Marist College hosted scholars Dr. Nicholas Longo and Dr. Timothy Shaffer on November 10 for a community forum focused on promoting democratic engagement and civil discourse. The event, titled Creating Space for Democracy, was part of the college’s ongoing Making Space series and brought together students, faculty, and staff at the O’Shea Lecture Hall in the Dyson Center.
Dr. Longo, Professor of Global Studies at Providence College, and Dr. Shaffer, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Chair of Civil Discourse at the University of Delaware, shared their expertise in civic engagement and conflict resolution with attendees. Addressing the importance of dialogue across differences, Dr. Longo stated: “The question we need to ask is: How can campuses create spaces for practicing democracy? Because if we don’t learn to talk with folks and across lines of difference, we’ll never build a true sense of belonging.”
Dr. Shaffer added: “We need to be able to talk to each other — but civic engagement is more than just talking. It’s about how we interact, how we connect within our mediated public square.”
Both scholars are co-authors of “Creating Space for Democracy” and regularly speak with college audiences nationwide about democratic participation.
Dr. Edward Antonio, Vice President for Community and Belonging at Marist College, emphasized the significance of hosting these discussions on campus: “Marist has embraced the Making Space series as a signature program for educating citizenship, making dialogue, storytelling, and engagement across differences central to preparing students for a complex world,” he said. “In a short time, we’ve become a thought leader, hosting nationally recognized voices and even creating a one-credit course on dialogue. At a time of deep polarization, Marist is modeling how the practice of dialogue can serve as a powerful, countercultural response.”
Student participants highlighted the impact such events have had on their education and sense of connection within the campus community.
Christopher DeVizio ’27 commented: “One thing that stood out to me was the overall turnout for the event—a completely full room of students, faculty, and staff—which emphasized both the institutional commitment to civic dialogue and the community’s strong appetite for these conversations at Marist… For a democracy to function effectively, individuals who disagree must be able to come together and forge common ground and understanding.”
Noelle Stamm ’26 noted: “Programs like this are essential for students’ growth and preparation for life beyond college… Without spaces for these conversations, students can feel detached or apathetic toward issues that influence our communities and society as a whole.”
Earlier in the day leading up to the forum discussion session with students—the two visiting scholars facilitated an interactive workshop attended by faculty members from various departments at Marist College where they discussed practical strategies regarding engaging in meaningful conversations across divides using real-world examples.
Launched in 2023 as part of an initiative developed after Marist participated in a national institute dedicated to bridging divisions among campus groups—the Making Space series aims to encourage respectful conversation around challenging topics through structured programming.
Reflecting on this latest installment—its fifteenth since inception—Dr. James Snyder (Dean for Academic Engagement) remarked: “I’m thrilled that we were able to bring Drs. Longo and Shaffer to campus to explore engaged dialogue with us as a community… Dialogue across difference is one of the most important skills students can build in college as they navigate their lives together. It is equally essential to their future careers and to living a life well-lived.”
According to Dr. Antonio: “Attendance at the Making Space events has been extraordinary, reflecting Marist’s deep commitment to dialogue storytelling—and engagement across differences… This level of participation shows that these practices are not add-ons but central to our mission of improving the world through education.”
