Centering Stories in Programming

Storytelling is also an essential component of our in-person and virtual campus events, which are designed to center students in the narratives of their education and provide opportunities for dialogue.

The most direct expression of this approach is a virtual version of a popular in-person event that required rethinking during the peak of the pandemic. At the previous in-person UROP Symposium, faculty hosted tables at a large social gathering for historically minoritized students and shared stories with small groups of students who periodically rotated to other tables—visiting the refreshment table in between.

In our new virtual format, rebranded as Zoom into Research and Creative Work, we assemble panels of faculty who meet with students in small breakout rooms to share their stories. Though some of the dynamics of the in-person event are missing in the virtual format, the cost differential and accessibility considerations make it a compelling format moving forward.  Students and faculty alike have expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to hear and share stories in an accessible format.

At our annual UROP Sidewalk Symposium, we spotlight student stories by inviting the campus community of undergraduate researchers and creative practitioners to share their work by creating chalk art on the campus walkways and chat with passersby.  With the help of a professional chalk artist and educator from the area, students typically spend hours creating large and colorful pieces that can look like a traditional research poster—but rarely do.  Over the years students have taken the event in new directions and inspired our team with their creativity and enthusiasm for the format.

Even more exciting than the art these students create are the conversations they have with their fellow students as they stop to admire the work.  In these serendipitous moments, students are typically eager to explain their work and their projects, which are often still in-progress.  Because the format limits the ability to share results in numbers and charts, students generally focus on big ideas and their role in the work, in effect, recentering the narrative of the traditional poster session.  In addition to providing benefits to participants, the event has expanded our outreach efforts and allowed many students to see themselves as future participants—meeting students where they are (on the sidewalk).