By Charlotte Ormond

Before the Nov. 5 presidential election, University of Maryland students and organizations facilitated a civil dialogue throughout October to promote healthy debate and inform students how the election directly impacts their everyday lives.   

BridgeUMD, a political discourse club on campus, collaborated with the UMD Honors College, College Park Scholars and Carillon Communities to host three election-related dialogues. 

The dialogues have provided students with an opportunity to discuss topics related to the elections. Some subjects focused on state and local election issues, environmental regulations and what the election means for the cost of college.

Calvin Chrisfield, a sophomore public policy major and president of BridgeUMD assisted in organizing these events. Chrisfield said he believes in the importance of healthy debate and wanted to allow other students to voice their opinions on major issues surrounding the 2024 election.

“We wanted to provide a space where students could talk productively and also listen to the ideas of other people,” Chrisfield said. 

BridgeUMD collaborated with Kristy Maddux, the executive director of the Honors College, to develop the three discussion topics. The topics were selected due to their political significance and relevance to students on campus.

Student moderators led the discussion, which took place in Tawes Hall. The moderators guided the conversation and ensured that attendees remained respectful and engaged.

Chrisfield noted that some faculty members were concerned about creating tension by discussing potentially controversial subject matter. However, the moderators followed what they call the “Four Norms of Discussion,” which are guidelines that are designed to promote respect among speakers and ensure that the conversations remain productive and civil.

Ryan Roboubi, a junior at UMD, was a returning participant in BridgeUMD discussions. He attended the Oct. 30 discussion on the election’s impact on the cost of college. 

During this meeting, Roboubi and others discussed struggles that students face both financially and emotionally in college, the role that the government should take in alleviating the cost of tuition and the fairness of the SAT.

Roboubi said he believes it is important for students to remain informed about issues that concern them.

“People should always have more information,” Roboubi said. “[These discussions] are another opportunity that people should have the choice to participate in.”

Alex Patrone, a sophomore computer engineering major, serves as treasurer of BridgeUMD. He hopes that people can find some common ground throughout these discussions.

“We want other people to see that everyone else has a perspective that maybe is similar to their own and maybe they can take something away from that,” Patrone said.

Many students have positively responded to the Election Dialogues, according to Chrisfield. He said that some have even found their voice through them.

“Many people are so divided right now and can’t find a middle ground,” Chrisfield said. “We want to prove that people, even when they disagree, are willing to have civil conversations.”

Featured Image: University of Maryland students gather in a circle during one of the election dialogue discussions facilitated by BridgeUMD and other organizations. Photo provided by Calvin Chrisfield.