourage individuals to participate in ways comfortable for you.
Read the book
Explore the content we’ve created
Host a book club
Attend events
- 9/24 An Afternoon with Sarah Ruhl
- 9/30 Culture Crawl
- 10/8 Silent Book Club
- 3/10 CUnique Stories
- Watch for more spring events
- Share your story about teaching and learning at CUnique Stories. If you are interested in participating, contact liblearn@colorado.edu. Students are invited to submit entries for our storytelling contest.
As this year's program gets underway, what are you most excited about and what conversations or connections do you hope it will inspire across our campus?
I am excited about so many things. I treasure any opportunity to talk with students about the book.
I cannot wait to hear Sarah Ruhl speak and to see the community engage with her. She is a stunning and inspiring writer and speaker. I anticipate her talk will provoke gratitude and connection.
I am excited about CUnique stories on March 10th, which is a storytelling event where members of the community will share their stories of teaching and learning. Previous iterations of the event have been so impactful and uplifting. Participants have shared responses like “Wow, what an incredible opportunity to connect with other amazing humans to share stories especially in these daunting and stressful times. What a restoration of humanity” and “Thank you for putting this together. Aside from the great conversation, it helped me feel more integrated into the University, both with faculty and students.”
This has been one of my most favorite programs. Both this event and the student contest present an opportunity to hear stories from our community, which have been truly moving experiences. I am looking forward to those this spring.
And, of course, I am excited to engage with the new title selection for 2027-2028.
The Buffs One Read program is a highly collaborative program that would not be possible without the contributions of so many people, including: Jennie Gerke, Cynthia Keller, Amanda Rybin Koob, Eric Burger, Marlene Goldman, Natsune Hueston, Nicole Laverty, AJ Schiera, Aislan Sikkel, Patricia Gonzalez, Erika Randall, Scot Douglass, Leslie Reynolds, Gabby Wiersma, Andrew Violet, Mark Locy, Suzanne Balog, Amanda Linsenmeyer.