My experiences with dialogue and facilitation while a student at Tufts University, and afterwards with the Civic Science Collective, have been crucial to informing my professional goals as a leader advancing social impact. Most recently, I facilitated professional development programs for federal government professionals through the Partnership for Public Service’s Public Service Leadership Institute. Before that, I produced podcasts for nonprofits highlighting the work of diverse public servants advancing equity and access to transformative federal programs for communities across the country. With each of these roles, I have sought to create learning opportunities where people can engage in dialogue across differences, build empathy, and improve the communities and organizations of which they are a part.
Experiencing Dialogue at Tufts
My journey with dialogue began during my undergraduate coursework in Peace and Justice Studies at Tufts University. In 2018, I enrolled in the “Dialogue and Civic Action” course taught by Professor and Director of the Civic Science Collective, Dr. Jonathan Garlick of the Tufts Schools of Medicine, Dental Medicine and Engineering, and Katie Hyten of Essential Partners. This experience provided me with certification in facilitating Reflective Structured Dialogue and also allowed me to fully experience dialogue as both a participant and a facilitator in training. I gained a deeper appreciation for well-crafted conversations and the power of facilitated dialogue to strengthen relationships, inspire civic engagement, and break down barriers across divides- on both science and societal issues.
Over the semester, I became well-versed in the steps and skills needed to design and facilitate reflective structured dialogue sessions that engage communities regarding divisive topics. By the end of the semester, I was proud to have developed and facilitated a dialogue of my own for members of the Tufts community regarding differences in the student experience related to the implications of inviting or excluding controversial speakers. In practice, the dialogue helped participants move beyond their entrenched positions and recognize the humanity behind differing views. Participants also reported the dialogue’s impact strengthened their capacity to engage constructively with conflict across campus.
I implemented my newly gained skillset of dialogue design and facilitation to create a space that promoted psychological safety for all participants to better understand themselves and listen more deeply to others regarding a challenging issue facing our community at the time. That experience confirmed for me that the goal of dialogue may not be resolving the issue at hand, but guiding people through a process to better understand their own values, and hear the perspectives of others — even without agreement or necessarily reaching a consensus. I continued to serve as a Tufts Dialogue Fellow, through Dr. Garlick’s emerging Civic Science program, facilitating dialogues to support trust-building efforts and inclusive conversations across the university.
Growing as a Facilitator
Through the course, I also gained an invaluable mentor and lifelong friend in Dr. Garlick. After graduating into a challenging, pandemic job market in May of 2020, I reconnected with Dr. Garlick to further pursue my interests in leading dialogue and developing more experience in dialogue design and facilitation. Eventually serving as his Assistant Director of Community Dialogues, I supported the planning and facilitation of over 60 community dialogues among diverse stakeholders, including graduate school departments at Tufts University and civic institutions like the Museum of Science.
We facilitated conversations to help communities navigate the social challenges heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic — from healthcare inequality to racial injustice to political polarization — and to foster inclusive public learning on science, ethics, and equity. Participants in these dialogues described an increased sense of belonging and a greater willingness to engage in difficult conversations. Observing these shifts in viewpoints furthered my passion for designing opportunities for aspiring leaders to learn, reflect, and act on issues that matter most to them. It also illustrated for me that dialogue can be a tool for cultural change, shifting not only individual perspectives, but also the collective capacity of a community or group to understand one another and work together better. These experiences clarified to me the impact that Civic Science could have on both the individuals and communities it is serving.
It also illustrated for me that dialogue can be a tool for cultural change, shifting not only individual perspectives, but also the collective capacity of a community or group to understand one another and work together better.
A major takeaway during this period was realizing that my role as a facilitator was not to be the subject-matter expert on these topics of science. In fact, I realized that having expertise in a STEM-based discipline was not needed to facilitate dialogue on health- or science-related topics. Rather, my task was to amplify the wisdom already present in the room, create the conditions for participants to share their viewpoints and be heard. This insight continues to inform my leadership style and my intention to ensure all voices within a room can emerge and be valued.
Expanding into Organizational Culture
My dialogue journey continued when Dr. Garlick and I developed a series of employee engagement workshops and training modules for Tufts University’s Gordon Institute. These sessions supported university-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts by inviting faculty, staff, and students to explore how power and identity shape workplace dynamics. Partnering closely with Gordon Institute leadership through a dynamic, co-creation process allowed us to identify priority areas of concern. We structured dialogues that fostered open and constructive conversations about challenges facing the school’s faculty and staff during a time of enormous transition and adaptation regarding the hybrid work environment. This work deepened my conviction that strong leadership means creating the conditions for all voices to contribute and be heard, and that investing in dialogue skills can strengthen team culture and collaboration. This initial consulting experience inspired me to continue strengthening my ability to lead groups through processes that transform team dynamics, improve ways of working together, and encourage collective problem-solving.
Looking Ahead
Now, as I pursue an MBA at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, I plan to leverage my dialogue facilitation, relationship-building, and listening skills to expand my understanding of the ways one can make a positive impact through collaboration across sectors. My engagement with the Civic Science Collective showed me that dialogue is not just a tool to use for conversation, but a mindset that shapes how I can lead, connect, and create change. I carry this reminder with me into this next chapter and am committed to creating spaces where every voice has the opportunity to be included and heard.
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Abigail Alpern Fisch is passionate about increasing civic engagement among young people and developing emerging leaders to advance a more inclusive democracy. Her past experiences include communications for policy advocacy nonprofits, community organizing, and leadership development training for government professionals. Currently, Abigail is pursuing her Master’s in Business Administration at the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business to deepen her understanding of how social impact organizations are funded, the diverse stakeholders involved in driving impact through business, and the strategic decisions leaders–especially those in mission-driven organizations–must make to achieve a double bottom line.
Previously, she served as the Assistant Director for Community Dialogues at Tufts University’s Civic Science Collective, designing and facilitating dialogues for the Tufts and Greater Boston community regarding topics related to civic science, racial justice, and belonging.
