Common Experience

"Health and Humanity in the New Millennium: Where Do We Go From Here?"is the theme for the 2009-2010 Common Experience. The theme will generate discussions about our responsibility for health and humanity in the United States and around the world, as well as policy decisions that impact the health of us all, as well as and the potential consequences for failure to live up to these responsibilities. The impact of illness on a family is explored within Jodi Picoult's novel, My Sister's Keeper. What we eat and how our food is grown and the consequences for us and society are explored in our second book, The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.

Over the 2009-2010 academic year, we will be exploring many aspects of this topic. Our discussions will include ways we can improve what we eat and how we live, local health issues such as organic food and locally grown food, the way the health care system in the United States function, the complex question of healthcare delivery in the United States such as the single payer system, how integrative medicine can make a big difference in our lives, how financial wellness can impact our physical wellness, and how the quality of housing can influence our health, and how we communicate with our health care provider. In addition, we are inviting community children to be a part of our Common Experience by hosting two children's events related to our theme. This important theme will certainly provoke lively discussions and enhance the intellectual life of the campus, and we invite you to participate.