The Ford School Bridge Builders Initiative: Fostering Dialogue Across Differences
The University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy implemented a Bridge Builders program as part of its larger Resilient Democracies Initiative. This initiative was designed to address growing threats to democratic institutions and societal fractures by bringing people together across differences, uncovering practices that strengthen democracy, and rebuilding democratic norms through knowledge, connection, and action.
The Challenge
The Ford School recognized an urgent need to equip students with the skills to navigate polarization, especially as contentious campus issues revealed deep divides and communication breakdowns within their community. Led by Jennifer Niggemeier, Managing Director of the Leadership Initiative at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, the Bridge Builders initiative brings students together across differences, elevating practices that strengthen democracy through knowledge, connection, and action.
The Partnership
The Ford School was invited by the Volcker Alliance to join a consortium of schools focused on integrating constructive dialogue into the curriculum. Bridge Builders emerged as one of the ways The Ford School integrated CDI into their program offerings. The collaboration provided access to CDI’s Perspectives curriculum and facilitation training, helping students develop practical dialogue and leadership skills.
Outcomes
Improved Campus Dialogue: Students proactively used constructive dialogue skills to resolve conflicts, establishing sustainable practices.
Curricular Integration: Faculty integrated dialogue frameworks into core courses and orientation, embedding lasting change.
Career Readiness: Participants successfully leveraged dialogue experience to demonstrate emotional intelligence in job interviews.
High Campus Visibility: Program recognized through top honors at prominent university events, highlighting student leadership and impact.
The Bridge Builders Program
The Ford School developed a Bridge Builders program that recruited students to serve as peer leaders in fostering constructive dialogue. Despite posting the position late in December (2024) with limited promotion, they received 20 applications across all degree programs (BA, master’s, and PhD), demonstrating significant student interest. The program ultimately selected four students who were trained using CDI’s Perspectives modules and facilitation techniques.
The feedback was phenomenal. Students really got into it. They realized how hard it is to listen... There is such a need, and students can identify that this is a gap in their skill set.
Impact and Visibility
The Bridge Builders achieved remarkable visibility on campus through various presentations:
Food for Thought Session
Food for Thought sessions are monthly opportunities for Ford School students, faculty, and staff to come together and discuss interesting and policy-relevant stories in the news. The students led a session about constructive dialogue and ran a listening exercise.
Gramlich Showcase
The students created a poster highlighting the perception gap between Democrats and Republicans, inspired by that section in Perspectives. Their participation in this prestigious event—established in 2008 to honor internationally renowned economist and former Ford School dean, Ned Gramlich—provided an exceptional platform to showcase their work. The Showcase features outstanding student research and service projects nominated by faculty and staff, allowing students to share academic work and engage in dialogue about complex policy challenges with the broader community. The Bridge Builders' poster drew significant attention among attendees.
Democracy Information Dilemma Poster Session
After someone saw them at the Gramlich Showcase, the Bridge Builders were invited to participate in the poster session at U-M’s Year of Democracy symposium, which was a three-day event investigating the relationship between information and democracy. At this multidisciplinary conference, they showcased their research on constructive dialogue alongside other graduate students. Their project tied for first place and received the top prize of $750 based on attendee votes.
Alumni Board Presentation
Alumni ranging from 2-30 years out stated that constructive dialogue skills were “as important as the strength of our analytical toolkit.”
Presentations to Leadership
The students presented to Professor Jenna Bednar (who leads the Resilient Democracies initiative) and have an opportunity to present to the Dean.
Community Read Planning Committee
Three returning Bridge Builders are positioned to join the faculty-staff committee planning the community read, which would use Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson as a platform for dialogue.
Ripple Effects
Peer Support
Following the Food for Thought session, Bridge Builders began to see a meaningful shift on campus. Students started seeking them out for support with personal challenges, saying things like, “Can you help me? I have a conflict with a classmate, a roommate.” These interactions signaled more than just individual concerns. They reflected a growing trust in the program and early signs of a culture shift.
Integration into Courses
The co-chair of the Year of Democracy initiative was impressed by the Bridge Builders’ presentation and is now considering integrating constructive dialogue into Public Policy 320—with one of the Bridge Builders currently serving as her Graduate Student Instructor. Faculty buy-in like this presents a valuable opportunity to help institutionalize these practices.
Career Impact
One Bridge Builder used her experience in a job interview when asked about navigating differences of opinion. She got the job.
Orientation and Community Read
Three returning Bridge Builders are positioned to support the faculty-staff committee planning the community read of the book Abundance. Their role will shape the integration of constructive dialogue in orientation and throughout the academic year. By introducing the five principles of constructive dialogue, they’ll guide new students in meaningful discussions, fostering a shared language for navigating difficult conversations and reinforcing this approach throughout their Ford School experience.
Policy Recommendations
The students are writing a policy memo to leadership with recommendations for integrating dialogue skills more broadly throughout the curriculum and school culture.
Key Principles and Tools from CDI
The Ford School found particular value in specific elements of CDI’s approach:
The Five Principles of Constructive Dialogue
Students displayed and referenced these principles in presentations, and these concepts began appearing in how people talked about issues.
Listening for the Why
The students were particularly captivated by the "Purple" Videos that demonstrate the value of listening for the 'why'. They found it truly transformative to experience how focusing on why someone holds a belief, rather than just what they believe, opens up entirely new pathways for connection.
Practical Utility
One-page summary sheets provided at the end of each chapter distill key concepts into an accessible, visual format that learners can reference easily. One student found them so resonant that they display them in their living space as daily reminders.
The Perception Gap
Visual representations of the perception gap between political parties became a powerful conversation starter at student events.
Looking Forward
While the initial program was just one semester, the seeds planted are poised to grow throughout the school. Niggemeier noted: “I had one semester, but they are going to take it, and run with it, and I can't even imagine where it’s going to land. There’s buy-in and there's interest.”
The program demonstrated the power of student leadership in creating cultural change. As one student reflected after the Gaza-Israel tensions on campus: “Had I had this training before that happened, would I have approached it differently in helping myself and my colleagues be able to talk about it rather than shutting down communication?”
By training students as Bridge Builders, the Ford School created a sustainable model for embedding dialogue skills throughout their community, equipping future policy leaders with both analytical tools and the emotional intelligence to navigate complex differences effectively.
(Image credit: University of Michigan Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy)
