Housed within Ohio Wesleyan University’s Smith Center for Faculty Excellence, the Constructive Dialogue Institute (CDI) program equips faculty and students alike with practical tools for navigating difficult conversations, practicing reflective listening, and connecting across difference — capacities OWU sees as foundational to belonging, agency, and purpose.

The initiative is integrating CDI principles and frameworks into courses and general education seminars, developing micro-credentials to recognize student and staff expertise in constructive dialogue and inclusive teaching, and building faculty learning communities to advance inclusive pedagogy across disciplines. A steering committee ensures that CDI values are woven into the broader fabric of campus initiatives rather than siloed as a standalone program. OWU views this work as inseparable from its commitment to student flourishing: when students learn to engage across difference with curiosity and good faith, they develop stronger relationships, a clearer sense of their own voice, and a greater capacity to contribute to the communities they will join after graduation.