Each year, our selection committee selects a title for the Pacific community to read together centered around a common theme. Our mission is to ignite campus-wide discussions on compelling social issues, community and inspire action within the Pacific community.
Explore this page to learn about this year's selection, take a deeper dive to spark your curiosity and get involved.
Pick up a copy of "I Never Thought of it That Way":
- First year and transfer students: Books were placed in your residence hall rooms.
- Commuter students: Pick up your book during the Commuter Welcome Session.
- Others: Book are available at the DUC and Calaveras Hall front desks.
The 2024-2025 Selection
We think we have the answers, but we need to be asking a lot more questions. Journalist Mónica Guzmán is the loving liberal daughter of Mexican immigrants who voted—twice—for Donald Trump. When the country could no longer see straight across the political divide, Mónica set out to find what was blinding us and discovered the most eye-opening tool we're not using: our own built-in curiosity.
Partisanship is up, trust is down, and our social media feeds make us sure we're right and everyone else is ignorant (or worse). But avoiding one another is hurting our relationships and our society. In this timely, personal guide, Mónica, the chief storyteller for the national cross-partisan depolarization organization Braver Angels, takes you to the real front lines of a crisis that threatens to grind America to a halt—broken conversations among confounded people.
She shows you how to overcome the fear and certainty that surround us to finally do what only seems impossible: understand and even learn from people in your life whose whole worldview is different from or even opposed to yours.
Drawing from cross-partisan conversations she's had, organized, or witnessed everywhere from the echo chambers on social media to the wheat fields in Oregon to raw, unfiltered fights with her own family on election night, Mónica shows how you can put your natural sense of wonder to work for you immediately, finding the answers you need by talking with people—rather than about them—and asking the questions you want, curiously.
About the Author
Mónica Guzmán
Mónica Guzmán is a bridge builder, journalist, and author who lives for great conversations sparked by curious questions.
She’s Senior Fellow for Public Practice at Braver Angels, host of the new podcast A Braver Way and author of The New York Times recommended read I Never Thought of it That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times.
A Mexican immigrant, Latina and dual US/Mexico citizen, she lives in Seattle with her husband and two kids and is the proud liberal daughter of conservative parents.
Meet the Author
Join us for the Pacific Presidential Speaker Series featuring Mónica Guzmán, author of “I Never Thought of it That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times.” Ms. Guzmán will share her insights during a keynote conversation on Thursday evening, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. in Faye Spanos Concert Hall. Don't miss this chance to engage in meaningful dialogue with one of today's most insightful authors.
For Research
- First Year CORE Classes
- Department of Political Science
- Research and Scholarship
Community Engagement
- Center for Identity and Inclusion
- Visit the Asian, Pacific Islander and Desi Student Services office
- Visit the Black Student Services office
- Visit the El Centro office
- Visit the LGBTQ+ Resource Center office
- Visit the Native American Student Services office in CII
- Participate in a service project: Pacific Volunteer Center
- Vote in the General Election (and other elections): Voting Resources for Students
- Volunteer at a Voting Poll Work: Poll Worker Information
Mental Health
- Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
- Request Presentations: Outreach and Programming Services
- Orientation to CAPS Services
- Stress / Anxiety Management
- Time Management
- Procrastination
- Motivation
- Grief & Loss
- Identity Development
- Body Image
- Team Building
- Mental Skills
- Suicide Prevention
- Health & Well-Being
- Request Presentations: Outreach and Programming Services
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Meet the Author
Join us for the Pacific Presidential Speaker Series featuring Mónica Guzmán, author of “I Never Thought of it That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times.” Ms. Guzmán will share her insights during a keynote conversation on Thursday evening, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. in Faye Spanos Concert Hall. Don't miss this chance to engage in meaningful dialogue with one of today's most insightful authors.
Resources
- "I Never Thought of It That Way" Discussion Guide
- "I Never Thought of It That Way" Academic Guide
- "I Never Thought of It That Way" Press Kit
- Request a DEI Workshop
- To request a workshop, please contact Dr. Nick Franco, Director of DEI Education and Bias Prevention, at nfranco@pacific.edu.
