From their very first semester on campus, students at Claremont McKenna College are immersed in a culture of “self-authorship,” where all students are encouraged to define their own narratives. Across departments, students are taught skills like active listening, self-reflection, thoughtful questioning, conflict resolution, and how to differentiate between dialogue and debate, with the hope that they will wield these skills for life.
With 97% of students living on the school’s California campus, CMC emphasizes the importance of creating a place where everyone belongs and contributes. The school’s Fireside Chats program is one way of driving home that message. These relaxed, intimate events bring together groups of 15 students, plus a student facilitator, to have complex conversations over s’mores and by firelight. Student facilitators set the agenda, selecting topics that are campus- specific or socio-political enough to invite some challenge and smoothing potential tension with simple approaches to keep the mood inviting, like offering snacks.
By weaving the value of productive conversation into the school’s cultural fabric from day one, CMC and its student body have co-created a culture where young people actually want to talk about the tough stuff. When Charlie Kirk was assassinated in 2025, students proactively requested opportunities to talk it through—a powerful example of internal motivation to participate in dialogue, and a signal that purposeful programming leads to sustained investment. CMC rose to the occasion, with multiple on-campus programs coming together to create spaces for students of all backgrounds at a time when national tensions were high.
Claremont McKenna College is part of Campuswide Immersion where campuses are working to reach every student, not just those who opt-in. See more examples in Motivation Matters: From student interest to civic action.
