Given the divisions in our country right now, have you ever wondered how to have more productive discussions about contentious issues? Do you want to forge meaningful connections with colleagues across campus? Do you wonder how to support conversations across differences among students? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, consider participating in Mount Holyoke College’s (MHC) upcoming Intergroup Dialogue (IGD) Workshop on January 20-21, 2026 from 8:30 am–4:30 pm, in Willits Conference Center.

What is IGD?

Intergroup Dialogue (IGD) is a nationally recognized academic, credit-bearing program that originated at the University of Michigan (UM) in 1988; its primary goal is to support faculty/staff/student learning and competencies around conflict and inter- and intra-group relations across a range of social identities.

The Workshop: Foundations of Intergroup Dialogue

The workshop is designed for Mount Holyoke staff and faculty invested in building their fluency for learning how to communicate more effectively across markers of difference in the classroom and in co-curricular programming. Dr. Kristie Ford (Director of the Intergroup Dialogue Center and Professor of CRPE & Sociology) and Dr. Molly Keehn (Intergroup Dialogue Center Consultant) will facilitate the two-days, which will be both theoretical and experiential – emphasizing learning by doing. Participants will learn about foundational work related to IGD theory and pedagogy and engage in personal self-reflective exercises that illustrate dialogic pedagogy.

NOTE: A follow-up workshop, Training to Facilitate IGD, will take place on May 14-15, 2026.

Space is limited; please apply using our form by December 1, 2025. Confirmation emails will be sent out by December 12, 2025.

Questions?
Contact Kristie Ford: kford@mtholyoke.edu.