I aimed to understand the experiences of college students who engage in conversations about socio-political issues with students who differ from them politically. In fall 2023, a pilot group of 47 UWEC students volunteered to participate in the Unify America’s College Bowl. In the College Bowl, students engage in an online, guided political conversation with a student from another university who differs from them in political affiliation. In spring 2024, Dr. Bleske-Rechek conducted a randomized controlled trial in which she surveyed students at three time points over the semester; at mid-semester, one group of students was assigned to participate in the College Bowl while a control group was tasked with watching a neutral video. I thematically analyzed the content of students’ open-ended responses about their College Bowl experience. Students’ open-ended responses were overwhelmingly positive. Students commonly mentioned having respectful conversation partners, finding common ground, and learning new perspectives. These findings suggest that although many students may be anxious about engaging with people who differ from them politically, a guided conversation such as that provided by Unify America has the potential to facilitate productive and thoughtful interactions.
