FMS Narratives

The Institute for Storycraft and Information Gathering (ISIG) helps people improve their ability to evaluate and share information, and to tell credible, compelling non-fiction stories through programs that support news literacy, storycraft, and information evaluation. These skills are essential to ensuring a vibrant, enduring civil society. ISIG started with a conversation among a group of alumni during our Tufts University reunion in 2022. We had pursued careers in media, communications, and education that were informed by our experiences in campus journalism as Tufts undergraduates. The reunion was the first time in years that we had all been together in the same place. As we moved on from reminiscing about deadlines and all-nighters past to comparing notes about our current work in fields including journalism, technology marketing, sustainability communications, academic publishing, and K-12 education, we realized we shared an urgent concern. Namely, the need for the next generation of communicators to enhance their skills, so they could more effectively gather, evaluate, and share information accurately and fairly. In our subsequent meetings with students, we found they are both eager to develop these skills and to learn from professionals. ISIG, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, is filling this need with educational and mentorship programs in writing, editing and visual storytelling for university students, as well as news literacy and journalism programs for K-12 students.