publications that have featured us

Share your thoughts about community at ‘Conversations on the Quad’

September 26, 2018 | Emory Report

Student conversation hosts from TableTalk will help facilitate discussions. “Conversations on the Quad” debuted last semester with a discussion of “Building a Culture of Innovation at Emory.” Designed as an updated take on the traditional “Classroom on the Quad” concept, these events pair free-form conversations around designated themes with ongoing social media engagement.

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Addressing the ‘echochamber’: New student group aims to close campus political divide

September 6, 2018 | The GW Hatchet

Ten students are trying to break the ice between students of different political and social beliefs. After registering with the Center for Student Engagement in May, TableTalk GW is planning to host its first event as a student organization Sept. 20. The organization aims to promote open discussion about sensitive topics and mitigate campus polarization – bringing together students who typically would never interact with one another

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“No Agenda Other Than To Bring People Together” Words of Wisdom With Sophie Beren, Founder of TableTalk℠ Global

May 25, 2018 | Thrive Global

I believe that each person who experiences the magic of TableTalk℠ absorbs the “pay it forward” mentality and perhaps unintentionally becomes more open to different perspectives and different types of people in future interactions. Each incredible student leader who I have the pleasure of working with will have their own unique moments in which they are impacting individual people.

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National Week of Conversation: Historic Movement Shatters Partisan Barriers

April 30, 2018 | Independent Voter Network

TableTalk℠ Global held several events in honor of the National Week of Conversation. The TableTalk℠ Penn Chapter, for instance, set up inflatable couches at the University of Pennsylvania where anyone passing by could stop, sit, and meet new people.

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TableTalk℠ brings new discussion with gun violence walk-in

April 26, 2018 | Tulane Hullabaloo

Founded by two students at Emory University in 2013, TableTalk℠ has continued expanding to more universities and high schools across the nation. It is set apart from many discussions-based organizations because of its style of discussion.“We’re trying to create less polarization and more collaboration and a way to do that is through respectful discussion and productive discussion that’s hopefully not politically charged,” Golding said.

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United Minorities Council hosts annual event celebrating food and cultures on College Green

April 25, 2018 | The Daily Pennsylvanian

As part of their annual “Celebration of Cultures” event, the UMC partnered with TableTalk℠ Penn to set up couches in front of College Hall, where anyone passing by could sit to talk about culture and food in their lives on and off campus. “We were really happy with how many people came up to us and inquired what was going on,” Anglade said.

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TableTalk℠ brings opportunities for networking and friendship

April 18, 2018 | Flat Hat News

Dining halls are loud; students enjoy talking over their meals about good grades, bad roommate situations or the dining hall food itself. If you have ever found yourself curious about the lives and thoughts of other students, specifically those far different from yourself, there is an upcoming chance to meet them. “TableTalk”℠ has come to the College and will have its first event in mid-April.

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With pledging underway, a TableTalk℠ and UA event hopes to instill ‘culture change’ in hazing

February 22, 2018 | The Daily Pennsylvanian

At an event held by TableTalk℠ Penn and the Undergraduate Assembly on Tuesday, students talked about hazing at Penn and explored the various roles it can play in organizations on campus. The “Why We Haze” event split participants into small groups that discussed topics ranging from the role of alcohol in hazing, the difference between […]

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Following mass shootings, student groups host nonpartisan ‘walk-in’ to discuss gun violence

March 21, 2018 | The Daily Pennsylvanian

In the wake of the recent mass shootings and school walkouts across the country, national political organizations and Penn’s student groups convened to discuss nonpartisan actions regarding gun violence in the United States. TableTalk℠ Global hoped the event could “provide a space on campus for students to put their minds together.”

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Josh & Shea: TableTalk and CampusCouches

April 3, 2017 | Her Campus

We always noticed a divide between distinct groups at Emory. People’s social lives are regularly determined by their freshman hall, Greek organization, religious affiliation, and hometown. We wanted to get involved with TableTalk and CampusCouches because it gives students the opportunity to meet others they wouldn’t ordinarily interact with and creates a platform of conversation for anyone who wants to participate.

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TableTalk℠ Breaks ‘Icy’ Barrier Between Students

November 14, 2017 | The Harvard Crimson

Members of Harvard’s new “TableTalk℠” initiative spent upwards of an hour in extensive conversations sparked by the question “how are you?” Monday evening. Founded by students at Emory University,TableTalk℠ is an initiative with branches at several colleges whose mission is to bring people together in innovative ways, according to the group’s website.

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Open Call, TableTalk℠ provide alternative ways to interact on campus

October 16, 2017 | The Tufts Daily

Olive Baerde, a sophomore, started TableTalk℠ at Tufts last year. Baerde was looking for a way to recreate the atmosphere of first-year orientation in an experience for all grades. “I realized that people are very friendly during orientation week and everyone wants to know new people, but once orientation week ended, they [started] forming their own friend [groups] and people are less likely to branch out,” Baerde said.

