The Dialogue Facilitation Lab is a professional learning experience for faculty, staff and graduate employees looking to grow as a dialogue facilitator and integrate dialogue practices in their professional responsibilities related to teaching, research, leadership, or service.
Program Structure
The Dialogue Facilitation Lab is a cohort-based applied learning experience.
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Each cohort consists of 12-16 participants that include perspectives from diverse roles and disciplines.
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The program consists of a brief asynchronous orientation followed by 11 weekly 2-hour zoom sessions.
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During weekly sessions, participants will have the opportunity to practice dialogue facilitation skills and receive feedback from their peers.
Program Goals
The Dialogue Facilitation Lab aims to:
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Raise confidence and capacity of faculty, staff, and graduate employees to facilitate dialogue on topics that are intellectually and emotionally complex.
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Dynamically train facilitators to support strategic inclusive excellence efforts efforts and respond to emerging community needs.
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Increase the occurrence of dialogue in teaching, research, leadership, and service contexts.
Participant Outcomes
The Dialogue Facilitation Lab is designed to develop participants ability to:
- Create space for different perspectives on a contentious topic.
- Stimulate complex thinking on a contentious topic.
- Foster connection among polarized dialogue participants.
- Demonstrate patience and understanding.
- Model courage and vulnerability.
- Affirm diverse points of view.
- Establish confidence and credibility with dialogue participants.
- Develop illustrative and relevant examples.
- Address participant questions effectively.
Application
Applications for the Winter 2026 cohort are now open.
Applications for the Winter 2026 cohort will close Wednesday October 29, 2025 at 5:00pm
Applications for the Summer 2026 cohort will open in Spring term.
The Dialogue Facilitation Lab is held twice each year during the winter and summer terms.
Upcoming cohorts:
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Winter 2026: Wednesdays 2 to 4 p.m., January 7 - March 18