News

“My hope is for a discussion that is more light than heat.” That is how Wall Street Journal editorial board member and Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow Jason Riley described his desired outcome for the upcoming Common Ground event, Affirmative Action - Support, Critiques, and What’s Lost in the Discussion. The moderated four-person panel will be held Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. in the Chapel.

As part of its continuing Common Ground speaker series, Hamilton College is presenting three programs this semester that address significant issues in the news and in our daily conversations. All programs are free and open to the public.

Frankly, Isha Parkhi ’21 was there partly for the food, but she was looking also for more than good Indian take-out at her first meeting of a new student group called Bridge. Its ambitious mission is to foster dialogue across political differences. “That’s a great concept, and we need more conversations,” Parkhi says.

The College has received funding to supplement the series by stimulating discussion of pressing social issues across a wide range of subject areas.

Hamilton community members were transported across party lines on April 11 as Jim Messina, former Deputy Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama, and Reince Priebus, former Chief of Staff to President Donald Trump, engaged in a dialogue surrounding some of the country’s most pressing issues. The event was moderated by Jackie Judd P’14, a veteran journalist and political communications consultant.

Prior to their Common Ground discussion on April 11, Reince Priebus and Jim Messina held a Q&A with Hamilton students. Two government classes were selected to participate in the event. Reince Priebus previously served as chief of staff to President Trump and chair of the Republican National Committee. Jim Messina was the former deputy chief of staff and campaign manager to President Obama.

Jackie Judd, a lifelong journalist who reported for ABC News, NPR, and most recently the PBS NewsHour, will moderate the next installment of Hamilton College’s Common Ground series on Thursday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the Margaret Bundy Scott Field House.

Hamilton is working with public radio's StoryCorps on a new initiative, One Small Step, to solicit community members in the Mohawk Valley and Hamilton students who hold opposing views to participate in a one-hour, facilitated, and recorded conversation to get to know each other a bit as people.

Mark Elias '90, who served as general counsel for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, and Mike Dubke '92, former White House communications director in the Trump administration, engaged in an effort to respond to the increasing political polarization in the country.

Two Hamilton alumni — both highly regarded Washington insiders — will offer their perspectives on bridging the country’s current deep political divide facing the United States and the upcoming midterm elections, among other topics, during a live Q&A on Hamilton’s campus next Saturday, Oct. 27, at 10:30 a.m.