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Technology makes it easier for us to meet, but does it make it easy to listen? Over the summer, I attended a faculty workshop on addressing AI at student learning on campus in Sichel 106. When I walked into the room, it was almost empty. There were only a handful of faculty present, even though the room could easily accommodate 30-40 people. My first impression was that this would be a relatively easy space for listeners because it was relatively silent. I could hear the HVA

Image generated by WIX AI, August 28, 2026, from prompt "affordances and constraints of social media." Your Task Think about the digital technologies you use every day: texting, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Canvas, Google Docs, Zoom, your smartphone, etc. We often think of these technologies simply as tools that help us get things done. But technologies do more than that. They shape what we can do, what we communicate, how we relate to others, how we think, and even how we pre

As a neurodiverse woman, sound plays a significant role in my day-to-day experiences. Soothing, comforting, and even monotone sounds can help me feel relaxed or productive; they can help me focus or scatter my thoughts like autumn leaves in a breeze. Below are two sounds that can really help—or hinder—my mood and concentration. One of my favorite sounds in the world is the sound of my cat, Ollie, purring. Her purr has a deep resonance, and when she's sitting near me (or on me

The job of a memoirist (someone who writes memoir) is "capturing a shift. A heartbeat. A memory that still stings or sings," so says Writers of the West. In Project #1, you're trying to recollect (and tell) a story about your experience with belonging at Saint Mary's College that can be told in 4-5 mins. This might seem simple, but we are looking to share a real experience that we can retell with lots of sensory details. So much so that our audience feels like they're with yo

This blog encourages play with vocal qualities and invites vocal analysis. You’ll need a word processor or pen and paper in addition to a voice recording device. You can do the activity by yourself or work with a group of people. How does this make you feel? Instructions Write a paragraph describing a happy memory directly on your blog post. Record yourself reading this paragraph three different times, each time changing the tone, pace, pitch, or volume of your voice. You m