Storytelling has existed for centuries as a way to preserve memories and moments through an ever-changing history. And now, Hamilton students will have the chance to share their own stories with the community.
Hamilton HUM, created by WHCL, Hamilton’s own radio station, is a new program created by the executive board and, more specifically, Stephanie Hudon ’13 and Ian Wayne ’12. “The idea got thrown out at one of the WHCL E-Board meetings and we slowly latched on to try to bring it to fruition,” Hudon and Wayne explained. After a lot of hard work, the first Hamilton HUM meeting has been set for Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 8:30-10 p.m. in Opus 1.
Hamilton HUM, inspired by NPR’s Moth Radio, is an opportunity for students, faculty and staff to come and share their experiences and stories. It is the chance for people to inspire, educate and humor others with their words. The poster for the event states, “Hamilton HUM is an evening dedicated to the craft of storytelling - both for the natural performer who can make the mundane miraculous, and the novice with a story worth telling.”
Hudon added, “Often, despite the size and tight-knit community, a person's uniqueness doesn't get the chance to rise to the surface. Individuality gets lost behind class-room personalities and buried by our lives as they exist on the Hill. We want to give community members (students, faculty, and staff) a space to speak about the experiences that define them and to lower walls that keep us from one another on a day-to-day basis.”
One of the great things about Hamilton HUM is that it connects WHCL to many different departments in the community. Storytelling includes many different departments, such as Communication, Creative Writing, English, Sociology and Anthropology. When a group of people comes together and interact with one another through the art of storytelling, an intangible moment occurs when people who would never have thought they had anything in common share a laugh or bond over an analogous experience. Hudon and Wayne are relying on the Hamilton community to be truthful and candid about their stories.
“Oddities, inspirations, tragedies, comedies... we're trusting the storytellers to be authentic, genuine, and to share what is most valuable to them,” Wayne explained. If the stories are made up, then what’s the fun in that? The Hamilton community wants to gain a broader appreciation for each other’s sincerity, and there is no better way to do that than sharing honest experiences with one another.
During the Hamilton HUM meetings in Opus 1, the stories told will be recorded and edited by members of the WHCL executive board. The group will then pick and choose some of the most memorable moments from the night to broadcast over the air for an even broader group of the community to experience, including those who may have missed the meeting. The executive board has not yet decided when to air Hamilton HUM, but it will be announced soon.
Hudon and Wayne both expressed their sincerest gratitude toward Sam Briggs ’12, the head of WHCL, who is credited with the concept. Without his help none of this would have been possible, they said.
Those interested in sharing a story on Oct. 5 should e-mail shudon@hamilton.edu to guarantee a time to speak.
