Converge Nebraska has returned to campus. The program brings together students of opposing views and aims to promote civility and thoughtful conversation.
"The political climate, recently and in the past decades, has been very hostile. There seems to be an unwillingness to understand each other and have meaningful conversations about politics and political ideologies. ASUN recognized this gap and adopted this program in 2018 from the University of Virginia to facilitate open dialogue among students and hopefully spark conversations that can impact them in positive ways," said ASUN Chief of Staff Aiah Nour.
Register now and you'll be prompted to fill out a short political ideology quiz. Registration is open through September 24, and pairings will be made the following week.
Once paired, students are free to find their own time to meet. Your pairing can sit down and meet in-person or over Zoom, whichever you prefer. Conversations can span any length of time, depending on how long both parties would like to continue the discussion. Discussion moderators will be available if you'd like to use one, but are not required.
When answering the questionnaire, students agree to engage in civil conversation and be respectful at all times. There will also be a discussion guide provided, but it's up to you to decide if you want to use it.
Participants can decide to meet more than once, and it is encouraged to have ongoing conversations, but the questionnaire and pairing process is once a year and will come back in 2021.
If students choose to meet in-person, they should wear face coverings and maintain six feet of physical distance.