‘A Community Conversation for Election Season and Beyond’ to Be Held Oct. 22 as Part of Initiative to Foster Civic Engagement, Civil Dialogue

The University has launched a new initiative, “Life Together: Seeking the Common Good in a Diverse Democracy,” to enhance civic engagement and civil dialogue during the 2024-25 academic year. The initiative, led by Gretchen Ritter, vice president for civic engagement and education; Margaret Talev, Kramer Director of the Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship; and Tina Nabatchi, director of the Maxwell School’s Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration, will focus on developing essential skills such as active listening, communication across differences, critical thinking and advancing mutual understanding.

The inaugural event, “Life Together: A Community Conversation for Election Season and Beyond,” will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 22, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in Goldstein Auditorium in the Schine Student Center. University community members, representing diverse backgrounds and perspectives, will engage in facilitated dialogue on important issues related to democracy, civic engagement, economic opportunity and the political climate. The event will feature a moderated discussion among experts, followed by small group conversations led by trained facilitators. This approach will help inform students about important election issues, encourage civic engagement and build confidence in civil dialogue.

If you are a student interested in attending and participating in the event, please register online. The doors will open at 5:45 p.m., and a light dinner will be provided.

To support these small dialogue groups, the Life Together Steering Committee is also seeking facilitators. Faculty, staff and graduate students are invited to serve as facilitators for these small-group discussions, ensuring that all voices are heard and that conversations are respectful and productive. Those who have not facilitated group conversations before will be asked to participate in a three-hour training and all volunteer facilitators will be asked to participate in preparation meeting. Complete this Qualtrics survey to become a facilitator.

For more information, visit the Life Together Series webpages.