Institutions of higher learning in the U.S. have enjoyed a robust reputation for cultivating democratic citizenship. But how are they doing so? How well is it going? More specifically, how well is Whitworth doing? With the commissioning of the Democracy and Discourse Coordinating Committee, we have begun the work of changing the narratives on campus about ideological indoctrination and concerns about cancel culture. We have surveyed students to gain a better sense of the general political leanings that students bring to campus, guided conversations on dialoguing across political difference, and conducted workshops that help students identify values before candidates or specific policies. Employing cultural studies methodologies, we are assessing the general climate for civic engagement and dialogue across difference with hopes of publishing strategies for challenging the dominant narratives of college campuses portrayed in the media and popular culture.