Students, faculty invited to stop by during “Story in the Public Square”

“Story in the Public Square,” an ongoing initiative to examine the use of storytelling in public affairs, will officially launch with a day-long conference on Friday, April 12. Students, faculty and staff are welcome to stop by the Bazarsky Lecture Hall throughout the day as their schedules allow.

The conference will feature accomplished storytellers, whether they are journalists, novelists or filmmakers; a screening of the Providence Journal’s acclaimed documentary “Coming Home,” about veterans returning to southeastern New England after tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan; keynote remarks from former Sen. Gary Hart; and the presentation of the first Pell Center Prize for Story in the Public Square.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for writers, students of politics and public policy, lovers of big ideas and more,” said Jim Ludes, executive director of the Pell Center. “Faculty and students are encouraged to stop by throughout the day as their schedules permit.”

Students, faculty and staff interested in attending for the entire day should register online. The conference is free for Salve Regina students, faculty and staff and $20 for all others. Click here to register.

“Story in the Public Square” studies and celebrates public storytelling through the annual conference, lectures, awards and student contests, as well as original scholarship about public storytelling and how those stories can affect the public debate.

A partnership between the Pell Center and The Providence Journal, “Story in the Public Square” is made possible in part from major grant support from the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and is co-directed by visiting fellow G. Wayne Miller and Pell Center executive director Jim Ludes.

For more information, contact the Pell Center at (401) 341-2927 or pellcenter@salve.edu. For up to the minute news on “Story in the Public Square,” follow the initiative on Facebook or Twitter.