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Religion may be a rare topic of conversation at Penn, but students of all faiths gathered in Harnwell on Tuesday to change that

April 4, 2017 | The Daily Pennsylvanian

Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish and Muslim students — and students who don’t identify with a religion — were all present at TableTalk’s℠ first discussion about religion this year. The discussion, titled “Religion: Unlocking the Millennial Mindset,” was organized for students to learn from others in different religions and have discussions about being religious in college.

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After the marches and protests, students sat down to talk about the immigration ban at a TableTalk event

February 23, 2017 | The Daily Pennsylvanian

The list of questions prompted students to begin their discussions by sharing their family histories with immigration. The discussion instructions asked students to, “[r]emind your groups that this is a safe space and a shared space.” Conversations shifted toward whether students knew any people who are affected by the ban.

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How can students become allies? TableTalk℠ forum leads the discussion

December 8, 2016 | The Daily Pennsylvanian

In the wake of a racist group message targeting black freshmen at Penn and other hate crimes against minorities, many students have been left fearful and rattled. Others, however, are wondering how they can help. TableTalk℠, a student group dedicated to promoting conversations among students, held a forum Wednesday night on how students can become better allies for marginalized groups.

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Students, University Collaborate to Bring Range of Mental-health Support to Penn

September 26, 2016 | Penn News Today

CampusCouches is one of four initiatives from the group, which aims to provide room for serious discussions among people who might not otherwise have them. Last semester, a mental-health TableTalk℠, also the name of one of the group’s programs, proved to be the best-attended event yet, with about 100 participants. The next, coming up in early October, focuses on sexual assault on college campuses.

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TableTalk℠ hosts discussion on mental health following student suicide

April 20, 2016 | The Daily Pennsylvanian

Every couch and table was filled in Harnwell College House rooftop lounge on Tuesday as students gathered to engage in an open dialogue about mental health as part of the #TableTalkTuesday initiative launched byTableTalk℠ Penn. TableTalk℠ tries to create a safe space at each of their events in the hope that the open atmosphere will inspire progress.

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Upper School Students Celebrate Pine Crest TableTalk Anniversary

March 10, 2016 | Pine Crest School

More than 150 Upper School students participated in Pine Crest’s TableTalk recently, marking the one-year anniversary of the program’s arrival to campus. TableTalk is a platform for conversation between people who would not meet under ordinary circumstances. The effort began a few years ago at Emory University and spread to several other universities, including University of Pennsylvania and Indiana University.

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Penn Junior Sophie Beren Has People Singing and Talking

January 15, 2016 | Penn News Today

Through five initiatives, TableTalk℠ facilitates conversations between people at Penn who might not ordinarily interact. “Each initiative fosters various kinds of dialogue, from small talk between individuals on a couch to discussions among student groups, or meaningful dialogue that encourages students to engage in the larger questions,” Beren says.

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Q&A With the Founders of TableTalk℠

November 10, 2015 | The Emory Wheel

Upon arriving at Emory, students leave the bubble of their hometowns and are exposed to different cultures. However, sometimes this change can be overwhelming, causing some to gravitate toward and find comfort with people whose backgrounds are more similar to their own.

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New club TableTalk hopes to open up discussion on campus

October 9, 2015 | The Brandeis Hoot

This fall, Brandeis welcomed its newest club, TableTalk, which which aims to foster conversation between students on a range of topics. At its first event on Oct. 1, students gathered on the couches in the SCC Atrium to speak to each other. Brandeis sophomores Anna Stern ’18 and Skye Golann ’18 started the club, hoping to improve culture on campus by bringing students together via discussion.

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Sharing food and diverse experiences: TableTalk℠ launches new program

September 29, 2015 | The Daily Pennsylvanian

Tired of eating at 1920 Commons in silence, awkward elevator rides and the rush of unfamiliar faces down Locust Walk?TableTalk℠, which started at Emory University in fall 2014 and came to Penn last semester, hopes to increase interactions among Penn’s diverse student body.

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Couches on campus take the awkward out of meeting new people

September 12, 2015 | USA Today

This event is a part of TableTalk℠, an event inspired by the FreeConvo campaign, which aims to bring people of all backgrounds together as they pass by public space. TableTalk℠ encourages students to communicate without the use of technology either at lunch, a table or — in this case — two couches.

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TableTalks℠ encourages students to meet new people

April 4, 2015 | The Daily Pennsylvanian

“You have much more in common with people you categorize as ‘the other’ than you would think,” Beren said. Many believe that come second semester of freshman year, few people branch out. For this reason, College sophomore Sophie Beren brought
TableTalk℠ to Penn.

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Let’s chat: TableTalk℠ sparks cross-cultural conversation

November 11, 2014 | Emory News

Informal interactions flourish during CampusCouches, one of three initiatives from TableTalk℠designed to encourage communication across social and cultural barriers. What if a world of misunderstanding could be healed with a conversation?

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