Ohio Wesleyan University has received an $18,500 grant from the Institute for Citizens and Scholars (C&S) in support of its ongoing Constructive Dialogue Initiative.
C&S is a national organization that sparks young people to create bold, fresh civic solutions by building three essential skills: having productive conversations, using credible information, and collaborating to solve problems. OWU is among the colleges and universities C&S partners with nationwide to embed these skills into campus culture.
This award builds on a previous grant from the same organization and will fund continued training that teaches students to engage meaningfully across differing viewpoints, developing empathy, curiosity, and the courage to address conflict in healthy ways. These are skills that serve students well beyond the classroom — in their careers, their communities, and their civic lives.
“This grant allows us to deepen the work we’ve been doing to help OWU’s students engage meaningfully with people whose perspectives differ from their own,” Dr. Biser said recently. “We are supporting students, faculty, and staff to feel more confident engaging with each other. And we are excited about the opportunity to expand our efforts.”
The initiative is led by Dr. Ashley Biser, Associate Professor of Politics and Government, and Dr. Chad Johns ‘02, OWU University Chaplain, whose collaborative approach reflects the University’s commitment to preparing students not just academically, but as thoughtful, engaged citizens.
To learn more about OWU’s collaboration with the Constructive Dialogue Institute, use this link.
OWU Sponsoring Organization/Office: Office of Sponsored Research & Projects
Contact: Susan Zimmerman at sezimmerman@owu.edu