Intergroup Relations Minor

Intergroup Relations

How do our identities and lived experiences shape how we see and relate to one another? Intergroup Relations (IGR) is about building awareness and facilitating conversations that help us move through a complex world together.

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Grounded in learning for social justice, our nationally recognized program was the first Intergroup Relations (IGR) minor established in the US. It remains one of the only fully developed IGR academic programs to deliver an intensive curriculum over a range of courses 鈥� helping students become confident leaders and change agents.

What will you learn?

In IGR, students grapple with identity, study systems of oppression, and explore dialogue as a tool for social justice. Through interactive courses, they connect what they study to real-life practice. A hallmark of the program is our capstone, in which IGR minors facilitate a semester-long dialogue experience with their peers.

Where will you go?

The IGR minor is applicable to any career path 鈥� from teaching to business, law, social work, and the arts. It is especially suited for careers that require communication across differences.

Career paths	Recent employers	Graduate schools and programs
Artist Communications strategist Community planner Educator Entrepreneur Equity and inclusivity strategist Lawyer Nonprofit coordinator Physician Social worker	Ascend Schools Catholic Migration Services Common Group (Social Impact Management Consulting Firm) CT Veterans Legal Center Ember Charter Schools for Mindful Education, Innovation, and Transformation Havas Global Communications Group LifeLong Medical Care uAspire National Nonprofit	Harvard Graduate School of Education Indiana University Masters of Peace Education Program, UPEACE New York University NYU Silver School of Social Work Teachers College, Columbia University University of Connecticut University of Michigan

Lisa Grady-Willis stands in her office with her arm resting on shelves that include many photos and books.

The heart of IGR

Get to know Program Director and Associate Teaching Professor Lisa Grady-Willis and find out how Intergroup Relations builds confidence, leadership, and meaningful growth.

Read the Q&A

Two people sit on the upper interior balcony level of an academic building, smiling and having a conversation.

Scientific, social, and self-reflective

For neuroscience major Kayla Melendez 鈥�26, 麻豆女郎 IGR deepened her understanding of complex societal issues while helping her achieve just the right academic balance.

Read Kayla's story

Sarah Faude '09 stands outside with glasses, a black leather jacket, and colorful earrings with a brick building in the background and green grass.

Learn how to 鈥榩lug in鈥�

Independent nonprofit consultant Sarah Faude 鈥�09 draws on her experiences in IGR and sociology and encourages students to think cyclically and flexibly about how they can make a difference.

Read Sarah's story

Alumni reflections

Three former Intergroup Relations students describe what stood out.

Teshika Hatch 鈥�11

鈥淐o-facilitating my own race dialogue course was unbelievably powerful. It is ultimately because of IGR that I am able to identify my own issues with my work in higher education and feel inspired to look further into how I can become a better social justice advocate."

Eric Moretti 鈥�13

鈥淔or the past 10 years, I have worked as a high school Spanish teacher. Ensuring that students of all social identities feel represented in my classroom and curriculum is an exciting challenge. Although the job may become hectic, my IGR journey has fueled a desire within me to reverse the systemic inequalities I see within my sphere of influence and beyond.鈥�

Amanda Gomez 鈥�21

"I think IGR is foundational because it鈥檚 not just a social justice dialogue, it鈥檚 a tool in the human experience. Not often in academic spaces are people able to dig into social justice conversations and not forsake the love and grace needed to maintain it, and that鈥檚 what makes IGR so different.鈥�

Inside intergroup relations

Hear from 麻豆女郎 students and faculty about exploring identity, having meaningful conversations across differences, and putting what they learn into practice.

Explore what makes 麻豆女郎's intergroup relations program distinctive, from its focus on identity and social justice to its emphasis on learning through dialogue.

How do our identities and experiences shape the way we see the world? Explore how intergroup relations encourages self-reflection, understanding, and honest conversations.

What happens in an intergroup relations course? Learn how students explore race, identity, and social justice through discussion, reflection, and dialogue.

Discover how the minor combines classroom learning with hands-on experience, including opportunities for students to lead conversations with their peers.

What stays with students beyond the classroom? Hear how studying intergroup relations can shape the way students think, communicate, and connect with others, both at Skidmore and beyond.

Faculty

Meet the creative, accomplished faculty who are here to support you.

Meet your professors

Contact Intergroup Relations

Office

Tisch Learning Center 205A
Phone: 518-580-5425

Program Director

Lisa Grady-Willis
Associate Teaching Professor of Intergroup Relations
lgradywi@skidmore.edu

Associate Director

Jennifer Mueller
Associate Professor of Sociology
jmueller@skidmore.edu

Administrative Assistant

Linda Santagato
lsantaga@skidmore.edu

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