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Potential Student Initiators & New Leaders

Alumni Testimonial

“I use the skills I learned as a Sustained Dialogue moderator constantly in professional settings when communicating with clients and colleagues. Being able to check biases/assumptions and open our hearts to the point where we can truly empathize and understand where others are coming from is the deeply enriching gift of SD. It is also necessary for the health of our communities and society as a whole.” Jacqueline Switzer, SD Alumna. Former Booz Allen Hamilton consultant and currently Workplace Programs Manager at the Level Playing Field Institute.

SDCN Hosts 3rd Annual Student Leadership Retreat

Monday, August 9, 2010

(Sustained Dialogue Campus Network)

The Sustained Dialogue Campus Network (SDCN) hosted its 3rd annual Student Leadership Retreat in Washington DC on August 6 – 8, 2010. Over 22 student leaders from 13 campuses across the country attended the event.

Students attending the retreat worked with one another and the SDCN Program Directors to strengthen Sustained Dialogue chapters and to more effectively address identity-based tension on campus. Sessions led by SDCN staff and interns included exercises to build self-awareness and understanding of work styles, map community stakeholders and develop recruitment plans, and strategize for effective communication practices on campuses and across the network.

“We were excited by the energy and passion of the students throughout the weekend,” said Rhonda Fitzgerald, SDCN Program Director. “They were strategic, brainstormed with each other, and built excitement for the upcoming year, which were all important goals we had for the event. We’re excited to see how they implement their plans on campuses this year.”

The Leadership Retreat also featured several outside speakers that were highlights of the event for many students. They included:

Rich Harwood of the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation challenged students to remember that the challenges we face are complex and do not have easy solutions. He encouraged the students to “turn outward” and learn what their campuses and communities truly need.
Vernon Wall, an award-winning student affairs professional and speaker, led a thought-provoking session about the power of language and why it’s relevant to the students’ work in dialogue. He encouraged the students to not let fear prevent them from engaging in challenging discussions, and that owning mistakes leads to more respect than pretending to be “all-knowing”.
Stephanie Potter of Ashoka YouthVenture led the students through a root-causes exercise that they can bring back to their campuses and use with their SD program. She helped give students ideas and tools to bridge dialogue to action.

?Students reflected on the importance of the Leadership Retreat, both in terms of how it impacted them personally and also prepared them for the upcoming year.

“I feel so much more prepared to organize SD this year following the Leadership Retreat,” said Julie Norris, a sophomore at Susquehanna University. “The speakers were all thought-provoking and gave me ideas about how to be a better leader. The best part was meeting students from other campuses and learning from their experiences. I have a lot of ideas for what to bring back to Susquehanna.”

Photo used above was taken by Sian OFaolain, SD alumna from Princeton '08. Sian can be contacted at sian.m.s.ofaolain[at]gmail[dot]com.

Alumni Testimonial