OWU-CDI Collaboration

Ohio Wesleyan is excited to work with the Constructive Dialogue Institute as CDI's largest liberal arts partner to create a groundbreaking collaboration that we hope serves as a model for others in higher education.

Why do we need Constructive Dialogue Training? 

In response to challenges navigating the U.S. presidential election, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and other potentially divisive issues, Ohio Wesleyan saw an opportunity to better prepare students, faculty, and staff to manage difficult conversations. Although we have some skilled faculty and staff who can do this work effectively, we wanted a full-scale, all-in approach to prioritizing these skills.

Why is CDI the best partner for OWU for this training? 

Our alum and Board of Trustees member Kate Carney recommended the Constructive Dialogue Institute (CDI) as the best in the industry for evidence-based comprehensive training with a stellar reputation. CDI has worked with over 900 institutions across 48 states, and their programs have reached over 50,000 learners. After further exploration, CDI emerged as the superior potential partner.

How does the Constructive Dialogue Institute connect with the Sagan National Colloquium? 

The Sagan National Colloquium seeks to allow OWU to address the most pressing issues of the day, and right now, colleges across the country are thinking about how to encourage students to engage in class discussion while navigating difficult and contentious issues. CDI's evidence-based approach will equip the campus with skills in facilitating contentious conversations in productive ways. OWU's partnership with CDI is made possible by the generous support of the Sagan Family Foundation. Like the Sagan National Colloquium, the CDI partnership is also devoted to the goals of educating citizens in a democracy. We are grateful to the Sagan family for their ongoing support of civic education at OWU.

What will OWU be doing with the Constructive Dialogue Institute?

• Perspectives training: In fall 2024, all Ohio Wesleyan students, faculty, and staff will be able to complete Perspectives training. Additional, specialized online and in-person training will be available to some faculty and staff based on their campus roles.
• In-person CDI speaker: OWU is working for a CDI founder or board member to come to campus in the spring as part of our comprehensive, all-in partnership.
• Verifiable skills: CDI is creating a certificate or badging system to award to those who successfully complete the full two-part Perspectives training. This will allow students to share their skills on resumes or LinkedIn profiles to let prospective employers know of their training.

Who is overseeing OWU's Perspectives initiative with CDI?

Ashley Biser will be the point person or "project manager" for CDI and Brianna Mack will lead programming on civic engagement, specifically voting, before the November 5 election. Biser and Mack also are co-directors of the Arneson Institute on Practical Politics and Public Affairs. OWU's CDI team also includes Dawn Chisebe, Brad Pulcini, and Barb Bird.