The Unify Challenge College Bowl: A Student Reflection

As I approach the midpoint of my final year at the University of South Florida, a five-year journey in obtaining a bachelor’s degree in business management, and a master’s in business administration, I’m still occasionally asked how my time in high school prepared me for post-secondary opportunities. Although it was some time ago, being a member of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at my high school was a rewarding experience, especially in learning skills that have withstood the test of time, let alone many unprecedented and unforeseen events that have taken place over the last few years. Overall, the skill of critical thinking has been the most valuable in understanding how to approach something objectively, and reach a conclusion that makes sense, and hopefully aims to create positive outcomes.

Unfortunately, it’s obvious that critical thinking, especially as it relates to problem solving, is not present in many spaces today. All around us, whether virtually or in-person, it seems harder to have a meaningful discussion on issues of policy without causing anger in the process. Although this issue is complex, a contributing factor stems from the fact of not being able to comprehend another perspective that challenges one’s own viewpoint. Instead of a policy-oriented discussion that sticks to facts, oftentimes the discussion will veer off into name calling and personal insults which only create more division, and don’t get us any closer to solving some of the real challenges we face today.

Unfortunately, these experiences are ones that I’ve faced firsthand, and when speaking with friends, neighbors, and colleagues who share similar situations, it’s clear that something must be done to create togetherness, reduce the “my way or the highway” thought process, and ultimately allow for consensus building which can lead to tangible actions which make a positive impact. Like with any massive challenge, incivility will not be eliminated overnight, but rather small steps can be implemented to empower others to engage in civil practices, which will lead to significant change with time.

In my own personal research on solutions to create togetherness, I discovered Unify America, which has the simple goal of creating spaces to challenge perspectives, while brainstorming how solutions can be found. In September, I participated in Unify’s College Bowl which aims to bring students together who may have differing viewpoints to openly talk about our biggest problems, and what common-sense solutions look like. Now, it must be acknowledged that there was no livestream, moderated debate, or pre planned talking points, meaning there was no theatrics and no show, but rather a constructive dialogue. Reflecting on my conversation, I was fortunate to meet a fellow student interested in civic engagement where we had a thoughtful discussion on some of the current major challenges, and at no point was there yelling or name-calling. Although we did not agree on every issue, we did agree to respect each other’s viewpoints. Having a good understanding of the issues going into the College Bowl definitely aided our conversation but Unify also provided many great guiding prompts throughout our discussion to ensure critical thinking skills were being practiced in this space.

As the 2024 election draws closer, it’s evident that civility is lacking, but it doesn’t have to be this way, especially in realizing the power we have, to practice civil discourse. Specifically, I’m talking about getting engaged with Unify America, and exploring opportunities in your own community to host town halls and bring together differing perspectives for meaningful and respectful dialogue to understand the issues and realize opportunities to implement change.  Within every community, there are active areas such as centers for civic engagement at universities, local organizations focused on involvement more broadly, and centers for policy creation just to name a few avenues in exploring partnership ideas.

Every person has a voice, and that voice adds value to making our world a better place, and although there may not be agreement on every issue, striving for civility ensures everyone gets a seat at the table, and can collaborate in the consensus building process.