Another spot report on LCU Fulbright Specialist Project.

On Monday, November 6, 2023, I had the opportunity to conduct a training workshop with approximately 60 LCU undergraduates drawn from Languages and Linguistics, Banking and Finance, Kinesiology and Sports, among others.  I combined the River of Life (RoL), an Arts-based approach, and elements of the Best Self method drawn from Positive Organizational Scholarship (POS) in the training session.  This was the first time these undergraduate students had been exposed to either concept.

Best Self

The quality of the exchange was rich as students tapped their lived experience to consider when they showed up at their best.  Some instances were deeply moving as one young man helped his family cope with the unexpected death of his father due to COVID-19.  A faculty member aided a man who was working yet found his salary inadequate to provide for his family.  Yet another student, who when newly-married faced the dilemma of whether to invest her life’s savings in her husband’s untested business venture; she did and together they succeeded.

River of Life (RoL)

Next, the participants reflected upon their experiences at Lead City University and used the RoL process to represent their experiences.  Again, the quality of the discussion was rich as students discussed the challenges of coping with work, family obligations and their studies simultaneously.  Please see some of the RoL drawings below: