During the week of Fall Break (October 27-31), 18 Grinnell College students successfully completed the Peace Studies Program-sponsored mediation training.


During the week, students learned how to conduct a successful mediation as well as skills needed by any successful mediator. These skills included active listening, bias identification, and awareness of emotions. Most students' favorite activity was the five mediation role plays which allowed every participant to practice being a mediator, a party in a conflict, and an observer.


All students left the training excited about the possibilites of mediation. The students hope to start a mediation group on campus to facilitate role plays for mediators, raise awareness about mediation on campus, and lobby for the creation of a student mediation program on Grinnell's campus.