About the Symposium:

This full-day event is dedicated to advancing dialogue as a powerful approach for connection, inclusion, and collective action. Grounded in the work of the Difficult Dialogues National Resource Center, this year's theme — "Dialogue as a Campus and Community Approach" — explores how institutions and community organizations can embed dialogic practices across curricular, co-curricular, and administrative spaces. 

What You'll Experience:

• Interactive sessions and hands-on workshops exploring facilitation, trauma-informed practices, and community connection. 

• Peer-led exchanges and an "Unconference" segment where participants co-create ideas and partnerships in real time. 

• A focus on tools for embedding dialogue into teaching, learning, engagement, and community collaboration. 

Who Should Attend:

Whether you are faculty integrating dialogue into your courses, staff facilitating community or campus engagement, a student leader leading coalition building, or a community partner working across neighborhoods and beyond — this symposium is for you. 

Want to Present? 

The committee invites proposals from students, staff, faculty, and community partners. We invite proposals that will:

• Build strategies for institutional leadership and resource alignment to sustain dialogue programs and initiatives. 

• Deepen facilitation and practitioner skills (with attention to trauma-informed practices & facilitator well-being). 

• Explore concrete tools and techniques for integrating dialogue into classrooms, curricula, departments and community engagement. 

• Co-create new directions for dialogue work that connects campuses and communities across the region. 

• Submit your proposal here: https: //umbc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b2fZiJ2jngIFWES

Registration & Next Steps:

• Student attendance is free; other categories have nominal fees as outlined on the CSJD website: https://csjdialogue.umbc.edu/the-dialogue-symposium-bringing-colleges-and-communities-together/

• Registration opens December 1, 2025. 

• Keep an eye out for the full program and registration link soon.

• For questions, contact Chloe Kastner (ml82770@umbc.edu).

Join us in shaping a day of thoughtful connection, courageous conversation, and collective reflection as we build toward a more dialogue-rich, inclusive campus and community culture.

We look forward to seeing you on January 29!