Finding Common Ground
Picture via the University of Dayton
Lacy Armstrong | Opinions Editor
As students return to the University of Dayton for the start of another academic year, campus organizations are once again preparing to welcome new members. Throughout the initial weeks of the semester, students will find many opportunities to become involved in nearly every aspect of campus life. For some, that may mean attending a meeting organized by the College Democrats or College Republicans. Others may take part in activities through the Human Rights Center or the Brook Center, join the Student Government Association, or get involved with groups dedicated to service, sustainability, or community leadership. Although these organizations pursue different missions and often advocate for different approaches, each reflects a shared desire to improve the campus, the Dayton community, or society more broadly.
The start of the academic year is traditionally a time of exploration. Students look for organizations that reflect their passions, connect them with new communities, and provide opportunities to make a meaningful contribution. Although political organizations often receive the greatest public attention, civic engagement encompasses far more than just partisan involvement. It includes volunteering, community service, advocacy, public discussions, educational initiatives, and leadership, all of which play a vital role in shaping informed and engaged citizens. More importantly, these different forms of engagement reveal that students often share many of the same concerns, even when they disagree on the methods to tackle those issues.
Universities have long served as places for students to grow both academically and civically. Higher education encourages students to explore diverse ideas, engage with complex social issues, and reflect on how they might contribute to the greater good. At the University of Dayton, a multitude of organizations and initiatives provide these opportunities, each inviting students to get involved in public life in various ways.
At first, the variety among these organizations may appear to reflect the political divisions that often shape national conversations. College Republicans and College Democrats promote contrasting political ideologies. Human rights groups may focus on issues that differ from those prioritized by other advocacy groups. Service groups often approach community challenges from yet another perspective. However, beneath these differences lies an important observation. Students who choose different organizations are often motivated by the same underlying concerns. Whether students are drawn to College Democrats, College Republicans, the Human Rights Center, the Brook Center, or another campus organization entirely, many are asking similar questions about affordability, opportunity, justice, security and the future of their communities. What often differs is not the issue itself, but the solution they believe is most effective.
Issues such as the cost of higher education, access to healthcare, economic opportunity, public safety, artificial intelligence and the future of democracy continue to shape conversations among members of Gen Z. These concerns are not confined to a single political ideology. Rather, they are recognized by many students, regardless of political affiliation, as important. The differences often arise not in recognizing these challenges, but in determining how they should be addressed. For example, a student concerned with the cost of higher education might join a political group that advocates for policy changes. Another student may choose to tutor local students through a community engagement program, believing educational opportunity begins with direct service. Although their approaches differ, each is responding to the same underlying concern, that is, expanding educational opportunity.
This distinction is crucial for understanding civic engagement. Public discourse often emphasizes disagreements, particularly during election cycles or periods of heightened political tension. News coverage tends to highlight ideological conflict, leading to the perception that young people are becoming increasingly divided. Although disagreement undoubtedly exists, it can obscure the reality that many students share common values and aspirations. A desire for affordable education, economic stability, personal security, thriving communities and meaningful opportunities for future generations crosses many political boundaries. The debate often revolves around the best methods to reach these shared goals rather than on the goals themselves.
The University of Dayton offers a unique environment in which these conversations can take place. Students from various backgrounds, beliefs, and political views coexist in residence halls, classrooms, student groups, and service opportunities. These exchanges allow individuals not only to advocate for their own beliefs but also to understand the reasoning behind the perspectives of others. Civic engagement, therefore, becomes more than participation in political groups. It becomes a process of learning to engage respectfully with ideas that may challenge one’s own beliefs.
This broader understanding of civic engagement reflects the mission of higher education itself. Universities are not intended simply to impart knowledge, but to cultivate informed citizens capable of participating in democratic society. Organizations across campus contribute to this mission in different ways, demonstrating that civic engagement is defined not by a single ideology or method of participation but by a collective commitment to improving society.
Students will inevitably choose different paths for becoming involved on campus. Some will dedicate their time to political organizations, while others may focus on service, advocacy, research or leadership. These choices reflect a wide range of beliefs and priorities. Yet the variety of organizations at the University of Dayton also reveals something easily overlooked in today’s political climate. Many students, despite approaching issues from different philosophical and political perspectives, are responding to the same fundamental questions about justice, opportunity, community and the future they hope to build.
Perhaps the most meaningful measure of civic engagement is not whether students reach the same conclusions, but whether they remain willing to engage thoughtfully with one another in pursuit of the common good. In a time when national conversations frequently emphasize division, the start of a new academic year serves as a reminder that meaningful civic participation begins not with political identities or the organizations we choose to join, but with a shared willingness to confront the issues that affect our communities. We often define ourselves by our political labels or campus affiliations. However, the more important question is not where we begin, but what we hope to accomplish. If this new academic year inspires students to engage with one another before making assumptions about one another’s beliefs, then civic engagement at the University of Dayton will have fulfilled one of its most important purposes.