The Common Reader, a program for our first-year students,  is an integral part of the Missouri State public affairs mission. It’s not just an assignment or busy work for our students, it’s a tool to enhance the first-year student’s experience, encourage the students to think about the public affairs mission and to start having conversations with their fellow students about the Missouri State and the global community.

This year’s common reader is The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore.  It’s a story of  two boys, same name but life paths completely different. 

There are several goals of the Common Reader Program. They are:

• Establish an opportunity for first-year students to understand their responsibility as engaged learners in an academic community.
• Set expectations for student success by emphasizing the importance of reading, writing and critical thinking in the University environment.
• Create a sense of community by increasing interdisciplinary thinking and dialogue among students, faculty and staff through shared academic and co-curricular experiences.
• Promote a deeper understanding of the public affairs mission and it’s wider societal impact through a critical analysis of a common reader.