Wildcat Dialogues Event at Kansas State University

An Intercultural Leadership Experience

Join all new and first-year K-State students for a night of meaningful dialogue and building connections. The 2024 Wildcat Dialogues will take place 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, in the K-State Student Union.

What participants do

Learn how to create communities of belonging
Build cross-cultural relationships through meaningful dialogue
Engage in active listening, empathy and perspective-taking
Build your skillset to understand cultural differences and similarities

How you’ll use it later

Identify tangible action steps you can take to create a community of belonging for all at K-State.
Recognize the ways in which your cultural and social identities make an impact on how you see and experience the world.
Recognize the ways in which others’ cultural and social identities differ from your own and how they see and experience the world differently, like you.
Demonstrate authentic curiosity and empathy when engaging in meaningful dialogues across difference.

What facilitators do

K-State students, faculty and staff are invited to join us as facilitators. Facilitators help the small groups focus on deliberate conversation to build intentional connections for intercultural learning and leadership development. Training is provided and facilitators will get a free Wildcat Dialogues T-shirt. Training dates are listed on the registration form.

Important Event Details

What to Expect

This is an event for all new students at K-State. You will meet new people, hear student stories, and connect on what it means to belong as part of the K-State community. The evening is a two-hour event with a social at the end where you can grab cookies and a drink and socialize. Plan to eat dinner before you arrive, and feel free to bring a water bottle and a snack if you need one.

Agenda

6:30 p.m. Check-in opens: Arrive to the second floor of the Union early as lines can get long. You will then head into the Student Union Ballroom to find a seat.
7 p.m. Large group presentation: On stage, current K-State students will share their stories about what it means to create a community of belonging as Wildcats. These stories will help shape the discussion and reflection in your small groups.
7:45 p.m. Small groups: Facilitators will guide you and your small group of peers to another location in the Union where you will have a conversation together. Through guided activities and reflection questions, you’ll have the opportunity to share your own story and listen to the stories of your group members.
9 p.m. Social: As your small group wraps up, head to main floor of the Union for cookies, drinks, and the opportunity to connect with others and talk about how the night went.

Students: Share Your Stories

Submit your story for Wildcat Dialogues!

As a feature of this event, a panel of students will be selected to share a public story of their K-State experience. We invite you to consider sharing YOUR K-State story with new Wildcats.

How have your identities, background, and life experience influenced your experience in the K-State community? What has challenged you, stretched your understanding of the world, or helped you to recognize ways in which we could all be a more inclusive K-State family?

Selected students will work with faculty and staff to cultivate leadership, presentation, and storytelling skills. Others may be contacted to share personal experiences as Wildcat Dialogues facilitators and presenters at additional events.

To share your story, complete this short form by Monday, April 22. Students will be contacted by our committee members for additional information. If their stories are selected, they will be guided through a process to prepare for the Wildcat Dialogues event, which includes filming the story by the end of August.

Highlight Your Experience

As a participant or facilitator, you might be thinking about how to best share this development opportunity in professional environments like LinkedIn or on a resume. Get inspired with our examples and download a free badge.

Questions?

Read the FAQs or email Mariya Vaughn at mbjv@ksu.edu or Tamara Bauer at tamara@ksu.edu. View photos from the 2023 event on Facebook.

Wildcat Dialogues

Participants share what you can expect at this event.

What students had to say

"I learned that it’s okay to be yourself. That we all have different identities, experiences, backgrounds, etc. and that it's important to talk about them.”

“Including people goes beyond inclusion. It is also affirming their identity, and making changes to address those needs.”

“Wildcat Dialogues made me more open to learning about people different from myself.”

“This experience helped me come out of my comfort zone.”

Presented in partnership by

This event is coordinated in partnership between the Staley School of Leadership, K-State First, the K-State Student Union, the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, and the Department of Student Belonging and Inclusion, Mortar Board Senior Honor Society, and the DOW Center for Multicultural and Community Studies, alongside a large committee representing students, faculty and staff. This collaboration represents the commitment by our campus community to create a culture of belonging for all.

2024 Committee

More opportunities for intercultural learning

Following the main Wildcat Dialogues event, there will be a series of mini-dialogue opportunities throughout the year for students to attend and engage in the practice of dialogue around specific topics and identities. These events will allow us to continue practicing and engaging in the skills of dialogue as we seek to create a community of belonging for all at K-State.