Part 1: Heritages of Change Mentors
As Audience
One part of the process of creating Heritages of Change exhibitions is writing with a specific audience in mind. As such, it is beneficial to have members of that audience work with students as mentors.
The Original Audience
The core audience for “Heritages of Change” are members of the Adult Learning in the Fitchburg (Massachusetts) Area (ALFA) program.
“ALFA (Adult Learning in the Fitchburg Area) is a lifelong learning institute that serves adult learners in Fitchburg and the surrounding communities. ALFA is sponsored by the Center for Professional Studies at Fitchburg State University in collaboration with volunteer members of the community. We offer non-credit daytime courses, free discussion groups, and intergenerational opportunities to participate across campus. ALFA students are encouraged to volunteer and participate in program leadership and development, as well as social and recreational activities.”
ALFA members were selected as the original audience for the exhibition because of the intergenerational members’ dedication to lifelong learning. They are curious about the world and that enthusiasm is inspiring to students beginning their college careers. Also, as ALFA members are of varying generations different than that of many college students, it is an intergenerational opportunity allowing ALFA members and students to interact and learn from each other. Heritages of change are often related to contemporary issues that have their own historical contexts. ALFA members benefit from learning from younger generations about these issues, and students benefit from the life experiences of ALFA members.
As Mentors
Having members of the intended audience mentor students as they develop their own contributions to the “Heritages of Change” exhibition has several advantages. First, rather than having to imagine their audience, students can interact with and ask questions of representatives of an authentic audience. They get a sense of the real people who have a genuine interest in what they are writing. Second, writing about heritages of change is about communication, and community mentors to students in first-year writing can have a profound impact on understanding how to communicate effectively for purposes other than simply earning a grade. Third, writing for an audience that may not have an in-depth knowledge of a subject helps students develop their creativity and their understanding of clarity.
by Gail Hoar, Heritages of Change Mentor
ALFA Bytes Newsletter, January 2024
In answer to my question of “How did the Mentoring Program begin?” Kisha Tracy’s reply surprised me. Would you believe that it all started when a Syrian archeologist, Khaled al Assad, was murdered by ISIS when he refused to give up the location of hidden artifacts to be looted for money?
Here’s her story:
As a Medievalist, this incident started Kisha thinking about how important historical artifacts are to cultural retention and why people are willing to sacrifice their lives to save their cultures. This proved to be the catch she was looking for to involve her, often times unwilling, students in research projects they could relate to. She wanted them to think about “What is important enough to give your life for?” The Cultural Heritage component of her curriculum expanded after she began to add an image requirement when she realized the importance of the photos she had taken while traveling abroad. They brought life to and visual memories of what she had experienced.
When COVID struck, Kisha was desperate to find a way to keep her students involved while learning from afar. She had only a passing knowledge of the ALFA program and didn’t know if it would fit with what she envisioned until she offered an ALFA class on Medieval Africa. There she met several ALFA board members who inspired her with a vision of having ALFAs serve as the audience for her student’s research projects. A bonus for the students proved to be the addition of these mentors’ perceptions and life experiences.
This is how the program works: Kisha’s students are required to write three papers on a single topic, with images for each, that reflect the social or cultural heritage or history of New England in some manner. At the end of the term, these works go on display and are archived on Kisha’s Cultural Heritage through Image web site. What this means to students is they know they are reaching others with their ideas, voices and generational perspectives; that they’ve taught someone something. They learn their work is important and that writing has meaning. Through research, they also learn about artifacts from history that may rest in their own communities; things they may not have known about. Things that may leave them with a sense of wonder and even pride about the importance of their own back yard.
What mentors gain from this experience is just as great. They not only learn about currently and historically relevant issues on important topics, but also learn how this generation views the world they live in. They learn about students’ insights and visions for what the world can become after reflecting upon what has already happened. This intergenerational program also helps everyone involved overcome stereotypical assumptions while learning from each other.
Kisha’s summation to my question was:
“Our younger generation has a voice they would like to and need to share. I have faith in young people today and their voices, if allowed to be heard, are powerful.”
