Maryville College launches Scots Storytelling Project to preserve stories and more across generations
March 18, 2026
Some of the most enduring moments in a Maryville College experience aren’t found in transcripts or résumés — they live instead in late-night conversations, chance encounters, unforgettable professors and the quiet, personal milestones that shape a life.
Now, a new initiative is working to capture those moments and preserve them for generations to come.
Launched as part of the Maryville College Alumni Association’s 150th anniversary celebration, the Scots Storytelling Project invites students, alumni and members of the campus community to share their MC stories through a new online platform designed to collect, organize and celebrate the lived experiences that define College Hill.
“Storytelling is the heart of how we connect with fellow alumni, through our shared experiences, be that as students or as alumni,” said Jennifer Phillips Triplett ’07, director of Alumni Affairs and one of the leaders of the initiative. “We can’t help but try to find connections with each other through stories about a funny class or stern professor, meeting our future spouse or lifelong best friend, or the meaning found in attending an alumni event that joins together Scots across generations.
“The Scots Storytelling Project provides a portal for collecting and finding these stories, and ultimately, finding connection with each other. As part of the 150th anniversary, this is the time to reflect on our experiences as students and alumni, and to collect those stories so they’re documented for future generations to learn from, connect with, and join in with their own reminiscence.”
Accessible through a dedicated webpage, the project allows users to submit written stories, photos and other media, which can then be browsed and filtered by category, class year and theme. Early collections have already begun to take shape, including a series of alumni love stories shared around Valentine’s Day.
“We started the online platform with the love stories collected for Valentine’s Day and are excited to see it continue to grow from here,” Triplett said. “We’ve set up an online submission form and a space where the stories will display, and people can upload photos (and videos, although they’re not displayable yet). You can pick a category, whether it’s ‘Love Stories’ or stories collected by residence halls.
“We’ve already gotten some really great ones, like the couple who met because she picked his name randomly from the student directory, wrote to him, and they became pen pals who fell in love and are still together. We’re also hoping we can get some stories about our local alumni chapter (the Blount County Alumni Association), and stories that will resonate with current students as well as alumni.”
Millions of alumni feel a special affinity for their respective alma maters, Triplett said, but becoming a Scot is an experience that leads to lifelong bonds that turn every Homecoming celebration into a family reunion. And while students are encouraged to “do good on the largest possible scale,” as MC founder the Rev. Isaac Anderson once extolled, the stories that evolve from their MC experiences aren’t necessarily poignant or dramatic. Stories about milestone achievements and meaningful moments are welcomed, but so too are the everyday experiences of college life, Triplett added.
And then there are those stories that stem from those embarrassing situations, madcap adventures and unusual individuals that make for some of the most memorable tales, constantly retold in friend groups and social circles whenever the Scots who took part in them get back together.
“While College is certainly a serious business with plenty of hard work and accolades to collect, the parts that, in retrospect, bring the most joy are the smaller moments: the inside jokes from a night with friends, the shock and awe of a candid (or cursing) professor, or shared study time in Thaw,” Triplett added.
Looking ahead, organizers hope to expand the project to include stories preserved in the College’s Archives, connecting present-day submissions with voices from the past.
“The Archives are a treasure trove of alumni and student stories! We could absolutely curate stories from the Archives to add to the project,” Triplett said. “While we are announcing the Scots Storytelling Project now, the hope is that it will be an ongoing and enduring way to share stories and find past connections. Just as Class Notes (submissions from alumni compiled into a section for the alumni magazine FOCUS) is how we share life’s updates since leaving campus, the Storytelling Project is documenting and remembering our shared Scots’ experience.”
The Scots Storytelling Project is now live and accepting submissions. While the initiative is still in the early stages, the goal, Triplett added, is to collect enough stories that events can be planned around sharing them, as well as to spotlight stories with accompanying videos and photos.
“The Scots Storytelling Project is live and available now to read and submit stories!” Triplett said.
For more information or to submit a story, visit https://alumni.maryvillecollege.edu/page/scots-storytelling-project.