Digital storytelling is a promising instructional strategy as well as an emerging field of study in higher education. Courses on digital storytelling are offered in communications and creative writing programs at a number of universities. However, the potential for digital storytelling extends far beyond the fields of communication and media studies across many fields of study, including history, American Studies, business and leadership, knowledge management, community planning, and much more. In addition, digital storytelling has been used to help students prepare for college. Digital storytelling applications include personal stories, digital story archives, memorial stories, avocational stories, educational stories, and stories in medicine and health. This paper examines the origins and practice of digital storytelling, highlighting a range of applications in higher education.