The Importance of Telling Our Stories

An academic community that is more than 170 years old has many tales, myths and legends. For all we remember, however, so much more has been lost to time and faded from memory. Occasionally I will hear from alumni who walked these halls years ago with stories from the past that make me smile. The joy for me comes from the deep meaning they discovered from a formative experience, the celebration of a triumph that lives on in their minds or even a resilient recovery from a regrettable misstep that in the end proved to be vital in shaping their personal and professional lives. Sometimes they are just hysterically funny. The antics of students are reliably rehearsed generation after generation.  

Some of the most profound stories associated with Central College, however, have never been widely told. Life in community is in one sense uniquely experienced by each member through the lens of individual interpretation. Yet these experiences are also collectively interlaced between and among many members in shared settings and common periods of time. Current and former members of our community have shared stories with me that are deeply personal. Invariably these stories involve at least one other person on campus who was present to them at a critical moment in their journey. The setting was not a large venue, but a more intimate space. The conversation was interactive and reflective — the agenda, more serious. Important moments like these in the presence of a professor, a coach, an employment supervisor or a friend happen routinely in a context where everything belongs to learning. Untold stories abound in our midst. 

Curating a setting in which community thrives and stories are written is an active task. A passive hope that community will emerge is not sufficient. It depends on the actions of each citizen of our campus community choosing to be present to others, receptive to individual and collective interaction and engaged in a shared ambition. Those who have devoted their lives and careers to an academic community model this as a lifestyle. Not all stories are easy to tell since they may have involved personal challenges, but they are nevertheless important to tell as authentic narratives that inform a healthy understanding of our common humanity. 

We have so much to share. Our stories are rich with meaning. They document the transition from late adolescence to young adulthood and set the stage for an unfolding journey. They affirm the importance of learning at every stage of life. They acknowledge the setbacks, as well as the moments of accelerated achievement. They affirm our interdependence on those around us to find success. Our stories are worth telling whenever we gather to remind us that we belong together.