Let's Talk About It

Feb 13, 2026

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It's important to talk, and it's even more important to listen.

Fifteen student leaders from across campus, representing the Student Senate and Bonner program among other organizations, participated in a dialogue exercise on January 31 with the intention of enhancing their communications skills. Organized by the Damietta Cross-Cultural Center and facilitated by Tamara McCallum, lecturer in multicultural studies, the workshop promoted skills such as active listening and encouraged the Saints to explore the experiences of others.

"I heard about the dialogue training through Bonner," said Elizabeth Holden '26. "We have just started social justice circles this year, and I'm interested in adapting our format to make the dialogues as impactful as possible. I think that dialogue skills are super relevant today as they bring people together to widen perspectives. I hope I can continue to learn and improve my dialogue skills to help me in my future career as a teacher."

The student leaders created shared community norms and guidelines at the start of the workshop, which included defining terms such as "respect," and they reflected on how relationships and lived experiences influence how people enter into dialogue.

Beyond exploring ways to sustain meaningful conversation, students learned how to recognize when to step away, take a break, and reframe discussions to ensure everyone remains aligned. These dialogue tools are designed to provide clarity and support so that participants can engage to the best of their ability and then explore action steps to address social challenges such as issues of belonging.

"I found the collaborative and inclusive environment to be helpful, as it created a safe space to ask questions and learn from each other," said Jayden Hillage-Scribner '26. "I also found the list of boundaries to be helpful in understanding how to approach dialogue. I hope this training will support my role as a club president by helping me feel more confident having tough conversations and leading club meetings around topics that can be difficult for individuals to discuss. Creating an inviting space for dialogue will allow people to share their opinions and perspectives without feeling challenged, but instead feeling encouraged to explain why they hold those perspectives or beliefs."