Overview

Asking the Big Questions is a program that makes the reading of transformative texts central to the undergraduate experience.

In some ways, we might all be reading more than ever: we all spend enormous amounts of time reading brief messages that arrive on our phones or screens. But sustained acts of reading are on the decline. Even in college, reading lists are getting shorter and shorter; in some fields, one might graduate without having read more than a few books. Yet the liberal arts are premised on the notion that reading widely and adventurously is a springboard to lifelong learning in any field. Better than any other method, such reading widens our perspectives on the world, stimulates curiosity about the lives of others, and provokes dialogue about the great questions of life.

Launched in Spring 2026, Asking the Big Questions (ABQ) offers first-year seminars built around diverse readings, creative assignments, and co-curricular experiences—including explorations of campus, guest lectures, cultural events, and social events for students and faculty. These courses invite incoming students to think critically across disciplines and to connect classroom learning to personal experience and real-world issues.

These events are open to all, but space is limited and registration may be required. See below for more information.