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Summer Assignment

Dare to ask: Stories that connect us

Every summer ������ý’s incoming first-year students complete a common assignment.

During your time at ������ý, you will share, listen to and become a part of many powerful stories. In doing so, you will be exposed to a range of perspectives that may inspire your curiosity, challenge your assumptions and even invite disagreement. Engaging with these different viewpoints helps you to become a discerning scholar and leader—one who is capable of not simply absorbing the ideas of others, but of thoughtfully integrating them into your evolving understanding of the world and of yourself. Doing this requires listening to others’ stories with an openness to the idea that your own viewpoints can change.

Your first assignment invites you to engage in an interactive storytelling exercise to practice two essential skills for learning and thriving here at ������ý: asking questions and listening. Approaching others with curiosity, asking questions to elicit understanding and listening with full attention will help you to connect with others through their stories while also challenging your own thinking. To practice these skills, we ask you to interview someone in your community who you find interesting or who you think may have experiences or perspectives different from yours. This experience offers opportunities and tools for engaging constructively across difference, a key tenant of Dialogue ������ý.

“At ������ý, we believe that meaningful dialogue is at the heart of a strong, connected community," said Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver. "This summer assignment challenges our incoming students to listen deeply, ask thoughtful questions and engage with the diverse perspectives that shape our world. By cultivating the skills of narrative inquiry, our students will not only build relationships but also develop the habits of curiosity and reflection that define a lifelong commitment to learning.”

Incoming students will receive assignment instructions in early June. Completed projects are due on August 15, 2026. Projects will be shared with VUceptors for use in discussion during orientation and throughout the program.

To request accommodations or with questions, email summer.assignment@vanderbilt.edu.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTER (ELC) SUPPLEMENTAL GUIDE

Each year, the ������ý English Language Center (ELC) creates a supplemental guide to support the professional, academic, and practical needs of students who use English as a second language. To view the supplemental guide, click the link below.