Freshman Gather to Learn about All Things Dialogue at Stanford
Photography by Patrick Beaudouin
The contagious energy of the Summer Dialogue Mixer was evident in the hugs and smiles being exchanged among freshmen gathering at Meyer Green for their first in-person meeting. This vibrant energy was building from our peer-facilitated Summer Frosh Civil Dialogues Program where we had 100 incoming freshmen and 31 student facilitators immersed in weekly dialogues before they even set foot on campus. In its second year, many students from the inaugural program returned as facilitators, while growing interest in constructive conversation was notable from the 20 percent growth in applications. Participants’ weekly commitment involved learning how to be simultaneously vulnerable and curious in small group discussions via Zoom, having in-depth dialogues on current topics facing society today, such as the pitfalls of social media usage among young teenagers and the implications of freedom of speech on college campuses. Reflecting on his experience, participant Jayden Wang, ‘29 stated, “This program allowed me to glimpse into the kind of conversation that goes on at the university level around the pressing issues of our time -- and what best practices exist when modeling a constructive exchange of perspectives.”
The Summer Dialogue was a joyful reunion, providing an opportunity for participants to reconnect face-to-face. In addition to boba and meaningful conversations, the event featured student leaders and representatives across campus who shared ways to get involved in civil discourse initiatives at Stanford. For those interested in learning more about civil dialogue and different ways to get involved on campus, YuQuing Jiang ‘25, a former peer facilitator of the Summer Frosh Civil Dialogues Program, as well as the inaugural recipient of the ePluribus Stanford Award, compiled this list:
All Things Dialogue at Stanford—Student Orgs and Campus Initiatives
A new university-wide initiative to strengthen the dispositions, skills, and habits of being curious and open-minded and engaging across differences, ePluribus offers campus programming and funding opportunities for student-led projects
Intercollegiate Civil Disagreement Program Fellowship (ICDP)
A year-long experience that develops students' abilities to engage in and lead conversations about contentious topics, fellows receive facilitation training and engage with peers and speakers from other institutions
Stanford Political Union (SPU)
A non-partisan student organization dedicated to fostering constructive dialogue at Stanford University, SPU provides a forum for meaningful conversations through weekly discussions, speaker events, and intercollegiate conferences
Stanford Deliberative Democracy Lab
A research center devoted to the understanding of democracy and public opinion through “Deliberative Polling,” DDL organizes deliberation events across the world, hosts practicums through the year, and offers RAships
An independent student publication that aims to present alternative views on a wide range of issues, create a forum for rational debate on campus, and challenge those who disagree to participate
A student organization that seeks to foster curiosity and respectful conversations about life's big questions, Veritas places the Christian worldview in dialogue with other perspectives in a shared pursuit of wisdom
Stanford’s annual day of civic celebration filled with events aimed at increasing dialogue, community-building, and civic participation, all are encouraged to participate in this year’s Democracy Day, November 4th
Stanford Practical Ethics Club
A student club that promotes in-depth discussion of real-world ethical issues and help students engage with ethical theory and ethical practice, the club also takes part in the annual undergraduate Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl
An initiative that provides students with a series of courses relevant to the ideas and practices of democratic citizenship
See more photos of the event in our Instagram post. Have a suggestion to add to the list? Email us at ethics-center [at] stanford.edu (ethics-center[at]stanford[dot]edu).