Vanderbilt partners with StoryCorps’ ‘One Small Step’ to model conversations across divides

Vanderbilt and StoryCorps have partnered to bring the initiative to campus. One Small Step pairs people with different beliefs, backgrounds and points of view to have intimate conversations and, hopefully, better understand each other as human beings.

One Small Step, which will operate as a component of Dialogue Vanderbilt, is an integral part of Vanderbilt's ongoing effort to provide students, faculty, staff and community members the opportunities and tools to engage constructively across difference. This initiative, through meaningful, facilitated conversations, endeavors to empower the community to listen at least as much as they speak, keep their minds open to the possibility of persuasion, and allow for a broad range of opinions to be heard.

"At its heart, what we're after is quite simple: that basic human experience where you sit down opposite someone … and they surprise you," said Jad Abumrad, Distinguished Research Professor of Cinema and Media Arts and Communication of Science and Technology. "That one thing that makes you cock your head sideways and think, 'Huh, I had no idea.' This program is engineered to create moments like that, and we could all use more of that feeling-where we become mysteries again."

"During this fraught presidential election year and with tensions high on college campuses-it's critical that higher ed institutions create opportunities for reducing political polarization," said StoryCorps founder and President Dave Isay. "That's why I'm delighted that we're partnering with Vanderbilt University to bring One Small Step to their students, faculty and community. Vanderbilt can be a model for other colleges and universities nationwide-showing them what it means to have the courage to listen."

How to participate

1. Sign up: Tell One Small Step a little about you: your background, interests and political leanings.
2. Get matched: They'll find a conversation partner for you-you'll have differences for sure, but also some things in common.
3. Have a conversation: You'll meet to record your conversation, then you can decide if you want to share it with the public.

If you want to learn more about yourself and those around you, go to the One Small Step Vanderbilt website and follow the links to apply to be matched or learn more about the program.

Even if you're not ready to have a conversation, you can listen to the archive, sign up for the Dialogue Vanderbilt newsletter to stay engaged with the project and learn more about free expression on campus. More opportunities to volunteer and get involved in One Small Step and the Dialogue Vanderbilt community will arise in the coming months.

One Small Step in action

The seeds of One Small Step were planted during Move-In Week by two groups in the Vanderbilt community. At the Student Life Center, almost 200 students broke off into groups of five residential assistants each and learned deep listening skills from the One Small Step team to practice throughout the school year and into the future.

One student spoke about when they had to deal with conflict. The other four students listened intently for four details: story, actions, values and emotions. Afterward, they debriefed the conversation and discussed how this activity helped the storyteller feel truly heard.

Eight students also participated in initial One Small Step conversations at Vanderbilt on Sept. 16-17. They were paired with a conversation partner, where they explored their similarities and differences during guided, in-depth conversations that highlighted the humanity and shared experiences that often hide behind political categorization.

Ochuwa Garuba participated as one of those pairs. Their One Small Step conversation explored how distinct racial and religious identities shaped both their perspectives. "I was pleasantly surprised to learn about the unique upbringing and journey that brought [them] to this conversation," said Garuba, Class of 2026. "These are things you rarely discuss in everyday conversation or on social media. I truly felt like I not only learned something new about my conversation partner but about how we can better talk about difficult or controversial topics moving forward."

About Dialogue Vanderbilt

Dialogue Vanderbilt is the university's intentional effort to consistently advance and more deeply imbed the university's long-held values of free expression, civil discourse and institutional neutrality across campus and beyond. Learn more at vanderbilt.edu/dialogue-vanderbilt.