The Emerging Leaders Initiative (ELI) by NCDD aims to cultivate the next generation of leaders in dialogue, deliberation, and public engagement. Launched after the NCDD 2014 conference, the ELI provides resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities to individuals 35 and under, as well as newcomers to the field. Key features include discounted memberships, scholarships, interactive calls, and a variety of online platforms for connection and collaboration. The initiative seeks to support and elevate emerging leaders by facilitating their involvement and growth within the field. Read the blog post below and find more information here. 

Noemi Vega Quiñones, PhD, has been awarded the prestigious Louisville Institute Dissertation Fellowship for her project on migrant women's agencies in predominantly Spanish-speaking communities of California's Central Coast. Her dissertation, based on the lived stories of fifty Spanish-speaking migrant women, explores their ethical choices amid violent and exploitative systems through interviews and Reflective Structured Dialogue. Quiñones aims to create safe spaces for vulnerable sharing, contributing to more ethical migration policies and theologies of migration. Read the blog post below and learn more here. 

Join us for the "Engaging in Challenging Conversations: A Higher Education Webinar" on Monday, August 5, 2024, from 1:30 to 3 pm Eastern. Just one week away, this 90-minute session, designed for college and university faculty, K-12 teachers, and community leaders, will provide practical strategies for productive and respectful dialogue. Key topics include setting conversation goals, creating group agreements, encouraging diverse perspectives, and asking deliberative questions. Register now at bit.ly/EngaginginChallengingConversations and read more in the blog post below. 

​Gear up for productive campus conversations this fall with the upcoming webinar, "Engaging in Challenging Conversations: A Higher Education Webinar." Designed for educators and administrators, this 90-minute session addresses the urgent need for dialogue skills in today's polarized environment. Gain practical strategies to facilitate respectful discussions, set norms for constructive engagement, and navigate contentious issues effectively. Whether you're in higher education, K-12 teaching, or community leadership, join us on August 5th to enhance your ability to foster meaningful dialogue and address pressing challenges on campus. Read more in the blog post below and register now!

NCDD friends, Campus Compact, supported by the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, announced the Scaling Discourse in Higher Education Project to enhance students' abilities in democratic engagement and address societal challenges. The project will create a virtual platform and resources for faculty, staff, and administrators, available free of charge. Immediate input is sought through a survey​​ to shape these resources, with a campus resource guide to be released this summer addressing current issues. Data submitted before July 4th will help shape some immediate resources, while data submitted after will shape our planning and implementation over the coming academic year. Read the blog post below, learn more and take the survey here.

We are excited to announce the new NCDD Job & Internship Board! 

Our job and internship board connects individuals and organizations committed to driving positive change through meaningful conversations and collaboration. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or a newcomer to the field, our job and internship board offers a wide array of opportunities tailored to your skills and interests. 
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• Employers: Showcase your job or internship openings here to reach a diverse pool of candidates dedicated to advancing dialogue and deliberation in their communities. Share new roles via "Post a Job or Internship" feature.
• Job/internship seekers: Explore our listings to find opportunities where you can apply your skills to promote understanding, bridge divides, and create lasting impact through dialogue and deliberation.

We'll share new positions via the Job-Internship Board regularly, so make sure you bookmark the page and check back when you're looking for new opportunities. You'll notice at the top of the NCDD site, under the "News" tab, there is link to the new "NCDD Job-Internship Board". Jump to the NCDD Job & Internship Board here: www.ncdd.org/dd-jobs-internship-board.

The Making A Living List (D&D Jobs List) will still remain active and we encourage members to continue sharing job/internships in that space if that is your preference. Opportunities shared on the Jobs list will be reshared on the Jobs Board to help further boost announcements in a public-facing place on the NCDD site for easier access. 

The University Network for Collaborative Governance (UNCG) 2024 Conference happening June 20-22 in Portland focuses on the theme of roots and growth in collaborative governance, exploring its evolution and future prospects. The call for proposals seeks presentations and panels aligned with this theme across three tracks: the field of collaborative governance, innovation in related areas, and personal or organizational growth for UNCG members and partners. Submissions are encouraged from both UNCG members and non-members by April 22, 2024. Learn more below and on UNCG2024 site here.

Public Agenda is accepting applications for the Pennsylvania Education Equity Project, aiming to fund projects demonstrating effective strategies for implementing Pennsylvania’s new culturally relevant and sustaining education mandate. Six or more grants of up to $30,000 each, will be awarded to researchers affiliated with public or nonprofit U.S. universities. The deadline to apply is 11:59pm ET on May 1, 2024. Join one of the online Q&A sessions on either Friday, April 12th, or Tuesday, April 16th. Learn more below and on PA's site here.

Starting this week - Join the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU)'s Practicing Democracy Workshop Series, happening until the end of April. This series with AASCU's American Democracy Project supports helping our campuses prepare students and communities to participate in the 2024 local, state, and national elections. Thank you to Ellen Knutson, program manager with AASCU Practicing Democracy, for sharing this announcement with the NCDD network! Learn more below and register on AASCU's site here.

If you're looking to gain further related skills, then make sure you join us for our webinar tomorrow - "Building Trust in Elections through Living Room Conversations", co-hosted with NCDD member organizations - National Civic League and Living Room Conversations. April 10th at 4 pm ET, 3 pm CT, 2 pm MT, 1 pm PT. Learn more here and register!

Join Difficult Dialogues National Resource Center's upcoming online event, "Talking Across Political Differences on Campus", this Friday April 5th, 12-1:30pm Eastern, 9-10:30am Pacific. Amidst the charged atmosphere of an upcoming election, this event will provide invaluable insights on fostering respectful discourse across college campuses. Featured organizations include several NCDD member organizations - the Sustained Dialogue Institute, Essential Partners, and Unify America, as well as, Braver Angels. Thank you to Manda Wittebort, Program Coordinator with the University of Florida​, for sharing this announcement with the NCDD network! Learn more in the post below.​