The discussion provided an opportunity to deepen the reflection and exchange of perspectives encouraged by the Reading Seminar offered through the School of General Education.
By Dr. Richard Rivera-Cardona
Spanish Language Specialist
Language Center, School of General Education
More than 150 first-year students and faculty members from Universidad del Sagrado Corazón gathered on October 29, 2026, in the Game Room to participate in the discussion “Living Through Love: Reflections for Building Community.” Inspired by All About Love by author bell hooks, the event fostered a dialogue about love as a daily practice and its importance in human relationships.
Dr. Karla Ayala Lebrón, Interim Associate Dean of the School of General Education, delivered the opening remarks and highlighted the purpose of GCM 110: Reading Seminar, a course designed to develop critical thinking, encourage reflection, and create opportunities for students to engage with diverse perspectives through reading. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Ana-Loreanne Colón, who guided the conversation with the invited panelists: Dr. Anuchka Ramos Ruiz, Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs; Dr. Yamil Samalot Rivera, Chaplain and Assistant Professor of Theology; and Grenda Rivera, journalist and Sagrado alumna.
Each participant brought a unique perspective to the topic. Dr. Ramos Ruiz examined love through the lens of education and its role in holistic development; Dr. Samalot Rivera explored its theological and spiritual dimensions; and Rivera reflected on the subject from her experience in communications and as a graduate of the institution. Through Colón’s questions, the conversation evolved into a meaningful exchange in which the guests shared their expertise and personal experiences, while students contributed comments, raised questions, and connected the book’s ideas to their own lives.
(Courtesy photos)
One of the most meaningful moments occurred when several students spoke about what GCM 110 has meant in their university experience. Some reflected on how the course has encouraged them to question their own assumptions, consider alternative viewpoints, and approach issues from perspectives they had not previously considered. Their contributions underscored the value of reading and dialogue as experiences that extend beyond the classroom, broadening the ways we understand the world and relate to others.
GCM 110: Reading Seminar is a required course for incoming students that promotes critical thinking, reflective writing, and respectful dialogue. All About Love serves as one of the course’s foundational texts and will provide the basis for students’ final projects. The discussion extended that reading experience into a space for engagement with diverse voices and perspectives, transforming bell hooks’ ideas into a starting point for collective reflection on empathy, human relationships, and the responsibility of building community.
More than a conversation about a book, the event invited participants to recognize that learning also involves listening, questioning what we take for granted, and allowing other perspectives to reshape the way we think. From this standpoint, living through love also means learning how to relate to others and contributing, through our everyday actions, to a more thoughtful and compassionate community.
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