Immersive mediation program trains tomorrow's peacemakers
Cal State Long Beach students are getting into the thick of other peoples’ problems — and solving them — while becoming skilled mediators.
Jana Salameh ‘26 completed the Mediation Certificate Program, among the many ways The Beach blends academic studies with experiences preparing students for professional life.
“Working our way through the classes together and being able to actually resolve a case in court, that was super rewarding and cool to see happen,” Salameh said.
Students take four courses covering topics including interpersonal conflict resolution, intercultural communication, negotiation and mediation training. The sequence leads to a certificate clearing students to mediate disputes that could otherwise go before a judge.
"It moves from teaching, to practice, to doing, and it requires a lot of bravery because you’re getting in the middle of people’s conflicts,” said Pamela Kreiser, Mediation Certificate Program director and member of the Communication Studies faculty.
'I can get involved’
Qualified student mediators take on Orange County Superior Court cases assigned to the central courthouse in Santa Ana. These include small claims lawsuits, as well as cases involving evictions and civil harassment.
Over the life of the program, students have achieved settlements in some 2,000 disputes, Kreiser said.
Nelson Godfrey ‘26, who worked alongside Salameh to resolve the civil harassment case she referred to, said the success of a mediation can turn on mediators’ ability to find any point of agreement between people who are otherwise at odds.
Sometimes, that happens when people accept that they no longer want to communicate with each other, Godfrey said. If money is at stake, the critical moment can be when one party decides offering a settlement is better than risking a court case.
Godfrey wants to continue volunteering while looking for professional mediating. Salameh plans to complete the Master of Dispute Resolution program at USC, aspiring to contribute to a more peaceful Middle East.
“I’ve always been wanting to get involved, but I didn’t know how, and then I learned that I can get involved and help people on an international level through mediation,” she said.
'Profound impact’
Beyond CSULB, alumni who have completed the program can go on to apply their skills in such fields as the law or human resources, Kreiser said. What’s more, having a mediation certificate can be a difference maker in the job market.
Students said their experiences and studies have helped them become better listeners, more empathetic and more confident in their abilities to face conflict in their personal lives.
“It’s been a profound impact for sure, because the way that I see almost any situation where there’s a potential for conflict or even a relationship going on, is completely shaped by everything I’ve learned in the mediation program,” Godfrey said.
And these personal benefits are worth sharing. Suzunosuke Ida ‘26, who aspires to work as a teacher, had an opportunity through the mediation program to relay his knowledge of conflict resolution to Los Angeles high school students.
He wants teaching mediation to be a regular component of his future work, and that experience strengthened his resolve to become an educator.
“I think if you want to help people, it’s definitely up there for that,” Ida said. “You have to go in unbiased, and you really have to be there to want to help these people solve their problems, and I think if you can do that, if you’re motivated to do that, then I think you will be a great mediator.”
