Jarvis Christian University Receives Bridging the Gap Award from Interfaith America
Jarvis Christian University is honored to be selected as a recipient of the Bridging the Gap award from Interfaith America, a national initiative dedicated to equipping students and educators with the skills needed to engage constructively across deep social, ideological, and cultural divides. Bridging the Gap is designed to foster meaningful dialogue, empathetic listening, and bridge-building practices that prepare students to navigate a polarized society with confidence and compassion.
The award comes with significant funding aimed at expanding programming that equips Jarvis student leaders with intentional tools for inclusive leadership and constructive engagement. This support will enable the University to implement workshops, trainings, and co-curricular opportunities focused on developing capacities such as active listening, storytelling, and conflict navigation—skills foundational to building community unity and respectful dialogue both on campus and beyond.
Dr. Kishia C. James, Vice President of Student Affairs at Jarvis Christian University, emphasized the transformative potential of this recognition. She noted that the Bridging the Gap award will significantly enhance the University’s ability to prepare student leaders who can lead across difference with empathy and understanding.
“This award affirms Jarvis Christian University’s long-standing commitment to nurturing students not just academically, but as thoughtful, compassionate leaders,” Dr. James said. “The funding from Interfaith America will allow us to equip our student leaders with critical bridge-building skills that deepen their capacity to listen, engage, and lead in a diverse and complex world.”
Dr. James also highlighted how the initiative aligns with the University’s mission to educate the head, heart, and hand. She shared that students will benefit from experiential learning opportunities where they can practice constructive engagement across a range of perspectives and community partnerships.
Interfaith America’s Bridging the Gap program has grown nationally as a model for cultivating bridge-building skills among college students. The initiative emphasizes a curriculum and experiential engagements that help participants understand and work across difference without compromising deeply held values. Campuses implementing Bridging the Gap report positive impacts on student confidence in dialogue, empathy development, and community connectedness. Interfaith America
For Jarvis Christian University, an institution historically committed to fostering inclusive excellence and servant leadership, the Bridging the Gap award reinforces the importance of preparing graduates to serve not only as professionals but as civic leaders rooted in empathy and mutual respect. As the University integrates these bridge-building practices into student leadership development, Dr. James expressed excitement about the long-term impact of the program.
“We are committed to empowering our students to be the kind of leaders who can bring people together with respect and understanding,” she added. “This initiative will help our student leaders embody those principles as they make meaningful contributions to their communities and to society at large.”
Jarvis Christian University looks forward to sharing updates on how Bridging the Gap funding is used to expand leadership development and intergroup engagement experiences that reflect the values at the heart of the University’s mission.