by Salie Davis

Every year, the Student Academic Conference offers something new and interesting. That’s why I always attend.
Formerly called the Student All College Conference, the event creates learning and sharing through art, presentations and seminars. It’s more than just a chance for students to mingle with peers and staff – it’s an opportunity for students who are presently enrolled or recently graduated to share learning. Two sessions are summarized below – kudos to all the presenters!

Garbage Writing: Don’t Toss This One Aside

I attended a student panel presentation called Garbage Writing. Sarah Spence-Staulters, Patricia Panepinto and Stacie Waters (the panel) stated that this presentation was inspired by an assignment in their creative writing class.

These ladies showed how an assignment from a creative writing residency they took together could inspire unique narratives. The story theme centered on articles in a garbage can. These stories were, at times, laugh-out-loud humorous and, at other times, quietly moving.

"Realizing how different our stories were, [we] thought this would be an interesting topic to share," said Spence-Staulters, a first-time presenter from the Northeast Center, who will graduate in June, 2009 with a bachelor's degree in psychology.

Fellow panelist Patricia Panepinto, a three-year conference attendee, also expressed enthusiasm for her work and the experience she gained presenting. “I enjoyed watching the expressions of anticipation, attention, enjoyment, thoughtfulness and interest on people’s faces and feeling it as well. The applause and questions at the end of the presentation were icing on the cake!" Panepinto earned her Bachelor of Arts in community and human services in September 2008, from the Northeast Center in Latham.

Personally, I attended this seminar due to my interest in creative writing and the enticing title. Each of the presenters’ individual personalities came out through their writing styles. This comparison was helpful in my own learning, as I could see the varied interpretations of a single idea.

Listening to this presentation was both informative and entertaining.



Thinking and Inspiring: Other Ways of Knowing

I was also greatly impacted by another presenter, Judy Gregerson, and her courage to share a personal narrative of struggle and loss in a motivating way. Suffering is an aspect of life we all experience at points, but often do not have the courage to face directly. In her presentation, "You are the Hero of Your Journey," Gregerson effectively used personal tragedy in a public narrative to open the minds and hearts of the audience to new ways of thinking.

"I knew I could present learning and thinking in a new way by comparing people’s lives to the lives of heroes in books. I believe that if we become our own hero -- if we learn to get on our own team -- we can climb mountains and overcome so many things!," said Gregerson, a CDL student who traveled from Washington state to attend the conference.

Gregerson shared her childhood history as the daughter of an alcoholic and her family experience with mental illness. At times her words hit uncomfortable chords, yet she was able to take those notes and weave a triumphant melody. Through the use of critical thinking she showed the audience how each of us could do the same.

“I was thinking one night about how I could explain critical thinking to people in a way that was entertaining and engaging and somehow connect that with what I've accomplished in my writing and my life,” said Gregerson who used story, myth and symbols in her presentation to show "other ways of knowing" outside of textbooks and classes.

Gregerson, who will graduate in August 2009, with a bachelor's degree in human development, described the “other way of knowing” as the ability to think about life and problems in new ways, by coming at them from all angles until “you break them down into their smallest parts.”
Gregerson is also the author of "Bad Girls Club" published by Blooming Tree Press, 2007. To learn more about her and her work, visit www.judygregerson.com.