Students Turn Storytelling into Connection

 Students Turn Storytelling into Connection

Faculty and staff volunteers at Sam Houston State University brought personal stories to life through Kats Shelf, an interactive event designed for live conversations that foster empathy and dialogue around health experiences and social challenges. 

Recently held and in conjunction with the Newton Gresham Library, the project was the culmination of yearlong ACE (academic community engagement) courses in collaboration between the Department of Communication Studies and the Department of Public Health. 

Guided by faculty members Dena Horne in Communication Studies and Adannaa Alexander in Public Health, students designed and executed the project from concept to completion. 

“As an ACE course, the project required students to interview and collaborate with faculty, staff, and community members, actively engaging them in the project,” Alexander said. “They partnered with a marketing staff member and a graduate student to develop promotional materials and then led the event’s execution.” 

Kats Shelf was inspired by the global Human Library movement, which encourages conversations that challenge stereotypes by allowing individuals to serve as “books” who share their lived experiences. The SHSU event included 65 participants who listened to stories from 21 volunteer storytellers.  

During the two-day event, participants engaged in meaningful discussions centered on health, identity and navigating complex systems and life situations. 

“The experience created space for connections across campus, bringing together students (with faculty and staff) who may not have otherwise had the opportunity to engage with one another,” Horne said. 

Kats Shelf not only provided a platform for storytelling, but also created space for empathy, understanding and shared learning—key components in both communication and public health fields. 

Organizers plan to make the initiative an annual effort, building on its early success while expanding opportunities for student engagement and community connection. In addition to continuing the project through future ACE courses and with the support of SHSU Online, the library is developing a digital collection featuring the storytellers and their experiences, making the content available as a lasting resource.