Cooper Conversations

Cooper Conversations, facilitated by University Honors Program students, aim to bring together community leaders with Honors students for regular, meaningful conversations about important, if difficult, issues. This venue gives students access to important community partners to help them grow their success networks while allowing community partners to connect with some of UNL’s best and brightest students. These community conversations draw on national models and engage experts in effective dialogue and cross-cultural communication.

Each conversation focuses on an important topic related to community building and civic engagement, tied to the annual theme of the E. N. Thompson Forum on World Issues. These conversations further the goals of the Honors Program, specifically helping students develop 21^st century skills and mindsets that will make them ready for an uncertain, globalized world. For each conversation, the Honors Program and its campus partners invite community leaders to gather with undergraduate students while engaging in authentic conversations about relevant current topics.

The Cooper Foundation offers financial support for Cooper Conversations and for the E. N. Thompson Forum on World Issues. Since 1934, the Cooper Foundation has invested in the people of Nebraska through its mission to support strong, sustainable organizations, innovative ideas, and ventures of significant promise.