Eight students selected for Intercollegiate Civil Disagreement Partnership

Students learn how to navigate political conversations amid strong polarization

By California State University, Bakersfield

November 6^th, 2025

Eight students from California State University, Bakersfield have been selected to participate in the Intercollegiate Civil Disagreement Partnership (ICDP) this year.

The ICDP is a program that trains students to navigate challenging political and cultural conversations and reduce polarization through civil dialogue. Fellows receive training, engage in conversations within the fellows group and interact with speakers, students and faculty from different universities.

Representing CSUB for the 2025-26 academic year are: Kira Beaudin, Nelson Diaz, Zaina Farraj, Maria Andino De Gonzalez, Jessica Killmer, Karla Rivera, Erin Rowley and Miché Simmons.

“We have a fantastic group of six new and two continuing ICDP student fellows this year,” said KIE Interim Director Dr. Nate Olson. “They came back from our summer retreat with great energy and ideas for organizing conversations across political and social differences on our campus. These kinds of conversations are critically important in our society today.”

The ICDP fellows have each received a $1,000 honorarium for participating in the program, which is led by a consortium of six colleges and universities: CSUB’s Kegley Institute of Ethics (KIE), Stanford University, DePauw University in Indiana, Harvard University in Massachusetts, St. Philip’s College in Texas and Santa Fe College in Florida.

Earlier this year, CSUB was awarded a three-year $500,000 grant from Wake Forest University’s Educating Character Initiative that provides more support for the ICDP program.

The funding will help expand the reach of ICDP, both at currently participating institutions and through partnerships with other institutions. It will also support the development and refinement of training resources that educators and students can use.

Philosophy major Karla Rivera said she wanted to join ICDP out of an interest of bringing philosophy to political conversations.

“I think it is more necessary than ever to examine where our values, beliefs and biases come from, especially given the rise of anti-intellectualism and the attack on the arts and humanities that we are seeing,” she said. “Through ICDP, I hope to bring recognition to my department and show that the arts and humanities are central to political discussion.”

Political science major Zaina Farraj is excited about the ICDP fellowship and believes it will help prepare her for a future legal career.

“I’m continuously seeking new opportunities to engage with diverse perspectives and sharpen my communication skills. I believe fostering the ability to facilitate cordial discussions regardless of the topic is extremely important,” she said. “I’m extremely grateful to have been selected for the ICDP fellowship and I am looking forward to enhancing my skills in these areas as our cohort continues through the year!”