ISSUED: 22 October 2019
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Shepherd University’s Center for Appalachian Studies and Communities will hold its second annual Shepherd Speaks StoryCorps Project during the first week of November, with a StoryCorps launch event on Friday, November 1, at 5 p.m. in the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education auditorium. Shepherd Speaks will collect stories from campus and community members.
The Shepherd Speaks StoryCorps van will be at various locations across campus November 4-7 from noon-3 p.m.. On Monday, November 4, the van will be in front of Scarborough Library; Tuesday, November 5, near Reynolds Hall; Wednesday, November 6, in the patio area between the two Center for Contemporary Arts buildings; and Thursday, November 7, on West Campus Dr. near the underpass.
“We want to recognize the power of storytelling and the importance of giving voice to all individuals, but particularly to students and to older people in the community who are often marginalized and relegated to being the listeners,” said Dr. Sylvia Bailey Shurbutt, Appalachian studies center director. “Our stories can be transformative, both for the listeners and for the tellers, and when we tell our own stories, they counter stereotypes.”
The stories collected will find a home and be archived with the StoryCorps National Storytelling Project. For more information, contact Shurbutt at sshurbut@shepherd.edu.
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