Speaker Encourages Empathy Through Curiosity

Author, entrepreneur, and empathy expert Michael Tennant visited Westminster on October 9 to speak to the school community in Werner Centennial Center. In a conversation led by student Luna Yang ’26, Tennant spoke about his personal journey from marketing executive to social entrepreneur and shared lessons on how empathy can strengthen relationships, communities, and leadership.

Throughout his presentation, Tennant emphasized the importance of “checking in” with one’s emotions and aligning daily actions with personal values. Drawing on his personal experiences of loss, resilience, and growth, he described empathy as both a mindset and a practice—something that can be cultivated through awareness and intentional connection.

Following his talk, students gathered in Armstrong Dining Hall in advisory groups to play Actually Curious, a conversation game created by Tennant to inspire meaningful dialogue. The game’s open-ended, reflective questions encouraged students to listen deeply to each other and discover common ground. Faculty advisors noted how easily students engaged with one another and how the activity fostered understanding across backgrounds and experiences. For students, the takeaway of the morning was that empathy—like curiosity—is a skill that can be strengthened through honest conversation, active listening, and shared humanity.