Mikayla Cottrell, Reporter, mikayla.cottrell@gmail.com
The Second Annual Writing for Social Change Conference is calling for proposals from students, faculty, staff and community members on changes they’d like to see in their communities.
The conference, which will be held on Nov. 14-15, will allow students and community members the opportunity to display their ideas and projects for positive social change in the world.
The conference accepts any form of entry, whether it be academic essay, artwork, performing art (dance, theater, music, etc.), poetry or presentations to be submitted to the conference committee members for consideration to be displayed or presented at the conference.
“We want people to be able to communicate in the way they feel most comfortable,” Wioleta Fedeczko, the director of the conference, said.
Those interested in participating in the conference are encouraged to propose ideas that they believe highlight important issues that will incite social change.
The conference was such a success last year that it will be held over two days this year to make it more accessible and allow for more involvement.
Many students who were passionate about certain social issues were able to display their thoughts on how to change the structure of society to invite good, positive change.
“Each speaker and paper that is presented at the conference has the potential to change someone’s life and decisions,” said Dr. Gae Lyn Henderson, who got the idea for the conference from Salt Lake Community College’s Conference on Writing.
The conference is accepting any proposal that does not negatively target any person, group or idea. As long as the idea is not hurtful, it will be considered for the conference.
“Social change is for good, not to spout hate,” Fedeczko said.
Community members are also encouraged to participate in the conference, both as attendees and presenters. Community members can use the six workshops that will be held at the Orem Public Library and the UVU Writing Center in the coming weeks, which will help the conference to receive proposals from outside of academia.
Fedeczko said that the conference does not receive many submissions from the science and math departments. She believes it would help the conference to bring new ideas and new perspectives to social issues and projects that students and members of these departments are working on.
“It doesn’t have to be a paper. It can be anything. The one thing we are striving for is more involvement from the sciences,” Fedeczko said.
This year the keynote speaker will be Cheryl Glenn, a Liberal Arts Research Professor of English and Women’s Studies and the Director of the Program in Writing and Rhetoric at Pennsylvania State University.
The conference will have a multimedia room open during presentations and panels that will display poster presentations, documentaries, and artwork, and will be open to the public.
Faculty, students, staff, and community members are invited to submit their proposals by Oct. 19. Accepted projects will be notified within a week if they will be featured in the conference.
For more information please visit: http://research.uvu.edu/writingforsocialchange/
