Miami University partnered with the Constructive Dialogue Institute in early 2024 to launch the Constructive Dialogue Initiative. The institute’s Perspectives program — short online modules and in-person peer-to-peer activities — provides students with tools to develop skills to effectively communicate across differences of perspectives, beliefs, and values. It also directly teaches several career-readiness competencies, including communication, critical thinking, equity and inclusion, leadership, and teamwork.

Close to 100 student leaders from a broad range of backgrounds, majors, and student organizations participated in the pilot, which yielded strong results: 78% of participants showed improvement in affective polarization, which refers to the extent to which people dislike and distrust those with different political views, and 58% of participants showed improvement in dichotomous thinking, which refers to the tendency to think in terms of polar opposites, without accepting possibilities that lie between these two extremes.

Senior Nick McNeil of Milford, who has a double major in Political Science and Journalism, called his experience eye-opening.

“It’s shown a lot of tips on how to have productive conversations when you might have a disagreement,” said McNeil, a student member of Miami’s board of trustees and an intern in Miami’s Office of ASPIRE.

Participants also noted improvements in communication, conflict resolution, and conversations across differences. The program aims to foster intellectual humility, affective polarization, dichotomous thinking, and conflict resolution skills.

All Student Government senators have participated, and leaders expect about 2,500 students will complete the program in the first year.

In the 2024-2025 year, students will have more opportunities, both in-class and co-curricular, to participate.

Cristina Alcalde, vice president of transformational and inclusive excellence, said the Office of Transformational and Inclusive Excellence hopes to expand and embed this program across Miami.

Alcalde said the program’s emphasis on communication, critical thinking, equity and inclusion, leadership, and teamwork help students develop skills for life and career.

“We know that communicating across differences is an important life skill to be successful in personal and professional spaces, and that it can help reduce polarization and increase a sense of belonging,” Alcalde said.

“These would be important goals any year, but as our society becomes increasingly polarized and in the context of an election year, we thought it would be especially useful to launch this year.”