Hybrid Event: Can We Talk? – Oct 15

Posted by Drexel University on September 15, 2026

Please join us for an intercampus Can We Talk? (CWT?) event at 7 PM, Thursday, October 15, hosted by Drexel University at The Lindy Center for Civic Engagement, Drexel University, 3210 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA, but open via Zoom to students anywhere in North America.

The Can We Talk? initiative began at Penn in 2017.  Since then, it has gathered more than 1,700 students and faculty, from more than 40 colleges, for structured, moderated, small-group discussions on the most pressing issues facing Gen Z.   Students have called it “eye-opening,” “refreshing,” “invigorating” and “the best political conversation I ever had.”  In surveys, they’ve rated its value to them as 8.3 on a scale of 10.

Students and their professors can sign up to participate in the October 15 event here.

Here’s how CWT? rolls: The event lasts two hours. First, we explain to the students our concept of “the brave space,” a setting where you should expect to hear – and consider fairly – unfamiliar or differing ideas from others in your breakout group. What keeps the brave space civil and productive are the 9 Can We Talk? ground rules and the work of our trained moderators. (Many of them are Gen Z’ers who a few years ago were themselves nervous students attending their first dialogue.) Students have told us they find the ground rules both surprising and potentially useful in class, around campus, at home and at work.

Most of the session is spent in moderated breakout groups bringing together students from multiple colleges, discussing the social, political and economic issues that will shape their futures. We don’t duck any topics. In this pre-midterms event, we expect to discuss things like career prospects, immigration, AI and data centers, Iran, democratic socialism, corruption, ICE and trans athletes.

Many college professors have gotten good results offering extra credit to students who participate, then write a short paper on their experience. The more colleges, viewpoints and backgrounds that are represented in the breakout rooms, the richer the conversation becomes. Student evaluations consistently tell us one of the best things about CWT? is the chance to meet and talk with students they wouldn’t encounter any other way.

Once students register, they’ll get emails from us explaining the format and sharing links to background articles on the issues we’ll discuss. On the form, students get a chance to propose topics. The final list of prompts is developed in consultation with our partners in the initiative: the Drexel student government and the university’s Lindy Center for Civic Engagement.

We do hope you’ll share this invitation and opportunity with your students. We sincerely believe the ability to talk, listen, disagree and deliberate productively is as important to their future success – and as hard to learn – as any other subject in your institution’s curriculum.

Any questions or concerns, please feel free to share them with Chris Satullo, Cofounder and director, Can We Talk?, at csatullo@gmail.com or 610-828-6935.

Informational flyer.