FAQs – Cortico on Campus
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THE BASICS

Why should I apply to Cortico on Campus?

Since Cortico’s founding, we’ve partnered with over 250 organizations to deliver a tech-enhanced conversation approach, empowering them to listen deeply to the voices in their community, make sense of them, and inspire more informed action.

Now you can join a national fellowship of students that are leading a new kind of campus conversation. With the support of The Rockefeller Foundation, this fellowship will equip you with the training and technology to turn small-group conversations into actionable insight.

This is more than just talk—it’s a method for better understanding, with concrete (and fun!) outputs like highlight embeds, conversation maps, and voice medleys. The goal is to help you and your peers hear and be heard.


 What you’ll gain from taking part:

  • Grow your skills in leadership, project design, and conversation hosting & analysis 
  • Learn how to listen deeply & share findings across campus communities—building empathy and trust around the issues that matter most
  • Develop hands-on experience organizing and analyzing small-group conversations 
  • Connect with Cortico and MIT Center for Constructive Communication professionals across product, design, engineering, programs, and marketing 
  • Join a national fellowship of student conversation leaders—with opportunities to present your work in collaboration with MIT CCC

What is Cortico on Campus? 

The Cortico on Campus fellowship invites college and university students interested in amplifying the voices of their friends and peers to lead a new kind of conversation. Beginning with sharing experiences in small groups, you’ll make sense of conversations through a deep listening process supported by AI tools. You’ll share the big picture of what fellow students are saying—with outputs like highlights, conversation maps, and voice medleys—extending the power of small-group dialogue long after the conversation ends.

This fellowship equips you with the training and technology to turn small-group conversations into actionable insight.

What are the program’s goals?

Selected applicants will be funded to:

  • Create voice medleys and conversation maps addressing important topics on campus and highlighting the perspectives of your peers 
  • Lead small-group conversations with fellow students focused on personal experiences, not just opinions
  • Prototype & shape new digital tools for conversation curation and analysis
  • And get hands-on training in active listening, facilitation, and community organizing

What makes Cortico on Campus unique?

This is more than just talk—it’s a method for better understanding. The goal is to help you and your peers hear and be heard.  

Starting with sharing experiences in small groups, you’ll make sense of recorded conversations through a deep listening process supported by AI tools. 

Cortico’s conversation record—a combination of audio and transcripts—is automatically created and shared back with participants. This enables the curation of key moments that can be played back in audio snippets – as well as analysis or “sensemaking” to identify patterns or connections across small-group conversations. 

You’ll share the big picture of what fellow students are saying—with concrete (and fun!) outputs like conversation maps and voice medleysextending the power of small-group dialogue long after the conversation ends.

How does Cortico’s process work?

You will learn and practice how to organize and lead Cortico’s three step process:

  1. Talk: Start with a good conversation—organize small groups of peers into conversations sharing personal stories. These conversations are recorded, with audio and transcriptions automatically generated and shared back to conversation participants.
  2. Understand: Surface patterns across conversations through “sensemaking”—a deep listening process led by people and supported by AI tools.
  3. Share: Share the big picture with your campus community. Outputs will incorporate real voices, connecting powerful insights for more informed outcomes.
Who runs Cortico on Campus?

You do. This fellowship is an opportunity for you to organize conversations with your peers and create outputs like highlight embeds, voice medleys, and conversation maps elevating their perspectives. Cortico will work closely with you to provide the tools, methodology, and guidance to help make the most of this opportunity. 

Since Cortico’s founding, we’ve partnered with over 250 organizations to deliver a tech-enhanced conversation approach, empowering them to listen deeply to the voices in their community, make sense of them, and inspire more informed action.


With the support of The Rockefeller Foundation, this fellowship equips you with the training and technology to turn small-group conversations into actionable insight.

Who is the program for?

The program is for undergraduate students passionate or curious about community engagement, meaningful conversations, and leveraging technology to improve understanding. Applicants can be club affiliated or independent. You may apply alone or as a group of up to 4 students.

THE PROGRAM

How do I apply?

Applications are open until June 30, 2025. Interested students can apply online. Selected applicants will complete a 30-minute interview and provide one faculty reference as part of the process. You can see the application here and please feel free to email campus@cortico.ai with any questions about the application.

When does the program take place?

The fellowship program follows a two-phase approach and will run from October 2025 – May 2026. 

Phase 1: October – December 2025

  • Gain practical experience in dialogue program leadership, tech-enhanced conversation analysis, and community engagement by implementing your own project.

