In an effort to rehumanize the classroom through the cultivation of compassion, I wanted to examine the process of storying and the sense-making that occurs between students and myself as faculty when stories of lived experience are at the center of our educational experience. Mindlessly perpetuating transactional experiences in educational spaces is problematic and prevents transformative outcomes. Problematizing this approach is particularly critical as higher education moves towards performance-based funding and guided pathways initiatives, all while settling into the digital space at great scale. During this study, the mode of instruction and learning transitioned within a week's time from face-to-face to entirely online because of a global health crisis. Compounding this unprecedented disruption were the pangs of police brutality and racial injustice in a hyper-politicized climate. The methodology employed in this study was narrative action research. Using data in the form of student work and communication, including my own reflective journals and analytical memos during one spring semester, this study aimed to answer a multilevel research question. The main result of this exploration into the effect of storying on compassion can be explained in two-folds: compassion builds connection and compassion requires mental work. I conclude this study with implications for practice and recommendations for future research. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]