This past October, six exceptional CUNY students, all proud Powell School Fellows from CCNY, Hunter, and Brooklyn College, visited the University of Delaware for the National Student Dialogue conference:
- George Tom, Mixner Fellow (Hunter College)
- Fuhad Khan, Colin Powell Fellow in Leadership and Public Service
- Gianni Villano Enrique, Racial Justice Fellow
- Leila Tazi, Mixner Fellow (Brooklyn College)
- Hannah Mejia, Colin Powell Fellow in Leadership and Public Service
- Fatima Hashem, Climate Policy Fellow
Organized by the Biden School undergraduates and generously supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), this annual event brings together a diverse group of college students from across the country to discuss, debate, and develop policy solutions that would benefit from bi-partisan collaboration.
Bringing the Lessons Home: Advancing Civil Discourse at CUNY
The insights gained at the SNF Ithaca National Student Dialogue are already sparking ideas for how our fellows can advance civil discourse within their own CUNY campuses. As Racial Justice Fellow Gianni Villano Enrique reflected, “The highlight of my experience was meeting student leaders from 54 colleges and universities to discuss how we can address common challenges on our campuses. I worked with others to develop ideas for creating “Third Spaces” — inclusive environments where students can connect and feel supported outside the classroom.”
Enrique also highlighted how the conversations allowed him to reflect on and share the successful experience of the Dean search committee at the Powell School “During our discussions, I shared how the Colin Powell School ensured that students’ voices and needs were represented during the search for a new dean. That process demonstrated how institutions can include students in decision-making in a way that builds community, trust, mutual respect and belonging. This experience reinforced my belief that empathy and open communication are essential for leadership, skills that are also central to my future career in law.”
Inspired to “mobilize more students in policymaking and local politics,” our fellows envision fostering opportunities where students can share experiences, feel heard, and work collaboratively. This could involve creating recurring workshops or dialogue-focused initiatives, similar to the conference, to help students understand the importance of civil discourse and train them in respectful engagement — a skill many believe needs to be actively taught and practiced. As Fuhad Khan shares, “I learned the importance of finding common ground and building coalitions with peers I may not always agree with. During the conference, I became aware of my own political tribalism and realized that collaboration is more productive than purity tests.“
As Colin Powell Fellow in Leadership and Public Service fellow Hannah Mejia shares, the lack of connection and dialogue is a struggle that most of her classmates and members of her generation share, which became a motivator for her to join the SNF National Student Dialogue. “The current political climate and feeling helpless drew me to this opportunity. I genuinely wanted to learn how I could change the landscape of political dialogue, and empower students to become civically engaged in their communities.”
The Powell School is immensely proud of these six fellows for representing CUNY with such distinction. Their experiences at the SNF Ithaca National Student Dialogue are a testament to their commitment to service and leadership, and we eagerly anticipate the positive impact they will bring back to our communities as they champion respectful dialogue and collaborative solutions.
