2025-2026 Impact Summary

Key Outcomes of a Transformative Experience

Students consistently describe the Deliberation Dinners as a meaningful and transformative experience that helped them engage more thoughtfully with people holding different perspectives. Through structured deliberation, participants develop key skills such as active listening, respectful communication, effective questioning, and the ability to navigate challenging discussions with curiosity rather than judgment.

Participants reported gaining a deeper understanding of perspectives unlike their own and learning how to approach conversations with greater empathy and openness.

As one student reflected:

“This was a great way to find more community at UW! I feel like I learned a lot about political beliefs different from my own instead of continuing to exist in the polarized world we are in today. This was the first time I feel like I didn’t completely write off other political beliefs and I feel like I understand a lot of perspectives much more now.”
(2025–2026 Exit Ticket Survey)

Students also highlight how the Deliberation Dinners foster a sense of connection and belonging by creating an environment where differing viewpoints could be shared constructively. Rather than focusing on debate or persuasion, participants deliberate, which involves considering a range of viewpoints, inquiring deeply, and exploring options to solve a problem. Participants practice listening to understand, asking thoughtful questions, and engaging with one another respectfully.

The experience left many students with skills and insights they plan to carry into other areas of their academic, professional, and personal lives. One participant shared:

“This has been such an amazing experience, and I will definitely be taking what I learned from this to other areas in my life. Thank you so much for this opportunity!”
(2025–2026 Exit Ticket Survey)