EMORY PURPOSE PROJECT AND UNLIKELY COLLABORATORS CELEBRATE EARLY SUCCESS OF STUDENT WORKSHOPS, WITH MORE TO COME

ATLANTA, Oct. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The first off-campus, experiential program run by the Emory Purpose Project at Emory University, made possible through a grant from Unlikely Collaborators, proved to be both transformative and inspiring. During a five-day mountain workshop this past March, fifteen diverse freshman and sophomore students engaged in deep self-reflection regarding how they saw themselves and who they wanted to be. In the process, they also began reimagining what higher education itself could be.

The inaugural Emory Purpose Project: Advance took students "off the grid" to Highlands, North Carolina, where they engaged in outdoor adventures, reflective practices, and meaningful dialogue. The results exceeded expectations, with participants reporting fundamental shifts in self-understanding and connection with others.

"This week has had a tremendous impact on how I see purpose. It is not some overarching lifetime goal that must permeate over and into everything one does. Instead, it is the idea of how to live and be present, intentional and deliberate," said Noah, a sophomore who later wrote about the experience in The Emory Wheel student newspaper.

Over the course of the program, participants explored the Perception Box™ framework through engaging in experiential exercises that pushed them to question their, and others' assumptions, build community, and develop a deeper sense of purpose. The impact extended beyond personal growth; students described the workshops as a model for how universities might combine rigorous learning with reflective, life-shaping experiences.

"I realized that I am stronger both mentally and physically than I gave myself credit for," said one first-year student, who participated in challenging hikes while managing personal obstacles. For another first-generation college student, the retreat revealed that he "loved to explore and go outside my comfort zone," with nature hikes and group conversation. "My impact is in my presence," he said.

The workshops demonstrated how experiential education could empower college-aged students to become not just better scholars, but also more empathetic and self-aware people. Participants left with renewed clarity about their values, ambitions, and the power of perspective-taking—skills that will carry into their professional and personal lives.

Looking ahead, a second workshop is being planned for January 2026, again supported by Unlikely Collaborators. Organizers envision this growing into a scalable model that could be replicated at other universities, summer programs, and even professional training settings.

"We're fostering more empathetic, self-aware people who can navigate difference with curiosity rather than fear," said Dr. Ira Bedzow, Director of the Emory Purpose Project. "This model could transform how universities approach holistic education."

"These students are reminding us what education can really be," said Elizabeth R. Koch, Founder & CEO, Unlikely Collaborators. "They're not just taking in knowledge but they're expanding their Perception Box by questioning assumptions, widening their perspective, and shaping who they want to become. Seeing them lean into that process with such openness and courage has been deeply inspiring."

The Purpose Project's early success points to a new vision for higher education: one where students are invited to grapple not only with knowledge but also with meaning, community, and the deeper purpose behind their pursuits.

"While all of us crave the tools to build purpose through daily experiences and actions, young adults are at that pivotal moment where challenging perceptions and exploring possibilities has an outsized impact," said Dr. Christine Whelan, known as Emory's "Purpose Professor."

Unlikely Collaborators is a nonprofit organization, founded and chaired by Elizabeth R. Koch, dedicated to fostering transformative storytelling, developing human connection, and resolving internal conflict. Unlikely Collaborators' perspective is that external conflict arises from unconscious, unresolved internal conflict within each of us. Founded on the belief that the way we perceive the world is highly subjective, Unlikely Collaborators supports projects that challenge assumptions, spark meaningful dialogue, and invite people into deeper self-awareness in community.

Central to this mission is the groundbreaking Perception Box™ framework developed by Koch. More than just a metaphor, it represents the often unseen matrix of biases, beliefs, and personal narratives that influence how we interpret reality. Rooted in cognitive science and psychological research, this framework illustrates how each person's unique mental model shapes their understanding of the world, often limiting their ability to connect with new perspectives and ideas. By investigating and untangling our Perception Box beliefs, individuals and communities can unlock compassion, creativity, and new ways of thinking.

The inaugural Emory Purpose Advance demonstrated that when young people have the space to investigate and untangle Perception Box beliefs, communities can take a first step toward unlocking compassion, creativity, and new ways of thinking.

For more information, visit the Emory Purpose Project website. For more information about Unlikely Collaborators, please visit their website.

SOURCE Unlikely Collaborators