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N4@MU is a partnership between Marquette’s Arrupe Center and the global nonprofit Narrative 4.

 

Mission

N4@MU’s mission is to bring meaningful, shared storytelling experiences to Marquette’s campus and the local community to:

• Help students, faculty, staff form meaningful connections with one another across campus.
• To amplify Marquette’s mission as a Catholic, Jesuit institution committed to social justice and educating students to be people for others ready to be the difference in their communities.
• Develop empathy, social connection, moral courage, a sense of belonging and agency, and hope through the fundamentally human activity of storytelling.
• Help community members practice deep listening and increase their capacity for attentiveness and focus. 
• Gain experience in honoring the inherent dignity of all individuals and their stories.
• Turn empathy, understanding, and inspiration into positive action on campus and in our communities.

As part of the Arrupe Center for Community Service and Social Responsibility, N4@MU is dedicated to giving students storytelling, leadership, and personal tools to deepen their understanding of social responsibility and to engage more fully and effectively in their work for and service to others.

 

History

Narrative 4 was founded in 2014 by National Book Award winning novelist Colum McCann and educational leader Lisa Consiglio to help build “fearless hope through radical empathy.” 

 

Today, their mission is to “create a global community where young people learn and lead with curiosity, deep listening, and imagination.” Their goal is to be in every school in the world. See their global network and reach here.

 

N4@MU began as a grassroots effort in 2020 by a small group of undergraduate students, led by founding student president Mara McAndrews. Its mission was to help students to speak and connect across differences of identity, experience, and perspective through an experience of shared humanity. The pandemic quickly expanded this focus, as they story exchange became an important tool to help members of Marquette’s community to feel less isolated and alone.

 

N4@MU has led story exchanges across campus with such groups as: MUSG, Student Affairs, Office of Residence Life, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Office of Mission, the Burke Scholars, Midnight Run, the Institute for Women’s Leadership, the Center for Teaching and Learning, the Center for Peacemaking, and others. We have run dozens of story exchanges in classes across the university and in residence halls. We have also connected with students at other American universities and Universidad del Noreste in Mexico.

 

     We want to hear from you!

Request a Story Exchange

 

Want to know more about Narrative 4 or campus projects using Narrative 4’s story exchange methodology?

Reach out to the Arrupe Center’s Scholar in Residence and N4@MU Campus Director, Dr. Leah Flack here.