Phase 2: January 2026 – May 2026

  • Opportunity to sustain your own campus-specific conversation program, addressing questions unique to your campus environment with Cortico’s support.
  • If you choose to sustain your program, you will receive an additional $500 stipend and have the opportunity to apply to present at MIT CCC’s Annual Symposium in May 2026.

How much of a time commitment is this program?

Participants are expected to commit 5–7 hours per month for project work and learning opportunities. Each month throughout the semester, we will host at least one 90 minute live workshop as well as small groups sessions similar to office hours for additional support. The remaining hours will be recommended time for participants to work on organizing, hosting, and analyzing conversations.

Phase 1 Workshop Schedule

Tuesdays, 2:30-4pm EST

  • October 7: Program Kickoff!
  • October 14: Conversation Co-Design
  • October 28: Facilitation & Outreach
  • November 11: Codestorming & Codebook Development
  • November 18: Tagging Practice
  • December 2: Medley Making & Synthesis
What questions are in the application?

Preview the application questions below! Applications should be completed as a team—each team needs to submit one application.

  • Where do you go to school, and what is your class year?
  • Are you prepared to dedicate 5–7 hours per month to the Cortico on Campus program?
  • Are you affiliated with any campus clubs or organizations?
  • What makes a good conversation? What role does a good conversation play in addressing campus challenges or fostering a stronger sense of community?
  • What do you value most about your campus community? How do these values shape the way you envision this project being implemented?
  • What experience do you have in community organizing, leadership, or dialogue facilitation? If limited, what motivates you to take on this role?
  • What communities are you currently involved in (e.g., community, civic, media, political, or religious organizations)? In 3–4 sentences, please share the extent of your involvement and why these activities are meaningful to you?
  • Why are you interested in participating in the Cortico on Campus program? What about this initiative resonates most with you?
  • What does success in this program look like to you? How do you hope this project could impact your campus community?

Can I apply with other students?

Yes! You can apply to this fellowship either as an individual or as a team of up to 4 students. Individuals or teams can be club-affiliated (such as Student Government) or independent. If you are applying as a team, one person must be listed as the primary contact.

What do you mean by a “faculty or staff reference?”

If you’re selected for an interview, we ask that you have (at least) one faculty or staff member complete the short reference form so we can get a better understanding of your strengths, related skills, and experience on campus. If you’re applying with other students, the faculty or staff member only needs to complete the form for one of your team members, but you are welcome to collect additional references for other team members if you would like. Your reference is an important part of the selection process, but the faculty or staff member will not be required to participate in the program.

How will Cortico select applicants?

Selected applicants will participate in a 30-minute interview so we can learn more about you. Though the program is focused on conversations, experience with previous dialogue programs is not required. Applicants will be chosen based on the following selection criteria:

  • You’re motivated to spark meaningful conversations on your campus around issues that matter to your community
  • You have experience with, or curiosity about, community organizing, leadership, or peer engagement
  • You’re eager to develop skills in facilitation, storytelling, or multimedia content creation
  • You’re excited to grow your leadership capacity through a paid learning experience
  • You’re open to  learning how AI-supported tools can help analyze conversations and surface insights
  • You can commit 5–7 hours per month to project work and cohort learning opportunities
What should my project be about?

You know your campus community best, so you will determine what issues or topics are most relevant to your community. You will have the option to design your conversations around your chosen topics, or you can use the conversations as a way to learn what topics your campus community most wants to discuss.

Project ideas could include…

  • Make student organizations more inclusive
  • Improve dorm life by encouraging connective conversations
  • Shape the work culture in your on-campus job
  • Bring your friend group together to talk about a topic important to you
  • …or any conversation project that addresses a need or opportunity on your campus!

