In its second year, the Better Conversations project expanded from a small pilot into a full residence hall model — engaging approximately 12 resident assistants (RAs) and about 500 students. 

What began as an effort to strengthen dialogue skills has evolved into a relationship-centered approach to helping students build connections, navigate differences, and develop the habits needed to thrive in community.

At its core, Better Conversations focuses on equipping students with the skills to listen actively, engage across disagreement, and collaborate with people whose experiences and perspectives differ from their own. This work directly supports the institution’s commitment to fostering community and belonging — creating environments where students feel connected, respected, and able to fully participate in their communities.

As Sarah Hansen, vice president for student life, explains, “Better Conversations reflects our commitment to creating environments where students feel connected, supported, and able to engage meaningfully with one another. By building the skills to listen and learn across difference, students are strengthening their sense of belonging on campus, while developing skills that will serve them throughout their lives.”

Year two embedded Better Conversations into everyday residence hall practices. RAs integrated dialogue into floor meetings, one-on-one conversations, roommate check-ins, community meals, and social programming. This approach reflects the division’s vision of places to belong and paths to success, where learning and development are woven into the lived student experience. As project co-lead and communication studies professor David Supp-Montgomerie notes, “What’s powerful about this initiative is that it brings dialogue out of the classroom and into students’ everyday lives. When students practice listening, curiosity, and constructive disagreement in their residence halls, those habits become part of how they engage with the world.”

Assessment results show encouraging progress. Students in the residence hall participating in the initiative demonstrated positive movement in key areas, including listening and sense of belonging, with the strongest gains appearing in how students connect with peers and reflect on their own perspectives. The initiative showed meaningful progress in helping students feel more comfortable engaging across difference and participating in more intentional conversations.

The initiative also had a significant impact on student staff. RAs reported increased confidence in facilitating conversations across disagreement, supporting peers in conflict, and fostering community within their floors. These gains reinforce the importance of student leadership in advancing a culture of connection and shared responsibility for community life. Reflecting on implementation, hall coordinator Spencer Owens emphasized that success depended on how students experienced the program day-to-day: “We saw the biggest impact when conversations happened in natural, relational ways — during roommate check-ins, shared meals, or everyday interactions. Students were more willing to engage when it felt authentic, and over time, that helped create a stronger sense of connection across the hall.”

“Students were more willing to engage when it felt authentic, and over time, that helped create a stronger sense of connection across the hall.” - Spencer Owens, hall coordinator

Equally important, year two reinforced how connection happens most effectively: through relationships. The strongest outcomes emerged when dialogue was integrated into familiar, peer-led experiences — such as roommate conversations or shared meals — rather than formal, standalone events. This insight will guide future expansion, ensuring the initiative continues to build on what works for students in real contexts.

As the division looks ahead, Better Conversations represents a scalable model for strengthening community life. By helping students develop the skills to listen, reflect, and engage across difference, we enhance the residential experience while preparing students for continued success as thoughtful contributors in a complex and interconnected world.