Intergroup Dialogue Educational Model

Intergroup Dialogue (IGD) is a nationally recognized social justice program bringing together community members from diverse social identities in a cooperative, small-group learning environment to train in the skills and competencies to interact productively with others.

IGD originated at the University of Michigan as a means to support learning and competencies around inter- and intra-group relations, conflicts, and social justice across a range of social identities.

Student Opportunities

Earn hours toward physical education credit through IGD programming.

Depending on the semester, Intergroup Dialogue programming will be offered and count towards PHED credit.

Student Train-the-Trainer Workshop

The Intergroup Dialogue workshops are aimed at student leaders and students interested in learning how to foster facilitator reflection, development, and growth; to build skills through the practice of InterGroup Dialogue activities, and learn about resources for continued growth and skill-building. Students learn tools for navigating differences and conflicts while enhancing their leadership skills.

For information about upcoming workshops, email igd@colgate.edu.

Faculty and Staff Opportunities

Train-the-Trainer Workshop* | January 14 - 15, 2025

*Two-day workshop for faculty and staff who have completed the 2-day experiential workshop.

This Intergroup Dialogue Train-the-Trainer is designed as a second stage of IGD Training. Train-the-Trainer (TtT) focuses on the facilitation of structured intergroup dialogue processes, which involve skills in community building, group dynamics, intergroup communication and reflection, group observation, and conflict intervention. This workshop aims to foster facilitator reflection, development, and growth.

The TtT is intended for staff and faculty who wish to develop their facilitation skills and who are broadly interested in bringing more dialogue to our Colgate community, whether that be in the classroom or any context of facilitated dialogue among groups of students, staff, and/or faculty.

Caucus/Experiential Workshop | May 12 and 21-22, 2025

Workshop participants should expect to attend a three-hour preparatory caucus from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on May 12, and two days at the ALANA Cultural Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 21–22. This is a highly interactive experience with pre-session reading assignments and large- and small-group activities. Lunch will be provided for the caucus; lunch and a selection of light snacks, coffee, and tea will be provided for the two-day training.

Sustained Dialogue Sessions

Sustained Dialogue is a consistent process where people explore hot topics while simultaneously building connections in which a safe space and continuous personal growth can happen by focusing on transformational and in-depth conversations and putting strategies from IGD stages 3 and 4 into use.
(Nicole Carvell & Rachel Amann-Burns, 2022)

Faculty and staff who have completed the Experiential Workshop meet throughout the school year to discuss hot topics. Individuals participating in the workshop can sign up to lead a dialogue with a partner and prepare a hot topic of their choice. This continues to build facilitation and active listening skills, while practicing navigating difficult conversations.

Enroll in an IGD course

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