Patton cited an example from Middlebury to highlight her point. “We had a group of Jewish and Muslim students, purely by accident last spring, focusing on deliberative dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians. Their only purpose was in scaffolded dialogue; the goal was not to discuss the issue, not to exchange ideas about it, but to say one brave thing they wouldn’t have said anywhere else. As a result, those same students would maintain relationships when the October 7 attacks happened.”   

Patton adds, “They came together, and the Jewish students baked challah, and the Muslim students bought it. They made a ton of money, and everyone started buying bread, which they donated to the World Central Kitchen. The students were the model for us. Are there still tensions? Absolutely. But that kind of work was possible because they had a relationship. And they had been brave together. So, those are the things we’re seeing by giving students tools. This is what I feel is our moral obligation as educators.”  

The convening also featured sessions led by faculty and senior leaders from Interfaith America, AAC&U, and various campuses. These sessions examined how both institutional and student-led campus programs can help promote civic pluralism.  

“What’s clear [from this convening] is the need for us to work together, to model what it means to be in a pluralistic society, to honor our diversity and difference as well as the things that we hold in common,” says Kevin Brown, chief diversity officer at Spring Arbor University. “What’s interesting is that it can be hard for folks to realize that you can hold them both together and that it is not one versus the other.”  

He adds, “I’m excited that Eboo Patel and the folks at Interfaith America wanted to have this convening, to bring some folks together to continue to stoke the fires, if you will, of change and to help build momentum as we move forward.”