ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan’s Program on Intergroup Relations, Conflict and Community (IGRCC) has been recognized by President Clinton’s Initiative on Race as one of 14 “Promising Practices” that successfully bridge racial divides in communities across America.

IGRCC is one of two programs in higher education highlighted by the White House. A description of IGRCC and the other “Promising Practices” appears on the Web site for the Initiative for Race (www.whitehouse.gov/Initiatives/OneAmerica)“.
Founded by faculty members at the U-M in 1988 during a time of heightened racial tension on campus, IGRCC provides students from different backgrounds with the opportunity to come together for intergroup dialogues.

“The dialogues are facilitated by trained undergraduate students and focus on cross-racial and cross-cultural interaction. Through the dialogues, participants learn how to work and communicate across differences and deal with conflict constructively,” said Teresa Graham Brett, co-director of the program. The dialogues are offered on a wide range of issues such as “People of Color and White People,” “Latinos and Latinas,” “Blacks and Jews,” and “Latinos and Blacks.”

In addition to intergroup dialogues, the program offers a series of first-year seminars, training programs for student facilitators and workshops on current issues. “We are honored to be cited by the President’s Initiative on Race,” said David Schoem, assistant dean, U-M College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, and one of the founders of the program. “This program addresses one of the greatest challenges facing American Society, which is whether we can learn to live and work together and sustain a strong, diverse democracy built upon values of social justice. The students who participate in these activities are well-prepared to be leaders in a diverse nation and a global economy,” he added. “This program is a model for higher education and has already been adapted by several other universities.”

U-M College of Literature, Science, and the ArtsU-M News and Information ServicesUniversity of Michigan