Office of Student Success, Equity and Innovation

Common Read 2020-21

Common Read

The Moth Presents: Occasional Magic

From storytelling phenomenon and hit podcast The Moth--and featuring contributions from Meg Wolitzer, Adam Gopnik, Krista Tippett, Andrew Solomon, Rosanne Cash, Ophira Eisenberg, Wang Ping, and more--a new collection of unforgettable true stories about finding the strength to face the impossible, drawn from the very best ever told on its stages

Carefully selected by the creative minds at storytelling phenomenon The Moth, and adapted to the page to preserve the raw energy of stories told live, onstage and without notes, Occasional Magic features voices familiar and new. Inside, storytellers from around the world share times when, in the face of seemingly impossible situations, they found moments of beauty, wonder, and clarity that shed light on their lives and helped them find a path forward.

From a fifteen-year-old saving a life in Chicago to a mother of triplets trekking to the North Pole to a ninety-year-old Russian man recalling his standoff with the KGB, these storytellers attest to the variety and richness of the human experience, and the shared threads that connect us all. With honesty and humor, they stare down their fear, embrace uncertainty, and encourage us all to be more authentic, vulnerable, and alive.

FYE WinnersCongratulations to our Essay Contest winners!

Student Winners

Top Left: Katie Wilson, Freshman, Hospitality Management - "Stepping Up" 

Bottom Left: Emily Quinton, Freshman, International Business - "Letting Everything Go" 

Bottom Middle: Robert Kible, Freshman, Mechanical Engineering - "Together"

Bottom Right: Johanna Tsa, Freshman, Civil Engineering - "No Pants" 

Sponsors

Top Middle: Dr. Dora Lee, Director of Academic Support & Learning Services

Top Right: Dr. Olukemi Sawyerr, Assistant Vice President, Academic Innovation

Congratulations to our Learn Through Discovery FYE Challenge winners!

  • Winner: Ladies Who Protest  Alyssa-Kayla Marquez, Tiana Perez
  • Runner Up: The Right to Fair Arms – Brooke Handschin, Madison Skipp, Alex Cardenas, Andrew Marez
  • Runner Up: WLWC  Jenna Surdzial, Jason Diaz, Tori Garcia, Jose Pavon, Lindsay Sung

Read About the Winning Projects on PolyCentric

Moth Resources: Audio Recordings of Stories