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A group of students and facilitators stand together in a classroom, smiling for the camera. Behind them, a projector screen displays the title slide: “Narrative 4 – Welcome to the Story Exchange Facilitator Training.” The group includes about a dozen people of diverse ages and backgrounds, standing in two rows. The setting is a bright room with large windows and round tables with chairs in the foreground.

Narrative 4 @ St. Thomas

The 91̽. Thomas has been invited by Narrative 4 (N4) to take part in “N4U”, a national pilot project (February 2025 – August 2026) exploring how Narrative 4’s signature practice, the Story Exchange, impacts experiences of empathy and belonging on college campuses.

Narrative 4 has built a strong foundation in K–12 schools, and this initiative extends that success to universities. St. Thomas has joined Marquette, Baylor, Seton Hill, and the University of Maryland to give students leadership opportunities and personal tools for strengthening connection with others and building a greater sense of hope for their future, both individually and collectively.

Narrative 4 @ St. Thomas is more than a project—it’s a chance to create a culture where listening, empathy, and shared stories shape the heart of our community.

150+

Student have participated in a Story Exchange

Leadership Team

Headshot of Amy Muse

Amy Muse

Professor of English

Headshot of Kristi Wenzel

Kristi Wenzel Egan

Associate Professor of Communication Studies

Headshot Manuela Hill-Muñoz

Manuela Hill-Muñoz

Director of Student Development Strategy and Co-Director of First-Year Experience

St. Thomas Shield

Erica Eastlund Cortes

Undergraduate Student Leader

St. Thomas Shield

Chloe Seaberg

Undergraduate Student Leader

Two overlapping purple speech bubbles. The larger bubble on the right contains the Narrative 4 logo with the text “Narrative 4 @ St. Thomas.” The smaller bubble on the left reads: “A story is the shortest distance between two people.”

Focus Areas

Narrative 4 @ St. Thomas has led story exchanges across campus with student groups in:

  • The Dougherty Family College Summer Enrichment Program leaders and first-year scholars
  • Residence Life Student Leader Education and Development
  • The Luann Dummer Center for Women
  • Student Diversity and Inclusion Services Multi-Cultural Student Leader Club training

And is incorporating story exchanges into classrooms in:

English, Communication Studies, Theater, Theology, Business Ethics, and the Aquinas Honors Program

How You Can Get Involved

A story is the shortest distance between two people. Narrative 4 at St. Thomas invites you to bridge that distance by listening, sharing, and building empathy through story exchanges.

and receive updates about future events, trainings, and opportunities to get involved.

Faculty

Bring story exchanges into your classrooms—from first-year classes to senior capstones—as a way to deepen learning, foster connection, and spark reflection.

Students

Join a story exchange, train as a facilitator, and weave storytelling into your clubs, courses, and leadership roles to strengthen the culture of belonging at St. Thomas.

Staff

Use story exchanges to enrich leadership programs, mentoring, and wellness initiatives, helping students build empathy and community in the work you already do.