Sylvia Shurbutt, left, and Ray Mabus talk during the Shepherd Speaks StoryCorps Project event at the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education on Oct. 7. Ainsley Hall

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Shepherd University’s Center for Appalachian Studies and Communities kicked off its annual Shepherd Speaks StoryCorps Project on Oct. 7 by inviting former Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus to come share his story.

StoryCorps was founded in 2003 as a way to collect and preserve people’s stories from all over the country. Through its MobileBooth, StoryCorps travels and records conversations about people’s lives to share with the U.S. Library of Congress and its online archive. Shepherd University got involved several years ago to give students and community members the chance to share their story.

This year, Shepherd kicked off its StoryCorps event by inviting Mabus to come speak and share more about his life. Mabus was born and raised in a small town in Mississippi. His parents — Raymond, a timber farmer, and Lucille, a teacher — both valued education and instilled that in their son.

Mabus graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in English and political science, and then earned his master’s degree in political science from Johns Hopkins University. He served for two years in the Navy before attending Harvard Law School.

Despite growing up in a small town, Mabus knew he could accomplish great things as long as he put his mind to it.

“People would tell you, ‘You can do anything you want to do,’ and I believed them,” Mabus said. “I think growing up in a small town is really one of the most empowering things you can do. You know everybody.”

In 1983, Mabus won the political race for Mississippi state auditor. Just four years later, Mabus ran for governor and won, becoming the youngest governor in the nation at that time at 39 years old. In 1994, President Bill Clinton asked Mabus to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia and later, in 2008, President Barack Obama asked him to become Navy secretary.

Dr. Sylvia Shurbutt, emerita director of Shepherd University’s Center for Appalachian Studies and Communities, welcomed guests and moderated the discussion with Mabus. Throughout the event, Shurbutt asked Mabus questions about his life and the different positions he’s held. She explained why hearing and sharing stories through a project like StoryCorps is so important for a community.

“The power of the story is a remarkable thing,” Shurbutt said. “Stories can change individual lives, of course, they can start social movements, and for those who are historians, you know they can ferment revolution, and they have done that. Our stories can function to also address a tolerance and prejudice, because once we know each other, once we understand one another, it becomes very difficult for us to dislike each other.”

For more information on the Shepherd Speaks StoryCorps Project, visit https://www.shepherd.edu/appalachian/shepherd-speaks-storycorps-project.