Workshop Testimonials

  • “The people and the connections I was able to make were the most meaningful part of the experience. The biggest surprise was in me -- I'm historically not much interested in the arts, but I told myself to go into this retreat with an open mind and try everything. I left feeling inspired to bring the power of story to others, and I even wrote some poetry on the plane home. Sounds like I might have had a self-defining memory at the retreat.”

    — Ben Jelen (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

  • “The retreat was a transformational experience. The notion of narrative learning as opposed to paradigmatic learning will stay with me for the rest of my career. The various techniques for story-based learning presented at the retreat was an eye-opener.”

    — Nassif Rayess (University of Detroit Mercy)

  • “The most meaningful experiences were the ones that were hands-on and personalized - which was every one of them! Every single activity we did combined the science of story, (or of music, or of breath, etc.) with experiential learning so that we were putting it right into practice. This truly made all of the experiences "stick" for me. Beyond the stories themselves being memorable, I was left with practical activities to do with my students and our faculty as well as a real-life experience of them as a learner. I have been talking about the retreat nonstop to my friends, family, and colleagues. If anything surprised me, it was that such an intentional community could be created so quickly.”

    — Holly Gooding (Emory University)

  • “Where do I begin? There were so many meaningful moments, both big and small! Even the introductions were done in an intentional, meaningful way, that helped to build our community and tell a story. I now have a better understanding of the impact of stories on myself and others. As far as a surprise, I went into this workshop thinking that I want to get my students to tell stories, but now I also see the importance of getting faculty to tell their stories to students and to each other.”

    — Richard Goldberg (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

  • “My experience was overwhelmingly positive! The entire workshop - from start to finish - was crafted to provide a holistic experience to allow participants to enhance (or maybe elevate is the better word) how story-driven learning can and should be used to both support student learning and to connect as human beings. Each day was full of meaningful moments mainly due to the incredibly generous facilitators AND participants. What I found most surprising was how each and every attendee was so willing to be vulnerable and share difficult experiences.”

    — Heidi Morano (Lawrence Technological University)

  • “This retreat gave me a chance to think about how I teach, what I teach, and why I teach. So often, we get busy in teaching a subject... We can forget that we're teaching people. I hope that I always remember that, but this workshop reminded me of the big picture!”

    — Katie Volz (University of Wisconsin-Platteville)

  • “This retreat is the most thoughtfully conceptualized gathering I have ever attended (other than the first retreat, last year). Throughout the retreat I felt cared for as a person, that someone had carefully considered the arc of the experience, and that I was engaged both with my head and my heart. Having attended the first retreat, I didn't find this surprising, but deeply gratifying to see it be so impactful a second time.”

    — Jonathan Adler (Olin College of Engineering)

  • “This was one of the best workshops that I have ever attended. I loved the location and the thoughtful organizing including all the attention to details. Also, the sessions covered many aspects of the subject and provided a very well-rounded view of the topic. Most meaningful for me was the interaction I had with so many wonderful, talented and committed souls who came from different institutions.”

    — Shuvra Das (University of Detroit Mercy)