On November 10, Marist College hosted a community forum titled “Creating Space for Democracy,” featuring scholars Dr. Nicholas Longo of Providence College and Dr. Timothy Shaffer of the University of Delaware. The event was part of the college’s ongoing Making Space series, which aims to promote dialogue and civil discourse among students, faculty, and staff.
The forum took place in the O’Shea Lecture Hall at the Dyson Center and was organized by the Office of Community and Belonging, the Interfaith Committee, and the Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs. Attendees gathered to discuss strategies for respectful communication across differing viewpoints.
Dr. Longo addressed how institutions can foster democratic practices: “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 emphasized that civic engagement involves more than conversation: “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 have co-authored a book on this topic and travel nationwide speaking about democratic participation in higher education settings.
Dr. Edward Antonio, Vice President for Community and Belonging at Marist College, noted that bringing these experts to campus offered an important learning opportunity: “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.”
Students attending expressed appreciation for such initiatives at Marist.
Christopher DeVizio ’27 said: “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 added: “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 on November 10th before the public forum began, Drs. Longo and Shaffer led an interactive workshop designed specifically for faculty and staff from various disciplines at Marist College; participants learned practical approaches toward fostering critical thinking skills along with empathy in communication when navigating disagreements.
The Making Space series started in 2023 after Marist participated in a national institute aimed at helping academic communities bridge divisions through structured dialogue programs.
Reflecting on this latest event—its fifteenth installment—Dr. James Snyder stated: “I’m thrilled that we were able to bring Drs. Longo and Shaffer to campus to explore engaged dialogue with us as a community,” adding that such skills are vital not only during college but also throughout life beyond graduation.
Dr. Antonio concluded by saying: “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.”
