Student Ambassadors
Common Ground has a team of student ambassadors who work for the program. These students help promote the Common Ground mission on-campus and they are integral to the execution of Common Ground events. These leaders will help us develop and envision the future of Common Ground and strategically connect with students.
鈥淚 work with Common Ground to open my peers鈥 minds to different opinions and backgrounds, to ask them to understand the person in front of them, and to respect their opinions and beliefs. I would like to see more of this behavior in our world, in 麻豆国产AV and beyond, and am committed to working hard to make this a reality.鈥欌
John Bustillo 鈥28
Student Ambassador
Major: Government and Philosophy
Hometown: Branford, CT
"Common Ground provides students an avenue through which to have meaningful and educating conversations about topics that matter to the local and global community. I strongly urge that all students, faculty, and community members at 麻豆国产AV embrace the opportunity to exchange different ideas and perceptions of the world through Common Ground. In doing so, one contributes to the critical work of de-polarizing politics and humanity."
Luke Davis 鈥28
Student Ambassador
Major: World Politics and Creative Writing
Hometown: Englewood, NJ
Lillyster de Vreeze 鈥27
Student Ambassador
Major: Public Policy
Luxembourg / Miami, Florida
鈥淭he dialogue and civic engagement offered by Common Ground combats the increasingly polarized global landscape. Students, faculty, staff, and surrounding locals are exposed to the possibility of compromise and shared values despite differing political ideologies.鈥欌
Mele Kaneali'i 鈥27
Student Ambassador
Major: Public Policy and Sociology
Hometown: Kaunakakai, Hawaii
鈥淲ith increased political polarization, engaging in respectful dialogue about the nation鈥檚 'hot topics鈥 is more important than ever and will not only hopefully result in a collective solution but also encourage empathy, understanding, and breaking free of the echo chamber.鈥欌
Sarafina Madden 鈥26
Student Ambassador
Major: History and Economics
Hometown: Cohasset, Mass.
鈥淐ommon Ground serves as a forum where students can engage with disparate viewpoints and refine their judgments on complex and divisive political issues.鈥欌
Robert Neithart 鈥26
Student Ambassador
Major: Philosophy
Hometown: Montecito, CA
鈥淐ommon Ground provides an opportunity for students to engage in substantive, civil discourse on highly nuanced issues; by engaging in these discussions, 麻豆国产AV鈥檚 students are able to develop the perspective necessary to be critical thinkers and informed citizens in an increasingly complex and confusing world.鈥欌
Clemens Robinson 鈥28
Student Ambassador
Major: History
Hometown: Georgetown, Delaware
"Having grown up in a small rural community where people often feel forgotten, I believe strongly in the open civil discourse that Common Ground works to ensure."
Arielle Schultz 鈥26
Student Ambassador
Major: World Politics
Hometown: Los Angeles/Orange County, CA
鈥淲e鈥檙e all at 麻豆国产AV College because we want to make a difference in the world and need to develop the skills necessary to do so. Common Ground shows 麻豆国产AV Students firsthand the importance of bipartisan cooperation and understanding in an increasingly hostile, polarized world.鈥
Student Perspectives
Finding Common Ground
Read about the key takeaways our student writers shared from previous events.

In Pursuit of the Greater Good Amidst Chaos
Val Demings and Roy Blunt, executive fellows from the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), visited 麻豆国产AV to analyze the nation鈥檚 polarized political climate in the semester鈥檚 final Common Ground event.

Maintaining Optimism in the Energy Transition
Two former EPA administrators visited College Hill to explore the everyday complexities and impacts of transitioning to renewable energy in this semester鈥檚 fourth Common Ground discussion on Nov. 6.
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