"I Didn’t Have to Change Who I Was to Listen": A Phenomenological Action Research Study Exploring College Students’ Transformative Learning through Bridgebuilding Initiatives as High-Impact Practices in Higher Education

Abstract:

Bridgebuilding programs in higher education create rare spaces where students sit with tension, listen deeply, and engage meaningfully across lines of difference. This study examines how those experiences shape student transformation. Guided by Jack Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory, I conducted a qualitative phenomenological study to understand how participation in structured, skills-based bridgebuilding programs shapes students’ beliefs, assumptions, and sense of identity through their lived experiences. I interviewed fourteen students who participated in leadership programming centered on dialogue across differences, and their narratives consistently reflect key phases of transformative learning. Students move through discomfort, reflect on prior assumptions, and apply new perspectives in real-world contexts. They describe becoming more comfortable with difficult conversations, not because they always agree, but because they learn to stay present and engaged. Several recount moments when someone’s story challenged expectations and prompted deeper reflection. Others speak to building trust with people they never expected to connect with or to find words for beliefs they once struggled to express. Many apply what they learn through leadership, friendships, or everyday interactions. These findings suggest that dialogue supports personal growth and strengthens relational connection when rooted in structure and skill. The experience cultivates empathy, clarity, and confidence that students carry beyond the program. When designed with care and purpose, bridgebuilding is a high-impact practice that advances student development, civic formation, and pluralism. Such efforts are especially critical in a post-DEI climate as institutions seek new ways to foster belonging, mutual understanding, and community.

ZOOM LINK: https://zoom.us/j/4023055471?omn=95218044546

THIS EVENT WILL BE HELD BOTH ONLINE AND IN-PERSON IN K324.