BIOGRAPHY

Donna runs an independent content agency focused on higher education, and is the founder/publisher of Hippocampus Magazine and Books and its annual conference, HippoCamp. Talarico has more than two decades of experience in marketing communications, writing, and media, and about half of that time has been in higher education. She writes an adult learner marketing column for Wiley, and has contributed to CASE Currents, Guardian Higher Education Network, The Writer, mental floss, various alumni magazines, and other trade, commercial, and literary publications.

UCDA CREATIVE SUMMIT SESSIONS

THE ART AND SCIENCE OF STORYTELLING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Part feel-good, part practical, Donna will cover the art and science of storytelling. First, we’ll cover why we, as humans, crave narrative. What it does to our brains, for instance. We’ll explore effective campaigns that span mediums and industries—not just the web and not just higher ed. After covering the science of stories, we’ll dive into the art of crafting compelling narratives for your individual institutions—and all its strategic goals. Finally, since storytelling is a team effort, we’ll address how you can manage ideas and content within your team or across campus. You’ll leave with a list of several story “formulas,” plus countless resources to help you continue to build your storytelling skills.

ACCESSING YOUR CREATIVITY: BUILDING AN ACCESSIBILITY STYLE GUIDE
Presenting with Dave Cameron
Making inclusive and accessible content for all audiences is not just about meeting certain legal requirements; it’s an opportunity to define what “accessible” means for your institution in your branding, your choices of imagery, and the standards you set for other content contributors throughout your print and digital streams. In this interactive team workshop, Cameron and Talarico will facilitate exercises to explore how you can bring accessibility standards to existing style guides and editorial processes across print, digital, and social channels, and then discuss tactical requirements for moving from a basic accessibility style guide for non-designers to a practical toolkit for all campus content creators and partners. This session includes hands-on time outside of the meeting room to explore and capture imagery and then incorporate those images into creating an accessible story.

Find out more information about the UCDA Creative Summit or to register.

 

HIGHLIGHTS

Books by Hippocampus, Donna's small press, just released Dine: An Anthology, a delicious collection of diner-themed essays! It's the second title in The Way Things Were series, the first of which featured pre-digital radio and future editions focus on local newspapers and mom-n-pop shops. What she loves about these anthologies is that they gather emerging and establish voices for a book of memories on a common theme, showing we all have stories and experiences worth sharing.

 

Donna is a frequent emcee and occasionally storyteller at Lancaster Story Slam, a local storytelling event (like The Moth)—she loves succinct 5-minute stories like this all the way up to Stephen-King-Size tomes! And she can't wait to share all the ways YOU can share stories in your work.

CONNECT

Website (Donna): donnatalarico.com
Website (Books by Hippocampus): books.hippocampusmagazine.com
Instagram: @donnatalarico
Twitter: @donnatalarico