Applications now open for inaugural Dialogue Vanderbilt Student Advisory Board

To ensure student voices are integral in the direction and activities of Dialogue Vanderbilt, a new cross-initiative Dialogue Vanderbilt Student Advisory Board is being established, effective for the fall 2024 semester. Applications are now open for all undergraduate students.

Dialogue Vanderbilt is the university's core initiative to bridge divides, reestablish a vibrant culture of civil discourse and free expression, and showcase experts from on campus and around the world, leading the charge to build more engaged individuals and communities.

Dialogue Vanderbilt engages in a wide range of topics and activities through the Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy, the Future of Free Speech, the Open Dialogue Visiting Fellows Program and the Civil Discourse Lab. These distinct, but interconnected, programs explore the definition and boundaries of free speech domestically and globally, bring myriad policymakers, nonprofit, corporate and faith leaders, journalists, academics and others to campus to model civil discourse on a range of challenging topics and mentor our students during and after their visits. And they provide our faculty and students with tools and opportunities to roll up their sleeves and practice civil discourse across difference through innovative pedagogy, debate and other unique experiences.

At the center of Dialogue Vanderbilt are our students. Chosen through a competitive application process, the SAB will reflect the diversity of perspectives and experiences that comprise Vanderbilt's undergraduate population. Participants will contribute their ideas and expertise to programming initiatives and gain opportunities to engage with and be mentored by guest speakers and fellows, Vanderbilt faculty, engaged alumni and others.

Undergraduate students can apply online; please submit applications by Sunday, Sept. 8, at 11:59 p.m. CT.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Attend and participate in meetings regularly (must be on campus fall 2024/spring 2025)
• Serve on an area committee
• Attend Dialogue Vanderbilt events, activities and follow-up sessions
• Promote Dialogue Vanderbilt programs across campus

Benefits

• Professional development opportunities and trainings
• Exclusive engagement opportunities with a range of guest speakers, as well as Vanderbilt faculty and staff
• Exposure to new ideas, and practice in cultivating and curating conversations with those who may hold differing views or beliefs
• A generous stipend upon completion of each semester