Crossroads Community Engagement Center is kicking off its third year of Campus Dialogues on Aug. 29.
Campus Dialogues are a weekly opportunity for students, faculty and staff to engage one another in respectful and moderated conversation about important issues related to identity, current events and campus life.
“It’s a space where people can be honest and feel that their voice is a part of the community,” said Lane McLelland, director of Crossroads. “The way the dialogues are set up foster respectful exchanges rather than arguments.”
The dialogues are structured with participants gathering in dialogue circles of 10-12 people as they arrive. One to two trained moderators from the Crossroads staff are assigned to each group, guiding the conversation, conducting icebreakers and asking open-ended questions on the topic of the week.
Dates and Topics
Dialogues are held every Wednesday at 1-1:50 p.m. at the Great Hall in the Ferguson Student Center. The dialogues run through Nov. 14 and pick back up on Jan. 16, continuing to April 17.
Dialogue topics vary. On Aug. 29, the subject will be fostering individual and civic responsibility.
Following that, some of the topics include spiritual well-being; the Hispanic/Latinx experience at the Capstone; being physically disabled on campus; inclusion in the workplace with Apple Inc. corporate officers speaking; problematic Halloween and party costumes; cultural appropriation versus cultural appreciation; international/domestic experiences on campus; advocacy and politics featuring the Virginia State Legislature’s first transgender delegate Danica Roem; gym culture; mental health awareness; political tension and student activism; inclusivity and body image; the black experience at the Capstone and much more.
Campus Dialogues topics and dates can be found here.
History
McLelland said Campus Dialogues started off as Tuesday T in 2016. It grew out of a desire to give students an outlet to talk about the PULSE nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida on June 12 that year, and several police shootings that same summer.
“We became aware that the students really needed a place to talk about their lives and their experiences,” she said. “Usually when something happens, many campuses will have a forum and a time to come together and talk. We thought we needed to be proactive about this and have a permanent, community space where students, faculty and staff can come and talk without arguing.”
Campus Dialogues started with about 20 people coming consistently, grew to about 40 people last year, and is expected to reach 100 people this year.
“It’s all about building relationships so we can be a stronger campus community.”