Seeding a Community of Caring: Creating Digital Narratives for Individual, Community, and Institutional Change

people standing and sitting, looking at a tablet and smilingClick here to apply. Applications are due September 5th.

Utilizing Participatory Action Research (PAR) and digital storytelling methodologies, this project brings together students, staff, and faculty at EMU to connect with one another and help the broader campus reflect on how to create a Culture of Caring on campus. This project will provide opportunities for reflection, group dialogue, and advocacy through the creation and use of digital stories (3–5-minute audiovisual products). 

Participants will be responsible for attending meetings and developing a digital story narrative about a personal experience related to inclusion and belonging on campus. Dr. Kati Lebioda, Assistant Professor in the Department of Leadership and Counseling, will guide participants through the curriculum, which spans seven 2-hour sessions during Fall 2025, and includes scaffolded training to help you develop your digital story. Participants who complete this learning community will receive a $300 honoraria.

Eligibility

To participate, you must be an EMU student, faculty, or staff and 18+ years old. I am particularly (but not exclusively) seeking those who self-identify with an underrepresented college population (including, but not limited to: first-gen, Pell-grant eligible, disabled, neurodiverse, queer, racially/ethnically minoritized, student parents, or student veterans)

Benefits to Participating

  • Meaningful connections with other EMU community members across different designations (i.e., faculty, staff, and students)
  • A deeper understanding of one’s lived experiences through guided narrative development
  • An increased capacity to create change for oneself and one’s community

If you have any questions, please contact Kati Lebioda ([email protected]) or Jeffrey Bernstein ([email protected]).