Exposure to new perspectives, people, and cultures is a common experience for university students. This time of exploration creates an opportunity to learn how to engage in dialogue with those who hold different or opposing viewpoints. That is why educators across UCLA are learning methods that welcome disagreement and discomfort into their teaching as opportunities for growth.
Building the capacity to foster productive dialogue in the classroom is a key outcome of the Dialogue across Difference (DaD) Faculty Fellows program, which recently honored the second cohort of participants who have successfully completed the year-long community of practice. The program is a partnership between the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC), the Dialogue across Difference Initiative (housed within the Bedari Kindness Institute), and the Center for Education Innovation & Learning in the Sciences (CEILS).
As the program celebrated the second cohort’s key accomplishments, organizers reiterated the unique impact instructors have on cultivating a respectful climate for navigating differences in the classroom.
“The classroom is a preeminent site to model, hone, and expand the praxis of dialogue,” said David Myers, the Sady and Ludwig Kahn Chair in Jewish History and Director the Bedari Kindness Institute. “Open engagement is our job at the University, and we will continue to do it to generate knowledge that benefits all.”
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt, who conceptualized the DaD Initiative in 2023, also noted the Fellows are critical examples of the civil discourse needed on campus. Fostering a campus community of respectful engagement and building core competencies in constructive dialogue is outlined in the UCLA Connects flagship initiative, a part of the One UCLA campaign and Goal 1 of the University’s Strategic Plan.
“The Faculty Fellows represent a deep commitment to students and colleagues and they serve as role models,” he shared. “They play an integral role showcasing UCLA’s values and the notion that dialogue and academic excellence are not separate but in fact go hand in hand with one another.”
Over the 2025-2026 academic year, fellows met regularly to develop teaching practices to foster a supportive classroom community that honors differences in experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. They honed facilitation skills, crafted new course materials, and revised their syllabi to integrate intellectual engagement, curiosity, empathy, active listening, and critical thinking across differences into their courses.
Fellows and their guests at the celebration joined in table conversations reflecting on the kind of learning that becomes possible through dialogue, as well as the potential impact DaD may have across UCLA. Several fellows also shared personal stories that highlighted the power of engaging with difference as an invaluable part of the human experience.
“Core to being human is dialogue across difference — differences prove that we don’t live in a dystopian world of ideological conformity,” shared Raffi Joe Wartanian, a lecturer for UCLA Writing Programs. “The urgency of the program could not be more profound.”
Fellows also noted how inspired they felt to continue working to model effective communication and community understanding.
“This has renewed my faith in the idea that growth and change can happen in others – that opinions can change and systems can change,” said Emily Quinn, an associate adjunct professor in human genetics. As someone who identifies as conflict-adverse, Quinn found herself embracing moments of disagreement during monthly small group meetings.
“What feels very special is that what unites us is not common ground, but a willingness to dig deep and challenge each other,” she shared.
As the second cohort continues to practice the program’s lessons throughout their instruction, the TLC, DaD Initiative, and CEILS welcome the third cohort of fellows for the 2026-2027 academic year. These fellows will build a community committed to developing and implementing teaching practices that navigate charged differences.
Visit the TLC website for more information about the DaD Faculty Fellows program and the Bedari Kindness Institute website for more about the DaD Initiative.