Creative Writing and Storytelling

Building a World with Words

In this two-week educational journey, we will immerse ourselves in and learn more about the power of imagination, creativity and storytelling. Whether through poetry or novels, music or spoken word, Superbowl commercials or political speeches, fiction or nonfiction, good storytelling shapes the way we see the world.

For those who are passionate about both reading and creating literature, this summer session will afford students the opportunity to learn new techniques for composing and sharing original narratives, collaborating in teams and using digital and multimedia tools to design a final project that demonstrates the power of storytelling.

Curriculum

In this immersive college experience, students will actively engage in reading, thinking, writing, creating, designing and sharing. Students will learn about critical and creative processes that focus on contextualizing and close reading, brainstorming and composing, editing and aesthetic decision making.

Along with attending to the importance of style and audience, students will expand their knowledge of storytelling by working in teams and producing a final multimedia project that makes of use of digital tools such as Canva, sharing their creative work with family, friends and other Summer Institute participants.

students in the archives
Planned Topics

Each day of this summer session will introduce students to new techniques, processes and topics. Students will learn how literature and creative writing can help them produce stories that shape the way audiences perceive particular ideas, concepts, problems and questions that emerge of out of our everyday experiences. This session will, moreover, demonstrate how stories help develop a sense of empathy, enabling individuals to perceive other realities and new possibilities.

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Amy Smith
Session 1 Faculty Lead
Amy Smith

Professor, Department of English

PhD, Penn State, 1998

Amy E. Smith is the author of "All Roads Lead to Austen," a memoir of a year's travel in Latin America. She teaches creative writing at University of the Pacific and serves on the Board of Directors of The Tuleburg Press.

Session 2 Faculty Lead
Jeffrey Hole

Associate Professor of English, College of the Pacific

PhD, University of Pittsburgh, 2007

Professor Jeffrey Hole teaches courses and conducts research on American and world literatures, including special topics on nineteenth-century slavery and law. His enthusiasm and love of learning empowers students to take intellectual and creative risks. He is a recipient of the Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award as well as the Corson Award for the Distinguished Teaching of First Year Students.

Jeffrey Hole