Tell YOUR Story

In this unprecedented historical moment, the William R. Laurie University Archives and Special Collections ​(UASC) invites University students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members to share your experiences during this challenging interlude of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through documenting a variety of experiences, we hope to foster connections within our community and preserve a record of individual and shared experiences for posterity and future research.

We need YOU to be a primary source

The ongoing public health crisis is affecting people all over the world, including Sewanee. We want to know how YOU have been affected, so we have created the Campus, Community and COVID Project. Consider this an opportunity to add your voice to the historical record!

Why your documentation is important

The William R. Laurie University Archives and Special Collections actively collects and preserves both historical and contemporary records of the University. Through the Campus, Community and COVID Project, we hope to minimize silences in the record by receiving contributions from as many associated parties as are willing to share them.

Not sure where to start or how to participate?

We want you to document and reflect upon your current lived experience. This can include personal pieces or materials that keep you connected to others. UASC will do its best to include all types of materials and formats in the collection. 

Suggestions include:

• Prose, poetry, self-reflections

• Diaries and journals

• Photographs

• Correspondence

• Emails, fliers, publications, and announcements

• Sound or video recordings 

• Photographs or screen shots of social media posts

• Art work, sketches, and drawings

• Interviews

• Zines

• Multimedia works of digital storytelling

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  Please comply with any stay-at-home and social distancing orders while self-documenting.​

A Gmail Account is Needed to Use the Online Submission Form

Know that in order to upload files for submission that you will need a Gmail account. If you do not have one and do not wish to create one, submissions can be made via email or in person (see instructions in the right-hand column).

Rights of the Donor and UASC

Upon submitting materials to the the William R. Laurie University Archives and Special Collections (UASC) as part of the Campus, Community, and COVID Project, donors will be asked to certify that they are the creator and owner of all submitted materials. In submitting materials, donors will retain copyright of materials; however, donors will give license to the University of the South, its successors and assigns, to add materials to the archives of the University and make them available to researchers subject to standard archival practices. Some materials may be made accessible digitally. Materials may be utilized, at the discretion of the UASC, in exhibits and displays.hereby give nd may be made available, at the discretion od restrictions:

Review of Materials

All submitted materials are subject to review for inclusion in the collection. Objectionable items, plagiarized materials, and materials not related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Sewanee community will not be included in the collection. All materials not included in the collection will, when possible, be returned to the donor.

Submission Deadline

All materials submitted by December 31, 2020 will be considered for inclusion in the collection. Please submit your materials by this date.

Access to the Collection

Submissions will not be available immediately to the public. Upon review and processing of submissions, the collection will be made publicly accessible at UASC. Some materials may be made accessible digitally. 

Faculty: Are you including content or coursework pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic within one of your courses?

Please email Associate Director Matt Reynolds at matthew.reynolds@sewanee.edu if you are interested in submitting course materials and/or working with students to submit their materials to the Campus, Community and COVID Project.

Can someone submit more than one item or have multiple submissions? Yes. There are no limits to the number of materials submitted or the number of times one can make a submission. Additionally, one can submit more than one item per Submit Form as long as the maximum file size (10 MB) is not exceeded.

Please contact us if you have questions about this initiative or submitting materials:

Matthew Reynolds (Associate Director, William R. Laurie University Archives and Special Collections)

matthew.reynolds@sewanee.edu

931.598.1844