Student Fellow Spotlight: Lauren Fletcher

By Kayla Johnston and Sadie Webb

In her final year at the University of North Carolina (UNC)–Greensboro, Lauren Fletcher has made a lasting impact as the Lee Barnes Student Fellow with the College Debates and Discourse (CD&D) Alliance. As a double major in English and political science with a concentration in public affairs, Lauren is passionate about fostering dialogue and plans to incorporate this passion into her future career in state government and, eventually, public opinion polling.

For Lauren, working with the CD&D Alliance has been more than just an extracurricular activity—it has been a transformative experience. “I’m getting hands-on experience moderating difficult discussions, many of which center on complex and polarizing issues,” she says. When organizing and promoting CD&D events, she tries to reach as much of her campus as she can and “assure students that we accept any and all ideas and opinions. I’m simply there to help create this forum for the community. Creating a forum where students and communities can learn from each other is something I want to carry into my work wherever I go.”

Before she became a student fellow, Lauren felt that civil discourse and ideological diversity were lacking on her campus. “Political clubs were nonexistent, and on a liberal campus, conservative voices were often shut down,” she recalls. “There was a lot of self-censorship.” In an article she wrote for her campus newspaper last fall, entitled “No Freedom in Free Speech,” Lauren reflected that building a culture of open discourse has not been without challenges.

With political polarization at its highest, freedom of speech and expression on college campuses falls under a microscope. Students continue to fight over ideology, protest guest speakers, and become polarized through encouraging censorship. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro isn’t an exception to this.  

-Lauren Fletcher

After several semesters of debates and workshops, however, she believes that campus culture has shifted significantly. Today, UNC–Greensboro is home to a growing number of political organizations, including College Democrats, College Republicans, and Turning Point USA. “It’s incredible to see students thrive and collaborate despite differing ideologies. There are friends in different clubs, and the number of students interested in speaking out and sharing their views continues to grow,” she says.

One of Lauren’s most memorable moments came while moderating a debate on abortion at UNC–Pembroke, another campus the CD&D Alliance is working with in North Carolina. “I saw a student and a faculty member—on opposite sides of the issue—communicate openly and respectfully,” she recalls. “It was incredible to see someone who identifies as pro-life and someone who declared herself pro-abortion be able to connect both during and after the debate.”

Lauren’s experience in the CD&D Alliance has enriched her personally and, she believes, helped to improve her campus culture. She comments, “There’s always fear of being targeted for holding different opinions. Thankfully, I made strong connections across campus, and once students saw that this was truly an open forum, participation from all ideologies grew. CD&D has helped me grow in confidence, responsibility, and communication. I’ve gained an incredible community, and my own perspectives have broadened.” 

She describes her role as a student fellow in three words: impactful, humbling, exciting. “I grew up surrounded by a single political viewpoint, and since attending college, I’ve had those views challenged. Attending CD&D debates and joining BridgeUSA really helped me in that endeavor. I’ve met some amazing people who I’m honored to call friends and colleagues, and I’m looking forward to watching CD&D expand even after I graduate.”

The CD&D Alliance’s work within the University of North Carolina (UNC) system is supported by a generous grant from the Barnes Family Foundation. Contact Kayla Johnston, program manager, for further information.