Finding common ground in the classroom

Canfield Business Honors student Maryam Zoweil’s SXSW EDU session will help students and educators tackle politics in school

Maryam Zoweil, a first-year student in the McCombs Canfield Business Honors Program, will lead the session “Civics by Students, for Students: Depolarizing via Discourse” at this year’s SXSW EDU conference on March 5. Her session was selected from 1,400 student submissions through a competitive process involving over 40,000 community votes and an advisory board selection by industry leaders. The conference, an offshoot of South by Southwest, will bring together educators, students, administrators, and more in downtown Austin to network, share ideas, and shape the future of teaching and learning.

Zoweil’s session is presented by the Institute for Youth in Policy (YIP) — an organization dedicated to nurturing civic leadership in young people — where she serves as the director of data analytics. She first got involved with the institute as a high school junior and worked as a data intern after getting frustrated with the level of political polarization she witnessed in the classroom and her social circles. Since then, she’s explored how students can become more civically engaged, including co-authoring the study “The Impact of Discourse-Based Learning on Student Civic Engagement, Polarization, and Topic Comprehension,” which was published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Advanced Research in Social Sciences in 2024. 

Alongside study co-author Isabel Epistelomogi, a student from the University of Southern California, Zoweil will present the study’s findings and provide actionable practices to educators and students at SXSW EDU. While some educators and students may choose to shy away from political conversations in the classroom to avoid uncomfortable disagreements, the study’s findings show that engaging in these discussions actually helps foster political depolarization. 

Ahead of her session next month, we spoke with Zoweil to learn more about her research and work with the Institute for Youth in Policy, what to expect from her session, and how fellow McCombs students can join in the movement to depolarize classroom discourse.

Is this your first time attending SXSW EDU? Is there anything else at the conference you’re excited about seeing or taking part in?

This is my second time attending SXSW EDU but my first time attending as a presenter. For the past several years, I’ve been really interested in innovation in the education technology space. I’m particularly excited to attend the Launch Startup Competition and the Student Impact Challenge to learn more about how various founders are addressing pressing social issues, particularly through education. SXSW EDU also has an incredible list of featured speakers attending this year that I’m excited to hear from.

What are you hoping that fellow students and educators can take away from your talks?

My hope is that educators return to their classrooms and empower their students to actively engage with and learn about issues they resonate with. For far too long, traditional curriculums have relied on test-taking to prove understanding, and students have struggled to find ways to apply their learning outside of the classroom. However, our work at YIP has shown the power of empowering youth to lead discourse-based activities in their classrooms and how this reformed curriculum model can increase youth civic engagement. 

We’re especially eager to meet with teachers interested in bringing our curriculum to their classrooms. Similarly, I hope fellow students are empowered to become more informed about issues that resonate with them and advocate for reforms they want to see. This includes advocating the integration of experiential education in their classrooms, particularly in the civics education space.

Do you have any career or long-term goals related to your work with the Institute for Youth in Policy, or in general?

Alongside my other involvements, my work at YIP has allowed me to understand the immense value that experiential education and constructive discourse can bring to students and professionals alike. Although I don’t plan to pursue a career in policy, I am eager to advance my data analytics skills and pursue a career in helping socially impactful organizations advance their missions. 

No matter your major, your background, or your career aspirations, you have the agency to contribute to any cause that resonates with you and start building your legacy.

How did enrolling in the Canfield Business Honors Program tie into your goals?

Coming to McCombs and CBHP provided me with the opportunity to learn alongside highly motivated peers and the flexibility to explore options at the intersection of my various interests, including education, technology, and entrepreneurship. Throughout my first semester at McCombs, I have been amazed by the abundance of opportunities to learn about everything from sustainable finance to social entrepreneurship.

Do you have any advice for McCombs students hoping to get involved in this kind of work or organization?

I was once told, “If you want something to happen, just go out and do it.” My advice to students hoping to drive change in the civics space is just that. I encourage students to find an organization that aligns with their aspirations and to contribute to its mission. No matter your major, your background, or your career aspirations, you have the agency to contribute to any cause that resonates with you and start building your legacy.

Maryam Zoweil’s presentation will be part of the 2025 South by Southwest EDU conference in Austin on March 5. Learn more about her session and how to attend on the SXSW EDU website.

Story by Amanda Waxman