Dialogue Facilitation Lab

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.

  • Each cohort consists of 12-16 participants that include perspectives from diverse roles and disciplines.

  • The program consists of a brief asynchronous orientation followed by 11 weekly 2-hour zoom sessions.

  • 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: 

  • Raise confidence and capacity of faculty, staff, and graduate employees to facilitate dialogue on topics that are intellectually and emotionally complex.

  • Dynamically train facilitators to support strategic diversity efforts and respond to emerging community needs.

  • 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 Summer 2025 cohort are now open: Apply for Summer 2025.

Applications for the Winter 2026 cohort will open in Fall term.

The Dialogue Facilitation Lab is held twice each year during the winter and summer terms.

Upcoming cohorts:

  • Summer 2025: Wednesdays 2 to 4 p.m., June 25 - September 3

  • Winter 2026: Wednesdays 2 to 4 p.m., January 7 - March 18