Center For Story Celebrates Inaugural Story Fest
Stop By The Pruitt HLSB Rotunda On Oct. 19 To Learn From Local Panelists
The Shenandoah University Center for Story‘s inaugural Story Fest will introduce the center to SU and the local community, with five different speakers, Q&A sessions, and a reception to talk with the event’s panelists.
Story Fest, which is being held Oct. 19, from 1-6 p.m. in the Cecil Pruitt, Jr. Health & Life Sciences Building, Halpin Rotunda, is completely free to attend, and light refreshments and Beyond the Classroom credit will be provided.
The Center for Story, created by English and Storytelling Lecturer Sean Murphy, M.A., aims to teach students about crafting compelling narratives for educational purposes, professional development, and/or personal growth. It provides year-round programming — such as workshops, seminars, and collaborative projects — that serves students in a wide range of disciplines.
I remember how exciting and meaningful it was for me, as an undergraduate (many years ago!) to begin unraveling the myriad ways story — in both creative and business environments — is the connecting impulse driving innovation in the business and entertainment arenas. One of the important lessons I learned is that the intersection between creativity and curiosity — supplemented with an excellent education — can lead to meaningful career opportunities. If we find ways to connect, stay curious, and explore, I see a ripple effect of benefits, on both academic and personal levels.”
Center for Story Director/English and Storytelling Lecturer Sean Murphy, M.A.
The center also offers a Monthly Speaker Series, in which each month a featured speaker presents about storytelling in their field of work. Past speakers include Shenandoah Professor of Virtual Reality Nathan Prestopnik, Ph.D.; Professor of Hispanic Studies Bryan Pearce-Gonzales, Ph.D.; Adjunct Assistant Professor of Media and Communications and Multimedia Journalism Steven Herman, M.A.; and New York Times best-selling author and economist Shawn DuBravac. All Monthly Speaker Series events are offered for Beyond the Classroom credit. To learn more about the speaker series, check out the Center for Story YouTube channel.
Looking ahead, Murphy said he hopes to expand the Center for Story’s program offerings. He is in the process of developing a podcast and blog about storytelling’s impact on education, and he also plans to partner with the nonprofit he founded, 1455 Lit Arts. By collaborating with 1455 Lit Arts, Murphy seeks to connect students with mentors and provide them with real-world experiences in the publishing and public relations industries.
Above all else, Murphy said he intends to build a campus culture of creativity and “promote and celebrate the power of storytelling to inspire, connect, and transform lives.”
– Written by Natalie Gales ’26
