In the News: Get curious. Join the conversation. Shape the future
The Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs is Colby’s hub for politics, policy, and the press. We bring influential leaders, policymakers, activists, journalists, and innovative thinkers to connect the Colby community to public affairs through our In The News program.
In the News is built around one idea: strong democracies depend on strong conversations. At Colby, it’s become a pillar of civic life—a weekly space where students practice curiosity, sharpen their questions, and learn to engage thoughtfully with real disagreement.
Each Wednesday, students gather for food and an hour-long, Q&A-style discussion with journalists, politicians, and policymakers. Students show up in force and lead the experience, shaping the questions and the tone. This fall, an average of 140 students attended each program, carrying the conversation back into classrooms, dorms, and dining halls.
What Your Gift Supports:
- The highest-quality speakers in journalism, government, and policy, including the voices working at the center of today’s news
- Exposure to perspectives students may not otherwise encounter, along with practice engaging difference with curiosity and rigor
- Civic discourse in practice in a time when many public conversations reward conflict over curiosity
- Ongoing campus dialogue that extends beyond any single event, fostering a culture, not just an event series
- Foundational leadership skills beyond Colby, including listening, questioning, and advocating thoughtfully in public
“This program has really encouraged me to think about the different perspectives across the political spectrum, and it has pushed me to engage with speakers I disagree with, and develop skills of patience and communication.” —In the News Student Attendee
“In the News connects the entire campus together and I’ve loved to be a part of that connection.” —In the News Student Attendee
This is about more than funding a program. It’s about building common ground. In a polarized moment, In the News helps Colby model a stronger kind of community through student-led dialogue that makes disagreement survivable and keeps people engaged. When you give, you join the supporters helping this culture reach every corner of campus.
Thank you for believing in this work. Make a gift to In the News and help sustain a culture of dialogue at Colby.
