Elizabeth Perlman didn’t always see herself as a writer. In fact, she describes her younger self as a “closeted creative” who was undecided on a clear path. In college, she changed majors several times, then took a year off of school to volunteer with AmeriCorps. Later, she navigated jobs that left her searching for more. 

In the late 1990s, Perlman took a hard look at her interests, passions and values and came to one conclusion: “I loved storytelling more than anything else, and I’d been making films in my head since I was four,” she says. 

This realization led her to the media arts program at the University of South Carolina School of Visual Art and Design, where her passion for visual storytelling blossomed—and where she began building the foundation for the Intuitive Writing Project (IWP), a nonprofit that empowers girls* and gender-expansive youth through creative writing. 

Perlman (‘00 media arts) credits her time at SVAD for instilling in her the confidence and skills that drive her mission today.  

“I wanted to integrate everything I’d learned as a woman that I wished someone had taught me in high school," Perlman says. "I wanted to create a foundation for girls to go into the world believing in themselves—knowing, loving and being who they are.”

Building better health through storytelling 

The Intuitive Writing Project addresses a critical gap in the mental and emotional support of teens. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, up to two-thirds of depressed teens are not receiving the care they need. And the U.S. Surgeon General calls for "positive, safe, and affirming educational environments" to foster healthy social and emotional development. 

For over a decade, the IWP has provided such an environment, where teens can express themselves, process their experiences and build confidence in a judgement-free space. 

Perlman’s own experiences in high school, where criticism sometimes stifled her creativity, inspired her to build a program that encourages young people to write freely. As they share their stories, they gain the confidence to make an impact in the world. Perlman has helped over 500 of her students publish more than 1,000 pieces of written work.  

SVAD’s lasting Influence 

Perlman’s time in the media arts program shaped her approach to teaching and storytelling. Things like the three-part structure of the heroine’s journey, the importance of character development and finding the "the visual correlative" in screenwriting. 

“I learned so much at USC that I now intuitively teach,” she explains. “I tell my students that everyone is a storyteller—how you tell your story is how you live your life.” 

Her mentor at SVAD, Laura Kissel, had a profound impact on her development as a storyteller. Kissel’s filmmaking courses taught Perlman how to blend technical skills with authentic storytelling.  

“Taking filmmaking with Dr. Kissel was central to my development as a personal, visual storyteller. It helped me connect with the deeper layers of who I was as a writer and creative.” 

Kissel, now the director of the School of Visual Art and Design, recalls early signs of Perlman’s potential.  

“Elizabeth’s openness to ideas and authentic desire for collaboration and communication were there from the beginning, and they’re deeply evident in her work today. I’m in awe of what she has built,” Kissel says. 

For Kissel, Perlman’s success with IWP is a natural extension of the skills she cultivated as a student.  

“Art and media students are always solving problems—whether technical, like software malfunctions, or practical, such as scheduling and managing people and processes, or creative and ideas-driven. To run your own business, you must be a creative problem solver every single day.” 

As Perlman continues to grow the Intuitive Writing Project, she remains deeply influenced by the lessons she learned at USC. Having moved back to South Carolina this fall, she’s revisiting the values she embraced during her time at the university—believing in yourself, embracing your authentic voice and using storytelling as a means of empowerment—the guiding principles of her work today. 

“Trust in your creative process, and don’t be afraid to share your story.”