Challenges & Future Directions

Storytelling continues to provide compelling pathways for students to connect with the academic and creative life of the campus—and find belonging in the global community of scholars.

By embracing failure and uncertainty as a part of everyone’s story, the Lightbulb Moment Initiative offers students the opportunity to see themselves as participants, contributors and change-agents.  Supported by opportunities oriented toward growth and enabled by the cultivation of brave spaces, storytelling can advance social justice efforts in meaningful ways while providing opportunities for community building.

As we transition to a “new normal,” the dynamics of belonging will also evolve and require new approaches to building inclusive communities.  In our efforts to reframe the narratives about undergraduate research on our campus, responses have included reluctance in being vulnerable to more overt resistance to our shift in focus.  We remain committed to telling the full story with all the twists and turns of uncertainty and failure, and we will continue to explore new opportunities to cultivate dialogue.

The stories we tell about the work we do can expand the boundaries of our communities and make our campuses more empowering spaces for all students.