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Narrative 4 Brings the Power of Story to the University of Michigan

September 25, 2026

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On September 30, Narrative 4 will join the University of Michigan Institute for the Humanities and Michigan Public for The Stories We Carry, an evening of conversation, storytelling and connection in Ann Arbor.

The event brings together novelist and Narrative 4 co-founder Colum McCann and April Baer, host of Michigan Public’s Stateside. Their conversation will explore what stories can make possible when we listen closely to one another.

Later that evening, participants will have the opportunity to experience those ideas for themselves through a Community Story Exchange led by Narrative 4.

From listening to connection

Stories can help us move beyond assumptions and encounter experiences different from our own. For McCann, that possibility is central both to his writing and to his work with Narrative 4.

“Stories have the power not only to entertain or inform, but to help us imagine lives beyond our own,” McCann said.“The shortest distance between us is always a story.”

That idea will guide the first part of The Stories We Carry. McCann and Baer will discuss storytelling, literature and the importance of listening at a time when so much communication is shaped by screens, technology and algorithms.

Jason Young, Director of the University of Michigan Institute for the Humanities, described the event as an opportunity to return to something distinctly human.

“At a time when so much of human interaction is mediated through technology and determined by algorithms, we look forward to the power of human connection, one story at a time,” Young said.

Experiencing the Narrative 4 Story Exchange

Following the conversation, Narrative 4 will lead a Community Story Exchange at the University of Michigan Museum of Art.

The Story Exchange is Narrative 4’s signature storytelling methodology. Participants work in pairs. Each person shares a personal story and listens closely to their partner. Then, they return to the larger group and tell their partner’s story in the first person.

It is a simple structure with a powerful purpose: to encourage intentional listening, perspective-taking and genuine connection.

No storytelling experience is needed. The focus is not on giving a polished performance. Instead, participants are invited to be present with another person’s story and pay attention to the experiences that matter to them.

As McCann describes it: “You tell my story, I tell yours. In the first-person. Face to face.”

Building a culture of listening at the University of Michigan

The work will also extend beyond September 30. The University of Michigan Institute for the Humanities is developing a pilot Narrative 4 Story Exchange program designed to give undergraduate students the tools to bring this practice into other spaces on campus. Approximately 20 students are expected to participate in the September event and Story Exchange before completing Narrative 4’s Story Exchange Facilitator Training. They will then have the opportunity to lead additional exchanges during the academic year. For Stephanie Harrell, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Engagement & Marketing at the Institute for the Humanities, the goal is to create something that can continue to grow.

“We’re not thinking of this as a one-time event. We’re giving students a practice they can carry with them and share with others,” Harrell said. “Ultimately, we’re interested in what it might look like to cultivate a stronger culture of listening on campus and in the broader community.”

It is an approach that places the emphasis not simply on how many people attend an event, but on what happens afterward: the conversations that continue, the relationships that form and the skills students carry into other parts of their lives.

Read more of Stephanie Harrell’s interview here on why the University of Michigan is partnering with Narrative 4.

Stories, action and change

Narrative 4 equips young people to harness the power of stories to drive change in their communities. Through the Story Exchange and other programs, participants learn to listen with intention, build stronger relationships and turn connection into positive action.

The Stories We Carry: Writer Colum McCann in Conversation with Michigan Public’s April Baer
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
5:30–6:45 p.m.
University of Michigan Museum of Art — Helmut Stern Auditorium
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Free and open to the public. No registration required.

Community Story Exchange with Narrative 4
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
7:00–8:30 p.m.
University of Michigan Museum of Art — Helmut Stern Auditorium
Ann Arbor, Michigan Visit the University of Michigan event pages for full event information.

Find out more about how you can bring Narrative 4 to your campus here or your school here.