Discovering Civil Discourse: My Journey at the SNF Ithaca National Student Dialogue

Deriana Brown’s journey began unexpectedly on a Wednesday evening when she received an email invitation from Senior Director Derick Brown to participate in the third annual Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Ithaca National Student Dialogue at the University of Delaware. Despite her initial apprehensions as a student double majoring in Entrepreneurship & Innovation and Accounting, Deriana eagerly accepted the challenge to explore the tensions surrounding free expression, diversity, and inclusion on college campuses. Deriana left the dialogue empowered and equipped with actionable strategies, eager to implement change at her university and beyond. Read along to see how she cherished the invaluable connections and conversations from the weekend, expressing gratitude to the Leo T. McCarthy Center for this transformative opportunity and looking forward to the impact future USF students will make at the Student Dialogue.

On a Wednesday evening, after wrapping up my classes for the day, I was nudged to check my emails before calling it a night. I was thrilled to find a message from Senior Director Derick Brown with the subject, “Please Read – SNF Ithaca National Student Dialogue at the University of Delaware.” Upon opening it, I discovered an invitation to the third annual Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Ithaca National Student Dialogue, hosted by the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy & Administration. The dialogue’s focus for the year intrigued me: exploring the tensions of democratic ideals like free expression, diversity, and inclusion on college campuses. Without hesitation, I accepted the invitation and promptly informed Senior Director Derick Brown of my participation.

A month later, I found myself boarding a red-eye flight from San Francisco to Delaware, a mix of nerves and excitement bubbling within me. As a double major in Entrepreneurship & Innovation and Accounting, I was initially concerned about fitting in among students primarily from public policy backgrounds. However, my apprehensions melted away during the welcome reception, where I met a diverse group of students, ranging from public policy to communications, psychology, and healthcare. This realization eased my nerves and fueled my eagerness to delve into discussions about the complex intersections of free speech and inclusion on college campuses.

The following day was packed with workshops and small group discussions from 7:45 am to 4:45 pm, each aimed at dissecting our dialogue topic and brainstorming solutions. We kicked off the day with insightful remarks from Dr. Joseph Trainor, Biden School Interim Dean, and an overview by Dr. Timothy J. Shaffer, SNF Ithaca Director and SNF Chair of Civil Discourse. The discussions revolved around the concept of civil discourse, promoted by The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Ithaca Initiative, emphasizing respectful exchanges of ideas across diverse backgrounds. Our small group workshop on a case study about free speech, diversity, and inclusion resonated deeply with me. Collaborating with students from various universities, we crafted a solution for USF: a mandatory civil discourse workshop during freshman orientation week to foster understanding and respectful dialogue among students across disciplines.

One significant takeaway from the dialogue was the universal applicability of civil discourse. It’s not limited to public policy or politics but extends to all fields, including finance, healthcare, and beyond. To conclude the weekend, we reconvened as a large group to share our insights and devise actionable steps to implement our solutions on our respective campuses.

The SNF Ithaca National Student Dialogue provided me with valuable tools to bridge the gap between my aspirations for campus change and the means to enact it. I will forever cherish this experience and the meaningful connections I forged with brilliant students from across the country. I’m profoundly grateful to the Leo T. McCarthy Center for this extraordinary opportunity and eagerly anticipate the positive changes future USF participants will bring to the National Student Dialogue.