Fine Arts Building Room 53 Conflict Management and Relationship Building Tools for Graduate Students Anyone who has worked with humans has experienced – and sometimes feared – conflict, but not all drama is bad! Theatre skills combined with conflict management techniques can help us manage difficult situations. With active listening, improv tools, roleplay, and rehearsal, we can build better working relationships to prevent a lot of the negative drama or deescalate a fraught situation before things explode. Through discussion and a few volunteers from the audience, participants are invited to get curious and ask questions. They’ll learn conversation and problem-solving tools they can immediately put into practice whether or not they ever set foot on a stage: Emotion management and de-escalation Communication and listening tools Common agreements and structure for challenging conversations Led by Dina Canup, Academic Advisor II in UGA’s Department of Theatre and Film and Affiliate Academic Coach with the Office of Student Success and Achievement. In addition to her work in advising, recruitment, and outreach, she is the hub of resources and support for all students in the department with an additional focus on facilitating positive communication, conflict resolution, and problem-solving steps. She has completed training in Reflective Structured Dialogue, Mindful Conflict Management, Inside Track Academic Coaching, and Mental Health First Aid. Friday, January 30 2026, 11:30am - 12:30pm UGA Department of Theatre & Film
