University of Richmond Students Discover Value in Encountering Difference
In Dr. Crutcher's experience, most students arrive having grown up in religiously, racially, and culturally segregated communities, leaving them without the lived experience needed to build relationships across difference.
The Challenge
Dr. Ronald Crutcher, President Emeritus of the University of Richmond, has mentored students with his wife, Dr. Betty Neal Crutcher, for over 21 years. The pair have always worked with diverse groups of students and believe strongly in helping them bridge their differences.
When Dr. Crutcher arrived at the University of Richmond in 2015, the university had recently become very diverse in a short period of time. As a result, he and his wife felt a strong need to help first-year students feel comfortable interacting with people from different backgrounds.
The Partnership
When Dr. Crutcher heard about the Constructive Dialogue Institute's online learning program called Perspectives, he tried it personally and was very impressed. He appreciated how the program distilled academic research into lessons that his students would be able to understand and act upon. His hope was that Perspectives would help incoming students feel prepared to interact with students with diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and values. Dr. Crutcher assigned his students to complete Perspectives in August, a few weeks ahead of the fall semester.
Outcomes
Students moved beyond avoidance and fear to active curiosity and deeper understanding.
First-year students arrived on campus more prepared than previous cohorts to engage in meaningful conversations.
Through structured dialogue, students learned to hold opposing views with mutual respect.
Pathways with Promise
To sustain and scale the impact of Perspectives, several implementation pathways could emerge at the University of Richmond. At the institutional level, incorporating Perspectives into the required University 101 first-year seminar would ensure that every incoming student has early access to foundational dialogue skills. Faculty can adopt the program flexibly within existing seminars or learning communities, supported by training and resources that align with disciplinary goals.
Mentorship programs, such as those led by Dr. Crutcher, offer another high-impact avenue, enabling one-on-one and small-group practice of dialogue in trusted settings.
Finally, peer-to-peer delivery models could extend the reach of Perspectives, positioning trained upperclassmen as facilitators who help build a culture of dialogue across class years. These layered approaches allow for both consistency and adaptability in implementation.
One of the greatest impediments to developing truly inclusive communities is equipping people with the capability to interact across divides… CDI served as a tangible way of helping students understand why this is important.
Ripple Effects
Extending Across Mentorship and Curricula
The program’s impact went well beyond the classroom. Dr. Crutcher and his wife integrated Perspectives into their mentoring efforts for three consecutive years, observing stronger relationships and immediate, high-quality engagement among mentees. It created the conditions for productive, honest conversations from day one.
Catalyzing Broader Institutional Adoption
Dr. Crutcher’s strong recommendation led the University of Richmond to explore integrating Perspectives into a required first-year course, University 101. Student feedback reinforced this momentum, with nearly all of the most recent cohort supporting the idea of making Perspectives a requirement for all students. This peer endorsement signals a cultural shift among students toward valuing dialogue as a foundational skill.
Shaping Faculty Practices
Beyond mentoring, Dr. Crutcher plans to embed Perspectives into his first-year and upper-level seminars, demonstrating its flexibility across academic levels. His advocacy models how faculty can become champions for constructive dialogue within their own disciplines.
Key Principles and Tools from CDI
University of Richmond embraced these specific elements of CDI’s approach:
Listening for the Why
Rather than reinforcing ideological bubbles, Perspectives builds students’ capacity to stay open, even when confronted with unexpected beliefs. The program emphasizes inquiry over judgment, helping students ask why someone holds a view instead of simply reacting to it.
Structured & Scaffolded Skill Building
Students didn’t just encounter differences. They learned to engage with them productively. Perspectives creates structured opportunities to practice critical dialogue skills, such as active listening, reflection, and non-defensive questioning. It scaffolds students' development, encouraging interaction across difference at a time when it’s most formative.
Dialogue as a Vehicle for Institutional and Civic Renewal
At its core, CDI’s work positions dialogue as essential for addressing complex challenges. Dr. Crutcher’s experience confirms that civil discourse improves individual understanding and lays groundwork for more cohesive communities.
Leadership Through Modeling
Dr. Crutcher exemplifies CDI’s emphasis on faculty and administrative leadership. By embedding Perspectives into his mentoring and teaching, and advocating for broader adoption, he reinforces that change is most powerful when it is both top-down and peer-driven.
