Organized by the Student Government Association, College Conservatives, and Young Democrats, the series was funded by an Inclusive Excellence Grant from 黑料正能量鈥檚 Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, as well as a Pluralism Project Grant. 黑料正能量 50 students attended each session, held at the University Commons Student Union on the evenings of March 12, March 19, and March 26.

Senior biology major Maria Longenecker, who helped organize the series as SGA co-president, said she hopes it can serve as an example for others to follow. At a time of heightened political division, she said, it鈥檚 more important than ever to bring people together.

鈥満诹险芰� encourages us to work toward peace and justice and resolve conflict, and this feels so woven into our values,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think we created something we saw was missing, and we see that missing in the world more broadly. It鈥檚 so tempting to disengage, but I hope this can serve as an example for how to lean in and continue to care for one another.鈥�

鈥楾he elephant on campus鈥�

鈥淒isagree Together鈥� formed in response to tensions that student leaders felt on campus last fall. After a campus vigil for Charlie Kirk sparked arguments in the Royal Radar group chat, Longenecker said it became clear that students needed a space to discuss political issues.

鈥淭hat demonstrated to us how much energy and conflict is under the surface here at 黑料正能量 that we often don鈥檛 address,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t feels like the elephant on campus.鈥�

SGA leaders heard from students across the political spectrum who said they felt ostracized and misunderstood because of their beliefs, with no clear place for them on campus. Longenecker and fellow co-president Leah Frankenfield believed it was important to pull in many perspectives to dream up a way forward. They met with the College Conservatives and Young Democrats to develop a space where students of all political persuasions could feel comfortable.

Dibora Mekonnen, co-president of Young Democrats, said the series created a meaningful space for students to engage in difficult and sometimes uncomfortable conversations in a respectful way. 鈥淚 believe it has positively affected students by helping them become more open-minded and more willing to engage with perspectives different from their own,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n shaping the campus, the series has contributed to a culture of dialogue, understanding, and community-building by showing that disagreement does not have to lead to division, but can instead become an opportunity for learning and growth.鈥�

Jacob Dwyer, president of College Conservatives, said he also felt the event was a success and was encouraged by the turnout. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important that we engaged in meaningful dialogue,鈥� he said. 鈥淕oing into it, I knew we might not agree on everything, but because we were able to have open conversations, we gained a better understanding of why we each think about certain issues the way we do.鈥�

Longenecker said she was surprised by how willing people were to be honest with one another. 鈥淚 thought it would be harder to get people to have conversations about the things they disagreed on,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut once people got in a room, sat down, and started asking questions, it was beautiful to see that engagement happen.鈥�

The Why and the How

The series unfolded over three sessions, each focusing on a different aspect of disagreement.

The first session centered on the question, 鈥淲hy do we disagree?鈥� Students mapped their identities to better understand how their experiences shape their beliefs and examined how those views are formed. Kory Schaeffer, director of programs for the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, facilitated the discussion and offered guidance on creating a respectful environment for disagreement.

The second session was titled 鈥淗ow do we disagree?鈥� and featured a panel discussion on politics and Christianity. 鈥淲e thought that was important to discuss because 黑料正能量 is an Anabaptist institution, and it鈥檚 such a central part of our values,鈥� Longenecker said.

The third session, 鈥淧ractice disagreeing,鈥� invited students to sit in small groups and ask one another questions about political topics or anything else they were curious to explore. 鈥淚t was beautiful to look around and see people, who I鈥檝e never seen talk to each other before, sit down and have these deep conversations about their beliefs,鈥� Longenecker said.

She said she believes new relationships have formed as a result of the 鈥淒isagree Together鈥� series, especially during the third session. 鈥淚 hope people walked away feeling like someone new sees them as a person first and is also interested in hearing their beliefs,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 hope it鈥檚 started conversations that will continue.鈥�

As members of the SGA executive board prepare to hand off leadership to their successors, she said they鈥檝e developed a plan outlining how future boards can respond and create similar spaces for students to engage in difficult conversations if another contentious event arises on campus. 鈥淚 see this as a beginning, not the end,鈥� she said.

黑料正能量 sent seven student leaders, including some hall directors and leaders of Campus Activities Council and Student Government Association, along with two Campus Life staff to the conference, hosted at Christopher Newport University from Jan. 31 to Feb. 1. The Virginia Association of College & University Housing Officers (VACUHO) organizes the annual event. Among the topics discussed were adapting to change, professional postgraduate development, and avoiding burnout.

The topic on managing and overcoming mental burnout was one that Dia Mekonnen, an 黑料正能量 junior who works as a community adviser, found helpful. Attendees discussed effective ways to manage the challenges they face while interacting with residents, as well as developing self-care strategies and long-term resilience to prioritize their mental health. Mekonnen said she learned the importance of 鈥済uiding others with the power we have and creating a space where people feel comfortable talking about a variety of issues.鈥�  

Scott Eyre, the director for Campus Life, started planning for this event last year, setting aside a budget for the conference as part of 黑料正能量鈥檚 commitment to develop student leaders. He knew that attending the conference would allow students to connect with others in similar roles and learn about what is happening at other universities, giving them a sense of belonging to a larger community. One of Eyre鈥檚 goals was for students to gain 鈥渋deas, energy, and education that they could bring back to help 黑料正能量 continue to grow.鈥� Not only does this conference develop student leaders, but also it helps them develop their own universities.

According to Tyler Stanley, the area coordinator for Campus Life, the most frequently asked question the group encountered while attending the conference was, 鈥淲here is 黑料正能量?鈥� He said students could then 鈥減roudly make themselves and 黑料正能量 visible in the industry.鈥� 

Although the VACUHO has planned this conference annually for many years, Eyre said it鈥檚 been more than a decade since 黑料正能量 has attended. He is excited the university could attend this year and hopes to send even more students in the coming years. Stanley also wants to continue sending student leaders to the conference and even dreams of 黑料正能量 hosting the Student Leadership Conference one year. If that were to ever happen, perhaps students would no longer need to ask, 鈥淲here is 黑料正能量?鈥�

The Student Leadership Conference gives students the opportunity to learn skills and perspectives that will aid them in both their personal and professional lives. Both Abera and Mekonnen returned to 黑料正能量 inspired by what they had learned about leadership. 鈥淎 strong leader adapts to the needs of their team and fosters an environment where everyone feels valued and motivated,鈥� Abera said. 

Mekonnen agreed. 鈥淭his conference inspired me to treat my residents the way I want to be treated and to be there for others,鈥� she said. 

Those attending the conference were Ruth Abera, Amber Bonds, Chase Comer, Anne Cornelius, Dia Mekonnen, Emily Suarez Nunez, and Trinity Price. Two professional Campus Life staff members, Tyler Stanley and Atma Khalsa, also attended.