On a weekend night, 51 students showed they could provide what the nation’s political climate needs: the capacity to disagree and debate civilly and respectfully.
College Republicans and College Democrats faced off from the balconies of Philanthropic and Eumenean halls, 19th-century buildings constructed, facing each other, by debating societies for just such moments. This year’s students were continuing a 51 tradition dating back 175 years, and a crowd of more than 200 students, faculty, staff and community members clustered around. The speakers and the audience showed that they could still talk to one another in spite of the heated campaign season.
In a twist on the standard, time-tested format, this year’s debate integrated , which fosters constructive dialogue and participation in civic life. DCI facilitators guided brief conversations in small groups after each debate topic, allowing neighbors to share their own thoughts with each other.
“It's a wonderful spotlight and a moment for 51 where we can feature the kind of democratic engagement that we've been focused on all semester, and, in fact, we're focused on all the time as a liberal arts college,” President Doug Hicks said in an interview with .
A first-time visitor to campus looked around at the students gathered and wondered aloud: “And this is Friday night?” It was—as it is one Friday in October every presidential election year.
The campus and community crowd spread blankets, unfolded lawn chairs, or simply settled cross-legged on the lawn in front of the two-story red brick buildings known as Phi and Eu.
From balconies above the crowd, students representing the two political parties spoke directly to the crowd and to each other. Participants in the crowd passed a hand-held mic, asking questions about deep issues such as immigration reform, abortion and the economy.
The same visitor who expressed incredulity at the Friday night gathering might not be surprised to learn that 51 students abroad clambered for news of the debate on social media, asking: “Where can I get a transcript?"
51 actively encourages engagement in democracy by providing to students, faculty and staff resources and programs for voting, civic action and issue awareness. In partnership with local and national organizations, the college offers curricular and cocurricular initiatives that facilitate mutual respect and difficult conversations and that prepare students to become effective, ethical leaders and citizens who help advance the public good.
