Create an even-numbered group of approximately 8-10 people. Find a place where you can work in pairs first. Later, you will sit in a circle or at a table so the whole group can face each other.

Assign Roles: Designate a timekeeper and a facilitator for each group.

The facilitator may need to speak up (or ring a bell) to guide the group’s attention.

The timekeeper is responsible for keeping time, and the facilitator keeps everyone on track and on task. The timekeeper may use a timer on their phone.

• Pair up for the interview activity. One person is the interviewer and the person is being interviewed.
• The interviewer has five minutes to ask questions and take notes (then you switch roles).
• Make your notes legible because the interviewer will introduce the person they interviewed to the larger group in the next step.

Timekeeper (round 1), give people a warning after 4 minutes and then ask them to switch roles at 5 minutes. Do the same for (round 2) of interviews (warning at minute 4 and time up at minute 5.

• (1) What is your full name? How is it pronounced?
• (2) Where are you coming from?
• (3) Who in your life played a critical role in helping you get to CMU? This might be someone that inspired, encouraged, and guided you along the way.
• (4) What values, if any, did they demonstrate, teach you, or model to you?
• (5) Why are you here?

Facilitator. Bring the group of 8-10 people back together to face each other. Sit in a circle or around a table facing each other so you can see and hear who is speaking.

Interviewer/Interviewee pair: Introduce the person you interviewed to the larger group. Refer to your interview notes so you can remember the details. The facilitator will get everyone’s attention. Remember to clap after each introduction is made. Make eye contact with the audience! The listeners’ attention should be on the person being introduced and the interviewer.

Listeners: Write encouraging things for the people being introduced on a post-it note as each person is being introduced. Some things you might write are:

• What was confirmed about what you already know about this person?
• What did you learn about the person being introduced?
• What would you affirm about them?

At the end of each introduction: give the post-it notes to the person being introduced. Then the next person presents the person they interviewed. Do this for all the people in the group.

• Reflect on your story, values, and aspirations that emerged in the interview, introductions, and incouragement post-it notes.
• Here is a list of questions that can help you get you started.
• Page 2 has a letter template to help you shift your notes into a rough draft.
• Once you’ve organized your ideas, use a blank sheet of paper, stickers, drawings, colors etc. to write a letter to your future self to be read on the day you graduate from CMU!