How The Bolles School Is Growing a Culture of Dialogue
A case study of how Bolles is using the Student Intercultural Dialogue Facilitator Certificate to integrate global competence in student life.
The Bolles School, in partnership with the Institute for Global Learning (IGL), has launched a dynamic Intercultural Dialogue initiative that is already transforming how students engage across campus. This week, we celebrated a significant milestone: our first student-led dialogue, facilitated confidently by a freshman, with students in grades 9–12 participating. To keep the experience meaningful, attendance was capped at 20 students. The session was a great success.
Two more dialogues are already planned, and momentum is growing as we expand dialogue practices into even more aspects of school life.
How We Got Here: Building a Foundation for Civil Discourse
At the end of the 2023–24 school year, Bolles identified Civil Discourse as a strategic priority and created a Civil Discourse Task Force. Nearly every member engaged in professional development over the summer:
Four faculty members attended the NAIS Civil Discourse Lab with Close Up and four faculty members attended the NAIS Institute on Intercultural Dialogue with the Institute for Global Learning (then GEBG). I participated in the Institute for global Learning’s summer program for educators in intercultural dialogue in the Balkans, in partnership with Atlas Workshop.
When school resumed, the task force met regularly to share insights, exchange best practices, and explore opportunities to infuse civil discourse and dialogue into everyday school life. Dialogue became central to our work—shaping faculty meetings, guiding professional development, and establishing a shared approach to thoughtful, inclusive communication.
Integrating Dialogue Into the Global Scholars Program
Inspired by the learning that emerged from the Balkans Program, IGL’s model for Intercultural Dialogue became a foundational component of our Global Scholars Program (GSP) curriculum. It is now one of the first skills students learn in the freshman-level GSP course and serves as the backbone of our approach to student-led dialogue.
This Year: Empowering Student Facilitators
This school year represents an important next step. More than 20 GSP students are currently completing the Institute for Global Learning’s Student Intercultural Dialogue Facilitator Certificate, preparing them to lead dialogues throughout the year.
All dialogues will be hosted through the school’s Global Connections Committee. While any student at Bolles may propose a topic, only those pursuing the certification will facilitate sessions.
What’s Next: Growing a Culture of Dialogue
We are currently forming a new leadership group, the Student Intercultural Council. Applications are being reviewed, and selected students will receive in-depth training in Intercultural Dialogue while working closely with our faculty Multicultural Leadership team.
In addition, we are excited to share that two faculty members—Carrie Ezzell and Emily Edmonson—will attend IGL’s February training session.
Carrie Ezzell will advise the new Student Intercultural Council and will help train students in dialogue.
Emily Edmonson, the new faculty advisor to our Student Honor Council, will incorporate dialogue training into that group’s work as well.
Their involvement will significantly expand the reach of dialogue-based leadership on campus.
Looking ahead, our goal for next year is to embed intercultural dialogue into the 9th-grade advisory program, ensuring that every student begins practicing these skills early in their Bolles journey.
A Partnership That Makes This Possible
Everything we are building, from the Global Scholars Program curriculum to student facilitation, leadership development, and new advisory structures, has been made possible through the support, training, and partnership of the Institute for Global Learning.
We are deeply grateful for the Institute for Learning’s guidance and excited for all that is still to come.
