Buffalo State College's search for a text for its common first-year reading program ended not in the selection of a book but in the creation of a multimedia CD. The CD guides discussion in first-year classrooms throughout the year, resulting in a meaningful intellectual experience for the school's diverse mix of students, faculty, and staff. The CD is now being used to spark conversations across the campus. The creation of the academic theme CD began when a group of State University of New York distinguished professors envisioned using a theme to stimulate intellectual discourse on campus and provide a framework for speeches, presentations, and exhibits throughout the year. The process of creating the CD and the overall response to it was so satisfying and provided such a benefit to the campus community that the CD was used for a second year and a new one was created for the year after that. The creation of the academic theme CD at Buffalo State is indicative of the fine work that can be accomplished through collaboration of people from across campus, most notably from academic affairs and student affairs. (Contains 5 notes.)