If All of the School...
Our Fall 2026 Selection
Why Brains Need Friends: The Neuroscience of Social Connection by Ben Rein, PhD
Headlines have made clear that we are in a crisis of loneliness, but the conversation has yet to explore how spending less time with others can impact the body and mind on a cellular level—and why this knowledge is part of the way forward. Renowned neuroscientist Dr. Ben Rein dives into the fascinating science of social interaction, revealing how our brains are wired for connection and why modern life is challenging those ancient instincts. Through the lens of neuroscience, he explains our need for community and provides new frameworks for bringing togetherness into our lives. Rein uncovers the mesmerizing biological factors at play in our moments together, from small talk with baristas to deep conversation with friends, and shares how to leverage this information to our advantage as we seek happiness and health.
We are asking students, faculty, and staff to read Chapters 1 and 2 of Why Brains Need Friends. You can download a PDF of Chapters 1 and 2 below.
About the program
The purpose of the "If All of the School..." program is to generate critical inquiry and discourse about complex contemporary social issues and to encourage creative and innovative thinking among social work students, faculty, and staff. Through the shared experience of reading, viewing, or listening to the same content, the program challenges us to think differently about ourselves, our country, the world community, and the contributions of our profession.
We ask that students read the selected chapters prior to attending Orientation in order to prepare for small group discussion.
Why Read?
“Before I came to school for my own graduate education, I had an image of the exciting dialogues that faculty and students could have together about ideas. While graduate school certainly includes such dialogues, it still rarely provides such opportunities outside the structure of a specific class. So this is an opportunity for us to talk together about some important ideas -- both at orientation and perhaps in the months to come. The staff and part-time faculty, some alumni and all the other students in the School will also be invited to read the book with the hope that this will spawn a series of dialogues.”
- Nancy J. Smyth, PhD, LCSW
What Will We Discuss?
At a minimum, we'll be interested in hearing people's overall reactions; however, we will also have some specific discussion questions to facilitate a deeper discussion -- you may suggest a question if you wish.