Announcing the Woodley Institute for Civil Engagement and Humanistic Dialogue

SPOKANE, Wash. — Thanks to the transformational gift from Tom (’69) and Nancy Woodley, Gonzaga University is establishing the Woodley Institute for Civil Engagement and Humanistic Dialogue to prepare students to lead with wisdom, humility and integrity in an increasingly divided time. Rooted in Gonzaga’s Jesuit, Catholic and humanistic tradition, the Institute will elevate civil discourse, interdisciplinary dialogue, and the literacies of conflict and digital engagement, alongside public-facing scholarship, while accompanying Woodley Scholars of political science as they grow into principled public servants.

Tom Woodley understands what steady leadership demands. As a Gonzaga political science graduate who went on to Georgetown Law, federal service and a 45-year career representing firefighters and public-safety professionals, he has seen how rhetoric can either harm or heal.

“Unfortunately, our country has a lot of deep divisions and hostile rhetoric that’s not constructive,” Woodley said. “To the extent that this Institute can contribute to curing that, it would be beneficial.” He hopes the announcement inspires fellow Gonzaga alumni “to step up and support the school and the students and the teachers.”

“Tom and Nancy Woodley’s investment in Gonzaga’s mission allows us to form leaders who build trust across difference,” said Gonzaga University President Katia Passerini, Ph.D. “Through the Woodley Institute and Woodley Scholars program, students will connect scholarship with civic practice and develop the habits –learning, reasoning and service—that democracy urgently needs.”

A mission-centered hub for dialogue and discernment

The Woodley Institute will serve as a convening hub for respectful dialogue across difference, grounded in the Ignatian practices of deep listening, discernment and seeking the common good. Through public lectures, interdisciplinary teaching, workshops and community partnerships, its programs will help students, faculty and neighbors practice evidence-based reasoning, navigate an evolving media landscape and engage across worldviews with empathy and rigor. Signature offerings such as “Dinners with Difference,” faculty pedagogy workshops and annual public themes (for example, citizenship, the human implications of artificial intelligence and the value of education) will guide a year-round calendar of learning and engagement.

How the Institute enhances the Woodley Scholars

The Woodley Scholars—political science students supported by the Woodley endowed scholarship fund—stand at the heart of this vision. The Institute will amplify their formation through:

• Priority access to immersive learning. Scholars will have front-row seats to public dialogues, roundtables and visiting experts, with structured reflection that connects ideas to vocation and public service.
• Mentored, public-facing projects. Faculty Fellows will lead interdisciplinary teams where Scholars conduct research, write op-eds and policy briefs, and collaborate with civic partners—building practical skills in analysis, writing and community engagement.
• Integrated co-curricular experiences. Debate, Model UN, Mock Trial and selective high-school fellows programs will align under the Institute’s civil-discourse pillar, giving Scholars a coherent pathway from classroom to community.
• Micro-credentials in Ignatian Dialogue. Scholars may pursue transcript-able credentials emphasizing civil dialogue, digital literacy and ethical leadership—strengthening preparation for roles in federal, state and local government.

Built on a strong Gonzaga foundation

The Institute formalizes and scales work already thriving on campus—initiatives like the Telling War Project, the Carl Maxey Timeline, GELab intercultural dialogue pods and Intergroup Dialogue courses—while expanding partnerships with Spokane Public Schools, the public library, tribal nations, local nonprofits, the Foley Institute and Catholic Charities Eastern Washington. Together, these relationships will position Gonzaga as a regional resource for thoughtful dialogue and the public good.

Leadership, structure and sustainability

Guided by a faculty Director, Faculty Fellows and an advisory network of campus and community leaders, the Institute will sponsor public programs, workshops and fellowships year-round. The Woodleys’ gift will establish the Institute and support an annual operating plan focused on impact, with an endowed fund ensuring long-term stability, innovation and national reach.

Interim Provost Mia Bertagnolli, Ph.D., added, “Constructive dialogue shapes minds, promotes greater understanding and connection, and leads to mutual respect even when there is disagreement. The Woodley Institute will be a teaching and learning engine for engagement with important questions, joining evidence-based inquiry with the Ignatian principle of deep listening so students learn to question assumptions and be open to expanding or changing their viewpoint, argue ideas clearly, disagree respectfully and act for the common good.”

A legacy of service—and an invitation

From his early insight into laborers’ struggles to decades representing firefighters, Tom Woodley’s life reflects a commitment to the common good. He credits Gonzaga—and formative Jesuits like Fr. Twohy, S.J.—for strengthening his writing, communication and moral compass.

“We need qualified people to serve the public interest and the common good,” he said, urging graduates to consider government service, even for a season. His hope for the Institute and the Scholars is simple and bold: to nurture leaders whose words, actions and decisions bring light—not division—to public life.

The Woodley Institute for Civil Engagement and Humanistic Dialogue advances that hope—accompanying Woodley Scholars as they learn to think deeply, speak respectfully and act courageously for others. It also extends an invitation: to alumni and friends who believe civil discourse still matters, and to students ready to lead with integrity.

Over the course of the next 12 months, the Provost’s office will oversee the establishment and growth of the Woodley Institute. It will work with the faculty and University Advancement to continue to grow the Institute.