Kent State is preparing to hold an open-dialogue political forum with a KENTtalk on Jan. 31 in the Tri Towers lobby at 6 p.m.

The KENTtalk named “Let’s Talk Trump: Understanding Both Sides of the Vote,” will be moderated by Dr. Richard Serpe, a sociology professor at Kent State.

“The recent election received so much publicity about a divided country and a lot of people are trying to make sense out of it and where to go from here,” he said.

The event will help students express their views with those who may not agree and help one another understand the opposing viewpoint.

“The goal is to have people openly discuss what they think and feel about the election of the new president. The goal for me is for students to actively seek out information about the White House, policies and programs,” Serpe said.

Some students may feel hesitant to join such a conversation due to extreme post-election divisions. “This isn’t a partisan talk. All views are welcome and we live in a country where it is encouraged to disagree. All I expect is that people engage one another in a civil manner,” Serpe said.

The talk comes with the hope of moving forward and coming together despite disagreeing with one another.

“This isn’t the first time we have been faced with real challenges. This country is resilient,” Serpe said.