About Campus Conversations
The Campus Conversations Initiative is a dialogue-based initiative created to build community and connections through real and deep conversations. It offers students, undergraduate and graduate, a way to talk about identity, societal norms, and issues of national and international importance with their close peers, friends of friends, and others throughout Columbia.
All conversations are led by University Life Ambassadors, who are fellow students who have participated in at least one conversation facilitation training session. Discussion spaces are casual, and lunch or light snacks are provided for in-person conversations.
Campus Conversations cover a range of topics, including:
- Social identity and intersectionality
- Our social groups and how we talk to people with both shared and different identities
- What respect means to us and how we have learned about respect
- Misrepresentation of marginalized groups in media
- Major political and social justice movements and their impact
You don’t need to be an expert in any of the topics or come with prepared materials. Just show up and be open!
Fall 2023 Campus Conversations
Discuss the origin of your name with peers and listen as others share about their name and why it matters to them. This conversation will also explore the impact of bias and how a name can shape the way a person or group of people navigate the world. This event fulfills the Inclusion & Belonging component of the Community Citizenship Initiative.
- Wednesday, October 25, 2:30 - 3:30 PM (In-Person)
- Tuesday, November 14, 1:30 - 2:30 PM (Virtual)
Analyze your social circles and explore who you associate with, which groups of people you aren’t noticing in your circles, and why. Through conversation and reflection, you'll gain a better understanding of why the phrase “the company you keep is a reflection of your character” holds weight.
- Thursday, October 26, 12:00 - 1:00 PM (Virtual)
- Wednesday, November 1, 3:30 - 4:30 PM (In-Person)
- Thursday, November 8, 4:00 - 5:00 PM (In-Person)
Spring 2023 Campus Conversations
Date: Tuesday, April 11
Time: 2:00 - 3:30 PM
Location: Kent 201
University Life Ambassadors, Brian Gephart, and Blessing Bafunso, for a conversation about the meaning of diversity, equality, and inclusion, and how our understandings of these words impact different communities.
Date: Thursday, April 20
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Location: Kent 201
Join University Life Ambassadors, Luciana Vazquez and Ferdinando Castro Gonzalez, as they lead a conversation on how to identify stress-inciting events and ways to cope.
Date: Friday, April 21
Time: 2:00 - 3:30 PM
Location: Kent 201
Join University Life Ambassadors, Umit Muradi and Aarja Chakraborty, in a conversation about how film, television, music, art, and more can contribute to our misperceptions of others.
Date: Wednesday, April 26
Time: 1:00 - 2:30 PM
Location: Kent 201
Join University Life Ambassadors, Shatize Pope and Ebuka Ukoh, in a conversation on imposter syndrome. You’re invited to share your experiences and hear from peers about how they manage feelings of self-doubt. This event is part of University Life’s Campus Conversations Initiative. Lunch will be provided.
Want to stay in the loop about upcoming Conversations? Join the Campus Conversations Network! This email list will update you on upcoming sessions and opportunities to facilitate your conversation.
We want you to be a part of this initiative, and you can contribute by sharing topics that you would like to discuss in future Conversations! Have an idea? Share it here.
If you have any questions about this initiative, please contact us at [email protected] with the subject line: Campus Conversations.