Amira Warren-Yearby speaks on stage at a poetry slam event

Interdisciplinary Conference: April 25, 2025

The Art of Storytelling

The Departments of English and Communication Studies at the University of St. Thomas will host a free interdisciplinary graduate and undergraduate conference on Friday, April 25, 2025. The conference is free to attend, but pre-registration is required. Registration will close on Friday, April 11, 2025.

The theme of the conference is the Art of Storytelling. Since the beginning of human history, storytelling has been a crucial tool for meaning-making in the creative, literary, communicative, and theatrical arts. Stories are key to sustaining selfhood, as well as family, culture, and other forms of group identity. The aim of this conference is to explore this theme in an interdisciplinary way, engaging with a wide variety of texts, approaches, and traditions, both past and present.

Keynote Speaker

Julie Censullo

Julie Censullo is a well-known podcaster and multimedia storyteller. Her favorite way to tell stories — from dramas to documentaries — is through sound. She is drawn to stories about unique characters, complicated choices, and puzzling experiences that spark the imagination.

Her audio work has appeared on BBC Radio 4, Minnesota Public Radio, KFAI 90.3 FM, and many other outlets. She currently produces the Moth StorySLAM for the Twin Cities and edits the award-winning MinneCulture podcast. She was a 2023 Finalist for Best New Artist at the Third Coast International Audio Festival for her audio documentary, Old Tapes. She has also worked as a field producer, production manager, and line producer on multiple Emmy-winning productions for Twin Cities PBS.

Conference Schedule

Registration — 11:00–11:45 am (ASC James B. Woulfe Alumni Hall, Third Floor)
Lunch and keynote address by the critically acclaimed podcaster and producer Julie Censullo — 12:00–1:15 pm (ASC James B. Woulfe Alumni Hall,Third Floor)
Session 1 (3 concurrent panels) — 1:30–2:30 pm (ASC TBD)
Session 2 (3 concurrent panels) — 2:45–3:45 pm (ASC TBD)
Break — 3:45–4:15 pm (ASC TBD)
Session 3 (3 concurrent panels) — 4:15–5:45 pm (ASC TBD)
Session 4 (3 concurrent panels) — 6:00–7:00 pm (ASC TBD)
Dinner and wrap-up — 7:00-8:00 pm (ASC Rogge-Leyden Dining Room, Third Floor)

Conference Location

All events will be held in the Anderson Student Center on the University of St. Thomas Saint Paul campus.

Driving Directions to campus

Hotels

The university has several preferred hotels that it works with in downtown Saint Paul. Note: You may be able to find lower rates via other hotel sites.

Preferred Hotel Information

Parking

Prepaid parking is available at the Anderson Parking Facility, located one block away from the Anderson Student Center. After you park your vehicle, make note of your license plate number and then proceed to the pay station located on the first floor. The cost of visitor parking is $2.10/hour before 4 p.m. and $1.55/hour after 4 p.m.

Guests

The conference is free to attend, but pre-registration is required. Registration will close on Friday, April 11, 2025.

Conference Program

A printed program will be posted to this web page in the near future.

Disability Accommodations

To make a disability accommodation request, please contact the event coordinator, Andy Leet, at least one week prior to the event date.