VILLANOVA, Pa. — Sensing the unrest that gripped the country after a volatile presidential election last November, Villanova University administrators encouraged faculty members to go off syllabus and allow students to use the safe space of the classroom to express their opinions. In Dr. Jenny Joyce’s humanities class, a handful of undergrads jumped in, quickly getting the conversation flowing. But Joyce noticed one student, one who’d already established himself as an insightful thinker, sitting quietly. Deep down, she rooted for him to speak, knowing he’d have something important to say.



When the discussion subsided, Omari Spellman finally spoke up. The freshman shared deeply personal feelings about the country and what he believed it is to be an African-American in it. His peers listened intently, and though not everyone agreed with Spellman’s position, his thoughts opened the floodgates on a powerful dialogue.



After class, Joyce...