What is the power of storytelling?

“Tell me a story” might be the oldest request in the world.

From the time we could speak, we’ve told stories. From the time we could hear, we’ve craved them. With the glow of a campfire on our faces, we listen with rapt attention to stories about acquiring food and shelter. And later when those needs are met, we crave stories about ourselves, our deeds of daring and bravery and the myriad ways we attempt to conquer the harshness of our world.

The tales of how we navigate the vicissitudes of everyday life and loss become vital to us. From the sum of those stories, we create our lives and our identities. We are the stories we know and the stories we tell. Though they are not always flattering, not always comforting, they always help us to question our assumptions and ponder our truths.

At the heart of those narratives is the belief that we matter and belong in this world. This investigation can be frightening, but the mission of the university is to ask the questions that push us closer and closer to understanding. We ask the questions in art and science, in math and engineering that further our knowledge and prepare the way for the next generation of thinkers whose stories build on ours.

In time the stories of our lives become richer and deeper. We believe with renewed vigor that wanting knowledge does not impede our progress or deny our history, but brings us closer together as fellow seekers, believers and dreamers. So we keep asking our questions and telling and retelling our stories like our lives depend on them. Because they do.

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