A new student-led organization, BridgeUSA, has been established at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) to promote political engagement and civil discourse among students. Founded in August 2023, the group aims to empower students to participate in political discussions and encourage voter participation in upcoming elections.
BridgeUSA operates under a multi-partisan framework, emphasizing the importance of reducing political polarization. With a national membership of 300,000, the VCU chapter seeks to grow and establish a presence on campus.
Initially founded at UC Berkeley in 2017, BridgeUSA has expanded to various universities across the country by 2026, positioning itself as a platform for students to engage in constructive political dialogue.
Lauren Zuber, a second-year student and secretary of BridgeUSA at VCU, expressed the organization’s commitment to enhancing political literacy through structured debates. “We promote political literacy among college students and campuses through debates,” Zuber said.
Co-president Killian Korchnak emphasized the need for greater understanding among people to facilitate progress. “We want to bring a solution where we can all move forward and hopefully have a positive outcome,” Korchnak stated.
Fellow co-president Erica Powell described the group’s discussions as akin to a Socratic seminar, where the goal is to engage in dialogue without a definitive right or wrong answer. “It’s a good way to learn more if you want to challenge your own thoughts,” she said. “It’s also a good space to just meet people and hear different perspectives.”
According to the organization’s website, BridgeUSA aims to foster “a thriving US democracy where leaders and citizens engage in respectful, productive dialogue.”
To facilitate respectful discussions, the club sets specific guidelines for debates, including addressing ideas rather than individuals, maintaining silence while someone is speaking, representing personal views, and encouraging participants to listen to understand rather than to respond. This approach allows students to practice essential skills for engaging in political life.
Efforts are ongoing to raise awareness about BridgeUSA at VCU and to build its membership. Interested students can stay updated on events and activities by following @bridgeusa_vcu on Instagram.
