Colorado College has relaunched the Democratic Dialogue Project (DDP), a club that aims to bridge the gap between Colorado College students and United States Air Force Academy cadets. The relaunch of DDP is expected to help reduce the military-civilian divide for the next generation of citizens and leaders by facilitating social connections and political debates. The club was created to provide opportunities for interaction between CC students and USAFA cadets in intellectual settings to discuss matters of significance relevant to all citizens. DDP typically begins with a starting discussion question, followed by splitting club members into discussion groups. The club meets every month and holds meetings on both campuses and at coffee shops across town. While many of the sessions are discussion-based, the club also hosts other events such as film screenings and formal debates. The top five most important keywords from the content are the Democratic Dialogue Project, Colorado College, USAFA, civil discourse, and military-civilian divide.
Colorado College Re-Launches Democratic Dialogue Project, Connecting CC and USAFA Students
Colorado College (CC) is re-launching the Democratic Dialogue Project (DDP) that aims to build social connections and political debates between students of CC and the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA). The relaunch of the DDP is expected to reduce the military-civilian divide for the next generation of citizens and leaders.
The DDP club had been a part of CC for several years before its activities were suspended due to COVID-19. However, after attending the Academy Assembly Political Science Conference in 2021, Tom Byron, co-chair of the club, realized the lack of contact between CC students and USAFA cadets. He approached Elizabeth Coggins, associate professor of political science, to organize a program that would bring the two groups together, and learned about the DDP club. With this knowledge, Byron reached out to Coggins, who was part of the original founders of DDP around 2015 with Greg Laski, an associate professor of English at USAFA. They founded the DDP using a Mellon Foundation Grant.
The goal of the DDP is to facilitate early connections between military members and civilians and bridge the gap between civilians and military in the current generation. It aims to create a platform where the two groups can engage in meaningful conversations, both in social and intellectual contexts. The club’s co-chair, Maggie Mixer, believes that the conversations are valuable because they push her to consider perspectives she would not normally think about and to investigate her own beliefs more closely.
According to Coggins, the mission of the DDP is essential in today’s democracy, and she believes in it deeply. The lack of opportunities for CC students and USAFA cadets to interact can result in a lack of genuine understanding between them. The DDP is set to change that by providing a platform for intellectual discussions on matters of significance relevant to all citizens.
The DDP is an essential project that is expected to bridge the gap between civilians and military. With the relaunch of the club, CC and USAFA students have an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations and develop mutual understanding.
Democratic Dialogue Project Encourages Civil Discourse and Engagement Between CC and USAFA Students
The Democratic Dialogue Project (DDP) is a club that connects Colorado College (CC) students and United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) cadets, providing a platform for civil discourse on topics that affect all citizens. The club typically begins with a starting discussion question, such as the extent to which students agree or disagree with student loan forgiveness or how involved the United States should be in Ukraine. Afterward, co-chair of the club Tom Byron and Ashay Stephen, the cadet-in-charge of the DDP at USAFA, will split club members into discussion groups.
Stephen, who is set to graduate from USAFA this year with a double major in philosophy and applied math, emphasizes the importance of DDP in exploring the future roles of military officers in American democracy. According to him, civil discourse between disparate groups is necessary for developing leaders in a republic. He became involved with DDP after realizing the need to break out of his intellectual bubble.
The DDP aims to facilitate conversations between military members and civilians and bridge the gap between the two groups. It provides a unique opportunity for CC students to engage with individuals from different backgrounds and educational environments. While scheduling can be challenging, the club tries to meet every month and holds meetings on both campuses and at coffee shops across town.
In addition to discussion-based sessions, the club also hosts events such as film screenings and formal debates. CC students can join the DDP at any time of the year, and all majors are welcome. According to Maggie Mixer, a co-chair of the club and a political science major, the DDP is a great opportunity for CC students to step out of their bubble and engage with college students with diverse worldviews. She encourages interested individuals to contact her at m_mixer@coloradocollege.edu to join the club.
The DDP is a significant initiative that fosters civil discourse and engagement between CC and USAFA students. By providing a platform for intellectual conversations on matters of significance, the club seeks to reduce the military-civilian divide and create a future generation of citizens and leaders who value mutual understanding and respect.
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