Sample project descriptions from current fellows:

  • We hope to host conversations that invite students to reflect on moments of uncertainty, clarity, and belonging during their time at UW-Madison. The goal is to create a space where people can share how they’ve navigated change, found connection, and made sense of their path. By exploring these themes together, students may feel more grounded in their experiences and more connected to one another. – Student team at UW-Madison
  • Our project plan is to highlight the different experiences of those living in our town, Chapel Hill. We hope to connect residents in the community and students on-campus with one another through conversations and shared activities, with the goal of creating more understanding and empathy between neighbors. – Student team at UNC-Chapel Hill and WXYC radio hosts
  • I want to host conversations about how to build a community after graduation. It will focus on how recent graduates maintain old friendships, form new ones, and find support in new environments. – Senior, Public Relations, University of Delaware
  • As I completed the Cortico on Campus fellowship, I felt that the technology would seamlessly blend in with Cornell’s Intergroup Dialogue course. As I mentioned in my application and throughout our sessions, the course is built on the foundation of “assuming good intent, but naming impact.” Having taken the course, I see several ways that Cortico’s technology could improve discussion and even shape future assignments. Finally, as the course is part of the Center for Dialogue and Pluralism and integrated in many aspects of campus life, I see a Cortico connection as the beginning of a long-lasting partnership. – Junior, Industrial & Labor Relations, Cornell University
What are examples of previous projects students have completed?

Cortico on Campus launched in Spring 2025 with a founding group of 13 student fellows from around the country who designed and kicked off conversation projects at their schools. While those projects are still in early stages, students have begun hosting conversations, exploring community challenges, and piloting ideas—from amplifying identity-based student experiences to improving campus mental health culture. As part of the next wave, you’ll build on that momentum—launching your own conversation project while joining a growing network of students using tech-enhanced conversations to spark change on campus.

Sample project descriptions from current fellows:

  • We hope to host conversations that invite students to reflect on moments of uncertainty, clarity, and belonging during their time at UW–Madison. The goal is to create a space where people can share how they’ve navigated change, found connection, and made sense of their path. By exploring these themes together, students may feel more grounded in their experiences and more connected to one another. – Student team at U-W Madison
  • Our project plan is to highlight the different experiences of those living in our town, Chapel Hill. We hope to connect residents in the community and students on-campus with one another through conversations and shared activities, with the goal of creating more understanding and empathy between neighbors. – Student team at UNC-Chapel Hill and WXYC radio hosts
  • I want to host conversations about how to build a community after graduation. It will focus on how recent graduates maintain old friendships, form new ones, and find support in new environments. – Senior, Public Relations, University of Delaware
  • As I completed the Cortico on Campus fellowship, I felt that the technology would seamlessly blend in with Cornell’s Intergroup Dialogue course. As I mentioned in my application and throughout our sessions, the course is built on the foundation of “assuming good intent, but naming impact.” Having taken the course, I see several ways that Cortico’s technology could improve discussion and even shape future assignments. Finally, as the course is part of the Center for Dialogue and Pluralism and integrated in many aspects of campus life, I see a Cortico connection as the beginning of a long-lasting partnership. – Junior, Industrial & Labor Relations, Cornell University

Listen to an audio medley from student leaders who helped us create this program:

You can explore projects led by Cortico with partners outside of colleges and universities through the links below:

How can we use the stipend if we are selected?

Selected students will receive up to $2,500 in total funding. This includes a stipend to compensate you for your time and leadership, as well as a budget to support project-related expenses.

  • Phase 1: Learning and Practice (October – December 2025)
    • Gain practical experience in dialogue program leadership, tech-enhanced conversation analysis, and community engagement by implementing your own project.
  • Phase 2: Sustainability (January 2026 – May 2026)
    • Opportunity to sustain your own campus-specific conversation program, addressing questions unique to your campus environment with Cortico’s support.
    • If you choose to sustain your program, you will receive an additional $500 stipend and be invited to present at MIT CCC’s Annual Symposium in May 2026

Do I need to submit anything at the end of the program?

Yes, you will develop a portfolio of work throughout the program that outlines their process and includes artifacts from their project. You will have an opportunity to showcase their portfolio to the rest of the fellowship as well as to Cortico, MIT staff, and potentially even the general public.

THE TECHNOLOGY

The application page talks about digital tools and AI technology—how would we use technology in this program?

You will learn how to use Cortico’s platform to upload and make sense of the conversations you collect—and create audio medleys and conversation maps from the experiences. You can learn more about Cortico’s tools here, and all participants will be fully onboarded to use both the platform and mobile app. You do not need to have any specific experience with technology to participate—we just ask that you are open and willing to learn.

I’m not comfortable using technology—is this program a good fit for me?

While technology is a key component, the tools are designed to be transparent and learnable. Support from the Cortico team will ensure accessibility for all participants.

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Cortico is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization led by a multidisciplinary team of experts in community engagement, technology and non-profit management. We strive to meld two elements not typically found in one space: technological innovation and community-centered advocacy. We'd love to keep you up to date on what we're doing!
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