The Women’s Narrative Project’s Signature Workshop: “Eat, Write, Talk” - the Women's Narratives Project takes juniors and seniors on a grant-funded retreat to talk and write about themes inherent in making life decisions, including perfectionism, risk-taking, tolerating failure, and family narratives of success.
Format
- Audience: Directed toward seniors and juniors (mostly seniors).
- When: January-term, three-weeks between the fall and spring semesters.
- Frequency: Three and a half day retreat (one day on campus and two at an inn or retreat center).
- Approximate Number of Participants: 20 participants.
- Focus of Retreat: Central to the workshop is the group experience: Students write, but they are also trained in active listening and reflecting back themes to help each other to understand their own narratives.
- Other Participants: The project directors and main leaders of Eat, Write, Talk are the dean of religious life, the former dean of the college, and the director of the Wurtele Center for Work and Life. Faculty, staff, students, and alumnae also involved in program planning and panel discussions.
Funding & Operations
The Wurtele Center is endowed since 2010.
- Project Directors: The Women's Narratives Project is co-directed by Jennifer Walters, Dean of Religious Life, Dean of the College Emerita Maureen Mahoney, and Jessica Bacal, director of the Wurtele Center for Work & Life.
- External Support: Seed funding for the first three years of the program came from a Smith College alumna and is now funded through the Wurtele Center for Work & Life.
- Operations: Our program costs about $7000. The most significant expense is transportation and off-campus lodging for 20+ students.