Clarkson Common Conversations

This year, the Common Book Committee has been inspired to diversify. With a focus on the theme What’s Your Story?, the Committee has selected a combination of articles and short videos that explore storytelling and narrative identity to serve as the basis for discussions about why stories matter, whose stories matter, who is telling stories, and the variety of ways stories are expressed. Students are invited to reflect on their own stories, asked to be open to others’, and encouraged to hone their self-presentation storytelling skills, especially as they begin their journey at Clarkson. The Committee intends that these themes of storytelling and identity will continue to be presented during the academic year through a series of campus Convocations which celebrate the diverse cultures and stories of others.

The Committee is excited to announce that in conjunction with this theme, the Van Sickle Endowed Lecture at Convocation this fall will be a performance by Step Afrika!

Common Reads

• Step Afrika! Brings Cultures Together Through the Art of Stepping  
• From Gumboots and Greek Letters: Preserving African American Heritage Through Stepping
• What’s Your Story? (Harvard Business Review)
• What’s Your Story? (Forbes Magazine) 
• The Two Kinds of Stories We Tell About Ourselves 
• The Danger of a Single Story (TED Talk)

What’s Your Story? Questions to Prompt Discussion

Step Afrika! is the world’s first professional company dedicated to the tradition of stepping—a polyrhythmic, percussive dance form that uses the body as an instrument. With stepping at its foundation, as practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities, the Company integrates song, storytelling, humor, and audience participation in each performance. Step Afrika!’s mission is to educate, motivate, and inspire young people through arts education programs that emphasize their core values of teamwork, commitment, and discipline.